How to Care for a Weeping Japanese Maples in the Winter

Caring for Japanese Maples in snow regions

Now is the time to examine and prune 'Weeping' varieties of Japanese Maples where snow is a common occurrence.   

With the leaves off the tree, finally you can see the structure and it’s key supports.  The nature of the plant is to produce an abundance of branches and branching, many of which can cause problems because of the 90 degree structure of trunk-to-branch relationships.

This 3” caliper* Japanese Maple (right), has been cabled to support the crotch** shown in figure 1, and is thinned every winter,  (like now), to reduce the chances of snow load, (known as fulcrum effect), on the branch attachment.  This can result in branches ripping right off the tree!  

Pruning by 1/4 to 1/3 of canopy;  all inward growing branches; all crossing branches and all duplicate branches such that you can easily see through the canopy.  

This should be performed annually.

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* 3" caliper:  The caliper of a tree is measured by the thickness of the trunk, so a 3" caliper tree means that the trunk is 3 inches across.  (Approx. height - Maple Trees (shade tree): 3" caliper = approx. 16-18ft tall.  - source iTrees.com

** crotch angle: The angle formed between a trunk and a main scaffold limb. The strongest angle is 45° to 60°  - source GardenGlossary