Trident maple: when and how to prune

Trident maple: when to prune it?

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Prune only when needed, in July–August, when the tree is in full leaf.

What else to prune in those months? July · August

Trident maple: how to prune it?

1. Remove dead, diseased and crossing branches, just outside the branch collar.
2. Cut out water shoots and suckers at the base of the trunk.
3. Keep pruning wounds small: better to remove a few branches than to shorten the whole crown.
4. In a pot or as a bonsai, cut new shoots back to one or two pairs of leaves in summer.

How much to cut, and how often?

• One pruning period a year: July–August.
• Never remove more than about a quarter of the crown at once. Better a little every year.

What does it mean for wildlife?

• Pruning in July–August can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
• Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.

Common mistakes

• Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
• Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.

Nearby: related pruning guides

• Field maple
• Sycamore
• Amur maple
• Box elder
• Italian maple
• Japanese maple

Plant profile: Trident maple · Pruning calendar and basic rules