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Should I prune the white branch ends on my Acer?

Dinnerplatedahlias🌸Dinnerplatedahlias🌸 Posts: 99
in Plants
As you can see in the photo the ends of some of my acer (orange dream) branches have turned white. This is the first year I’ve owned an acer so I’m not sure if this is simply new growth or dead branches or disease. Can anyone kindly offer any advice please? 

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    The white tips are dead for whatever reason.
    I have several acers and I notice in Spring that they all have a few dead tips here and there.
    I'd snip them off just above the buds leaving a 1/2" stump of dead wood (not normally good practice but acers bleed if you cut into green wood once the sap is rising - you can trim them back further and do any general pruning in December if you wish).
    The 1st pic appears to have live wood beyond the grey patch, so I'd leave that alone for now and see what happens with it.
    Just snip back the dead tips for now and good luck with it.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    edited March 2020
    I am no acer expert (I only own one specimen!) so please wait for others' advice. Anyway I can say for sure that those white parts are dead wood.
    If I were you I would prune my acer as shown in the attached pic. Acers respond quite well to pruning.
    Just read @Pete.8 's message. I agree that it may be a bit too late to do the pruning I suggest, should have been done earlier in Feb.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Don't do it if there's frosts forecast either.
    I certainly couldn't do it just now. Minus 3 last night. That also causes problems, and you can end up having to prune even more off.

    Wait until the weather's benign, or do them as winter starts, to avoid problems as indicated by @Pete.8 :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    I usually prune mine in February each year (outside of severe frost periods, of course).
    Here's an extremely well-documented site about acer pruning: http://fourseasonsgarden.co.uk/pruning-acers
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    It is completely normal to get these tiny dead twigs at the end of the branches.
    It  happens on trees young and very old...even on very strong healthy trees.

    I find it very relaxing and therapeutic to get up close and personal and just snap them off with my fingers.
    Only rarely are secateurs needed.
    Do it now before the leaves start to grow where you could damage new growth.
    Just now the grey dead twigs show up so well compared to live healthy twigs.
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Silver surfer said:
    I find it very relaxing and therapeutic to get up close and personal and just snap them off with my fingers.
    I do it too and enjoy it!
  • Dinnerplatedahlias🌸Dinnerplatedahlias🌸 Posts: 99
    Ah this is excellent advice everyone thank you all so much. I’ll give it another week before snapping off the white branches so the weathers a bit warmer. I’m glad it’s easy to fix 😊 stay safe everyone 💕
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719

    Papi Jo your pic actually show the remains of the stalk that would have had the seeds /keys attached.
    They should drop off on their own.


    cbennett17  Please do it now...asap.
    Looking at Papa Jo's pic above I would do it much earlier, while buds are tight, tiny.
    Once you see the colour then dead twigging could knock off young healthy buds.
    A tiny tree like yours it will take you 5 secs.
    2 weeks ago, my other half and I spent 5 hours in the sun in a glorious garden, very happy and contented, removing grey dead twigs for a friend...while listening to the birds and looking at all the other spring plants
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • Dinnerplatedahlias🌸Dinnerplatedahlias🌸 Posts: 99
    Silver surfer thank you for the advice ☺️ I’ll get on top of it this afternoon. I’ll maybe post a wee photo once leaves are on it and it’s growing healthily 🤞
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