A dwarf Japanese maple tree (Acer palmatum) adds a focal point to landscaping if it receives correct care and maintenance. Homeowners in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 8 with limited planting areas can enjoy the tree's distinctive leaf shape and color shades. The compact tree reaches a maximum height of 6 feet and features small leaves and abundant branching. It can complement a rock garden and also can be grown in a pot on a patio, balcony or deck.
Choose a planting site that is at least 5 feet away from other trees or structures and receives at least two hours of shade each day. A dwarf Japanese maple tree's leaves may suffer sun scorch discoloration if they don't have that amount of shade daily. If necessary, plant a tree that will grow taller than 6 feet near the dwarf Japanese maple to provide at least two hours of shade each day for the maple.
Test the planting site soil's pH range with a soil test kit. The tree needs soil that has a pH range of 6 to 8. The soil's pH range can be lowered by adding a 2-inch layer of sphagnum peat and working it into the top 12 inches of soil with a shovel. The pH range can be raised by working 1/2 pound of limestone into the top 12 inches of every 10-square-foot area of soil. Retest the soil with the kit to ensure the results, adding additional peat or limestone if needed.
Amend the planting site's soil to ensure good drainage by digging to a depth of 12 inches and adding compost at a ratio of one part compost to two parts soil, or create a raised bed at least 1 foot in height. The Japanese maple tree will not thrive with continuously damp soil at its roots.
Dig a planting hole twice as wide and no deeper than the Japanese maple tree's root ball. The tree can be planted successfully any time of the year in plant hardiness zones 5 to 8. Place the tree's root ball in the hole, and cover the root ball with the soil, leaving 1 inch of the top of the root ball above ground level.
Cover the ground to the edge of the tree's leaf spread with a 3-inch thick layer of mulch. Avoid placing mulch in a 2-inch wide perimeter around the tree trunk's base.
Fertilizing and Watering
Water the dwarf Japanese maple tree thoroughly immediately after planting it and every day for two weeks to avoid transplant shock.
Water the tree once each week every week that it does not rain. Test the tree's soil with your fingers to ensure it is wet to a depth of 12 inches.
Apply 10-10-10 fertilizer by sprinkling it on top of the soil under the dwarf Japanese maple tree's leaf canopy twice yearly, in spring and fall, avoiding a 2-foot perimeter around the tree's trunk. Use 1 pound of fertilizer for each 1 inch of tree trunk diameter.
Prune the dwarf Japanese maple tree with sharp and clean pruning shears in late fall or winter before the tree sap rises. Place the thin blade of the pruners next to the trunk of the tree when cutting to avoid leaving a stub.
Cut twigs and small branches at the point of intersection with large branches to remove center growth, allowing the center trunk to be visible.
Cut tree branches where they cross and rub together to avoid providing an opening for insects or disease.
Things You Will Need
- Soil test kit
- Measuring tape
- Watering can or garden hose
- 10-10-10 fertilizer
- Sharp, clean pruning shears
- Limit pruning for branch removal to one-quarter of the entire tree each year. Pruning will stimulate new growth and can repair damage. Prune the tree to a compact form that can withstand storms and, in cold climates, heavy snow and will shape the tree to its maximum attractiveness.
- Avoid planting a dwarf Japanese maple tree in a windy location to provide it maximum protection.
- Ortho's All About Pruning; Judy Lowe
- Care-Free Plants; Reader’s Digest Association
- Fine Gardening: Pruning Japanese Maples
- Art Wolfe/Digital Vision/Getty Images