Field Maple pruning

[mrt]

Hi,
I got a small field maple (acer campestre).
It has a relatively tall trunk with leaves only at the very tip, so it is quite stretched. I can post a photo later.
I wonder if it is possible to prune it back, preferably to the trunk, to improve its branching?
I have read some contradictory stuff on this. Some people say A. campestre cannot be pruned back to the trunk, while others say it tolerates even extreme pruning. So what is true?
and, is it possible to prune it now in spring? the buds are very swollen but not opened yet.

 

[minkes]

I would not heavy prune it now. I had lost mine few years ago after heavy chops in spring probably due to heavy sap flow. I used healing paste, but tree died anyway. I think better time for heavy pruning maples should be after the first flush of growth hardens off at the beginning of summer.

From my experience it backbudds quite good even on the trunk.

 

[TomB]

If you see evidence of nodes on the trunk or a branch, it will generate new buds at those points when pruned back. If you cut off the branches but leave a little stub, it will generate new buds at the branch collars. In terms of timing, I would only cut hard if you are leaving some of the existing buds, preferably above where you are cutting. Otherwise, as minkes says I would wait until the first growth has hardened off, and the leaves have had a little while to generate more resources for the tree, to power the next flush after your cuts.

 

[mrt]

Here are some photos. The overall height is 20cm, the trunk diameter 1cm.
I don't like the aspect ratio width/height, as there are almost no branches. But the tree is for me still too valuable to throw it away, I'd prefer to give it a try

 

[Shibui]

Difficult photos to work from but you can cut the trunk just above any of those side branches no problem at all. The side branch becomes the new trunk line so you automatically have a shorter tree with better taper. Also chop the long branch (new trunk) shorter. New shoots will grow from any of those nodes.
Maples can bleed when cut near bud burst but if you combine pruning with a repot, cutting the roots will stop bleeding almost instantly.

BTW. Get rid of the weeds. They steal nutrients and water and make life hard for your maple. Each seed pod on those weeds has around 10 seeds so that's a lot of new weeds next year.

 

[Seanbean]

From personal exepirience, they tolerate hard pruning. Just don´t cut them in late winter/early spring due to execcsive sap flow even while using cut paste. In summer they heal the best.

Attached is a picture of an field maple (a. campestre) that was at least 4 meters tall when I bought it in late summer 2020. The upper 3/4 were left at the nursery straight away to fit into the car. I recut it above the first branch in 2021 and was left with a stump. In 2022 it recovered well.

 

[mrt]

Hi,
so when I cut it in summer, will it only survive if something green is left on the stem, or can I literally cut off almost at the base and it will recover?

 

[Seanbean]

Hi,

from my expieence it is always harder to predict a response if you leave absolutely no new growth.

By cutting above the first branch and then again by reducing the first branch itself (see picture below) chances are high that it will form new buds lower on the trunk. It was the case with the tree above as it tried to push for growth below the cut. You can always cut back more in a second step.

Here is what I would do with the plant, if it was mine after the first growth hardened off. Could be late spring or early summer depending on your local climate.

 

[TomB]

can I literally cut off almost at the base and it will recover?

This is very risky. These will only sprout from points where there are existing or latent buds (nodes). So you need to leave some of these, ideally with active growth on them. Also, without sufficient 'green' being left, you may find part of the trunk dies back all the way to the roots. As @Seanbean says, do it progressively to be safe.