How to Prune a Norway Maple

The Norway maple can be found throughout North America. This tree can grow up to 80 feet tall and features pale green maple leaves and grayish-brown ridged bark. Norway maple can easily be confused with other maples, including sugar maple. You can tell your tree apart by putting a finger to the bud: Norway maple trees have rounded, soft buds while sugar maples have pointy buds. Norway maples should be pruned while they're young to develop a strong shape. The best time to prune is midsummer or late fall.

Things You'll Need

• Lopping shears
• Disinfectant spray
• Towel

Instructions

1. Check your Norway maple for dead or diseased branches that need to be removed. Dead branches must be cut off immediately for the health of the tree. Snip any diseased or dead branches off at their intersection with the main limb.

2. Disinfect your pruning tools before moving on to healthy branches by spraying them with a disinfectant spray. Dry them with a towel before continuing. Carry all dead and diseased wood to a trash bin far from the site.

3. Remove downward growing branches and branches that are growing too low on the trunk of the tree. These low-growing offshoots will take energy from the upward growth and will only be in the way as the tree grows.

4. Cut off any branches that are growing too close to or rubbing up against other branches. The pressure of their rubbing will cause damage to both branches if left unchecked.

5. Thin out the interior canopy to allow for greater air circulation, helping prevent the likelihood of disease. Trim back vertically growing branches.

Tips & Warnings

• The U. S. Forest Service identifies the Norway maple as invasive throughout the northeastern and central United States. Avoid planting this tree.

References

• Virginia Tech: Norway Maple Fact Sheet
• United States Forest Service: Norway Maple
• University of Waterloo: Norway Maple