Help with the bush

aj9648

Hi

Can someone tell me what this is and also how to maintain it. It's ballooned massively in last few weeks

pic.twitter.com/mk06gCSGhS

DaftyDuck

Very blurry photo, but I'd say Japanese Maple. Look that up on Google Images to have a look. There are a wide variety of clolors and leaf types, but most are lovely.

aj9648

Is this better?

http://twitter.com/payrollexcel/status/460300580133818369/photo/1

I_have_spoken

Yep looks like an acer.

Prune in autumn when entering dormant phase, if you really, really have to.

Cally_Smart

I would agree on Acer.You are lucky they are quite expensive in the garden centres especially one of that size.It will have ballooned massively in Spring because they are deciduous(lose leaves in winter)so it's getting it leaves back and filling out as they unfurl.

aj9648

Should I be pruning it or leave as is?

elsien

According to the royal horticultural society




"Pruning and training Back to top Acer palmatum is best pruned when fully dormant (November to early February), as maples bleed sap from pruning cuts at other times, weakening the tree. However, pruning is still best kept to a minimum as the most graceful shape comes from a tree that has been allowed to develop fairly naturally. As a result, just remove badly-placed or crossing shoots to encourage a good framework of branches to form.


Where you do need to reduce height and width, follow long branches back to a side branch and pruning it out at this point. This is not necessary on prostrate-growing trees because they should be allowed to spread naturally to gain the best effect."

Mojisola

Looks like a lovely Acer palmatum disssectum
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=5860

Pruning should be minimal -
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=549