Acer Buergerianum – Young Plant – Informal Upright

Position: Full sun. Protect from extreme afternoon sun during hot summer if the plant has been recently repotted or is not completely established. During winter, protect pots from extreme frost as roots are not as hardy as that of Japanese maples.

Watering: Frequent and regular, particularly in summer. Soil should not completely dry out between waterings. Observe and rely on leaves turgidness to read the plant watering needs.

Feeding: Depending on the desired growth rate, high nitrogen fertilisation after leaves appear in spring can be very effective, though leaf and internode sizes can get disproportionately large. A more balanced, less frequent fertilisation is advisable during the rest of the year until leaf drop.

Repotting: When buds start swelling in spring, roots can be pruned aggressively and old soil can be removed completely. Repot mature specimen every 2-3 years, young ones more frequently.

Soil Ph: Slightly acidic to neutral.

Pruning: Healthy specimens require continuous, aggressive pruning to keep the canopy in shape, avoid interior twigs to die from absence of light, balance the strong apical dominance and construct/maintain a very detailed ramification. Cut back to the first pair of leaves after shoots have elongated to at least 4 to 5 pairs, from late spring to autumn. Thick branches can be pruned/chopped from late spring to late Autumn. Pinching and defoliation techniques can also be applied on healthy, vigourous trees to reduce leaf and internodes size.

Wiring: Young branches are very flexible and can be bent easily all year long. Extra care should be used though as branches thicken very quickly and wire-bite marks are very persistent.

Pests and Disease: High humidity level could favour the formation of fungal infections, mildew being one of the most common. Aphids on spring new growth and mites are also frequent visitors. Excessive sun exposure and drougth can cause leaf scorch during hot summers.