The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) or, as it is sometimes called in specialist shops, “Japanese Japanese maple” can be propagated easily and cheaply from cuttings - provided you follow our instructions regarding planting and care the young offshoots. Above all, make sure to only cut offshoots of he althy and strong trees. Since you create clones of the mother plant during vegetative propagation, they also take on all the characteristics of the adult tree.
How do I propagate a Japanese maple from cuttings?
To propagate a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), cut off 10-15 cm long shoots in early summer, remove flowers and buds, reduce the leaves to two to three pieces and place the cuttings in potting soil or lava granules. The first roots form within eight weeks.
Cut cuttings in early summer
Ideally between the end of May and the end of June, cut young, not yet (or only slightly) woody shoots from the tree to be propagated. These should be between 10 and 15 centimeters long. Since the offshoots that are not yet rooted will have difficulty absorbing water, you should limit the number of leaves to a maximum of two to three small leaves and also remove all flowers and buds. In addition, the cutting surface is kept slightly slanted to facilitate water absorption.
- Place the cuttings in potting soil or in fine lava granules.
- Alternatively, you can also mix high-quality potting soil with sand and clay granules.
- Dip the cut site in a rooting hormone (€8.00 on Amazon).
- Place the plant pots in a bright and warm location,
- but without direct sunlight.
- Ensure high humidity
- and keep the substrate slightly moist.
The first roots will form within about eight weeks.
Planting young Japanese maples
The young Japanese maples should first be cultivated in pots and overwintered indoors at frost-free temperatures of up to a maximum of 12 degrees Celsius in the first winter. The planting then takes place the following spring, but only after the Ice Saints. After rooting, you can carefully fertilize the young plants or immediately move them to a suitable planting substrate and a larger pot.
Tip
On warm days, place the rooted cuttings outside for a few hours, but if possible not in direct sun. Before planting, the trees should also be hardened and accustomed to life outdoors.
