Japanese Maple or Acer Palmatum is a sub-variety of the Acer species. This sub-variety is native to Korea, Japan, China, and Mongolia. They are usually cultivated for their beautiful foliage colors. They are generally considered to be small trees and come within the deciduous category of trees.
Let’s take a look at how to kill Japanese Maple and its root system.
How to Kill Japanese Maple Trees?
Some of the most popular methods of killing Acer Palmatum are:
- Foliar Spray
- Cutting the tree down and treating the stump with Herbicides
- Gridling or ring barking
- Basal Bark treatment
- Injecting the tree with killing chemicals
- Cut surface treatment
All of the above methods have their own pros and cons, if you want to learn more about killing trees, I recommend you read this post as well.
The best way to kill a small Japanese Maple tree
Some small Acer Palmatum can only grow up to 10 feet tall.
The first method to kill a Japanese Maple this small is to cut down the tree using either a chainsaw or an ax and treat the remaining stump with a herbicide like Tordon RTU or Roundup. The herbicide is necessary to kill the root system and help prevent any sprouting in the future.
Cutting down a smaller tree should not be an issue in most cases, and you can even do it yourself, but if you are not up to cutting down the tree, there are a few more options you can go for.
Here’s an article on how to remove a small tree.
Foliar Spray Technique
The other method you can go for is the Foliar Spray method. This is only applicable if the Foliage of the tree is reachable by the sprayer you are going to use.
As I already indicated, for this method, you will need a backpack sprayer and a herbicide to go along with it.
Make sure there is no wind during the spraying process as the herbicide can get carried away. The leaves of the tree should be dry before spraying the chemical for better absorption.
- Use an effective herbicide like Roundup, Triclopyr or Ortho, which you can find here.
- Spray the foliage of the Acer Palmatum with the herbicide.
- With this species, it will take multiple coatings of the herbicide to get the job done.
- The herbicide will be absorbed by the leaves and transported to the roots, killing the tree over time.
- Within a few weeks you should start seeing signs of the tree dying. The leaves should start turning brown and fall off.
The third method for smaller trees is the Basal bark Treatment, keep in mind that you can only use this method if the diameter of the trunk is less than 6-7 inches in diameter.
Basal Bark Treatment
For this method, you will need a backpack sprayer for spraying the chemical, a strong herbicide, and an oil-based solvent.
Ideally, you should choose herbicides that contain Trycloper or Trycloper Ester as the main chemical.
For example, Garlon 4 Ultra, Relegate, Forestry Garlon XRT, Aligare Trycloper are good choices.)
The solvent to mix the herbicide in would be diesel, basal oil, fuel oil, or even kerosene.
The ideal proportion for mixing should be 1 part herbicide and 4-part solvent, so about 20-25% concentration.
Some types of herbicides in the market can directly be used for this method without needing to mix with anything like ‘Pathfinder II’.
There are a lot of varieties in the market, so make sure to read the label before using them.
- Once you have the solution mixed, spray the bottom 20 inches of the Acer Palmatum tree with this solution and let it dry out.
- Repeat this process again for better absorption.
- It is crucial to make sure that the tree is not wet while performing this technique as the chemicals used for basal bark treatment are hydrophobic, which means they will not be absorbed as effectively.
The best way to kill a large Japanese Maple tree
A large Acer Palmatum species will only grow up to 30 feet tall.
The first method here as well would be to cut down the tree and treat the stump with a herbicide. Considering that a large Acer Palmatum is still fairly small, you shouldn’t have much difficulty in cutting it down yourself.
Alternatively, you can also use Ringbarking method to kill the Japanese Maple.
Ringbarking
Ringbarking would be the easiest and the most efficient method for killing a large Acer Palmatum as it will stop the nutrient flow from the roots to the stems and the leaves, killing the tree over time.
It is not the fastest method, as it can take a few years to kill the tree completely, but the ringbarking process itself is fast.
- You will need to either get a hatchet, a saw or a chainsaw for this method. In some instances, if the tree is on a smaller side of the scale, you can even use a knife to peel off the bark.
- Simply remove a ring of bark around the entire tree, about 4-8 inches wide.
- For extra measure, spray some herbicide along the exposed bark. Tordon RTU would be the best option.
What’s the best time to kill Japanese Maple?
Acer Palmatum shed their leaves during early fall and they start producing new leaves in spring. The nutrient demand of the tree is at a peak just before they start producing new leaves. The best time to kill Japanese Maple is during the winter or early spring so that the nutrient supply is cut off for the flowering season.
But if you decide to cut down the tree, it can be done throughout the year.
Should you hire a professional tree removal service?
If Acer Palmatum is small, killing, cutting, and removing them should not be an issue at all. It can be a nuisance if you have to kill a number of trees.
The logistical issues can be a challenge from cutting down the trees to getting them transported.
On top of this, the cost factor also plays an important role. Figuring out all separate logistical details, the tools end herbicides needed can turn out to be quite costly.
Take a look at my tree removal cost guide to get an idea here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you kill a Japanese Maple without cutting it down?
Yes, the preferred method for doing so would be Foliar Spray and Basal Bark treatment if the tree is small and girdling if the tree is mature.
Can Bleach be used to kill Japanese Maple?
Bleach can be used to damage Japanese Maple, but it will be very difficult to kill a mature tree. Bleach will only damage the tree but the chemicals won’t be able to absorb to be effective.
Can the Japanese Maple survive colder temperatures?
Japanese maples can live through temperatures as low as 14F.
Conclusion
A small Acer Palmatum or Japanese Maple can be killed using Foliar spray and Basal bark treatment. For bigger trees, you can use Ringbarking. Alternatively, you can also cut down the tree and treat the stump with a herbicide.
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I am the guy behind Theyardable.com. I grew up on a homestead and I am here to share the knowledge I have and things I learn while living in the countryside.
