Just a few cuts can maintain their natural beauty.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. While most varieties of Japanese maples grow only 6 to 12 inches a year, pruning helps maintain their shape and keep them healthy.

Annual pruning can help maintain your tree’s health, but let its growth guide you. If the tree has areas of dense growth, inward- or upright-growing shoots, or poor structure, pruning is in order. The ...