Curious about this Japanese Maple I purchased recently. Found it at a local Nursery and it was labeled “Murasaki kiyohime.” It was completely dormant - so I brought it home and now that foliage is coming out…it is all strangely clumped together. Not sure if this is normal foliage growth for this maple, but about 10-15 tiny leaves emerging from the same location all together at the tips.
Was just trying to let it grow out this season to make sure it is healthy before doing any major work on it.
Would love any thoughts on why the foliage looks this way. Is it normal for this cultivar to have leaves clumped together like this at the tips of branches.
It is fairly common for the dwarf Japanese maples to grow primarily at the ends of the branches, particularly when in nursery mix (they are trying to get bigger). The growth can be pushed back to inner nodes and buds by cutting back the terminal foliage after the growth hardens. Unlike the larger leafed maples, it is sometimes necessary to cut out some of the very closely spaced leaves as part of this partial defoliation. Getting the tree into a good bonsai soil (too late this year) with 75 - 100% akadama will encourage fine roots which will also encourage back budding rather than apical growth.
Just to make sure I am clear. When you recommend to cut back the terminal foliage after the growth hardens…are there a specific number of leaves that need to remain? Or, should I cut the branch back to a lower node removing all the leaves at the tip?
I would leave some leaves at the tip. General partial defoliation advice is to remove 3/4 of the foliage - one leaf and half of the other when dealing with more typical maples. I would start there and see how the tree reacts. If it acts next year as if nothing was done (i.e. similar growth and limited back budding), I would cut back a bit further.
That being said, strongly growing maples (and some other deciduous species) will often back bud from the trunk at nodes if all foliage is removed - i.e. a severe trunk chop. However, sometimes they don’t. If you decide to take this approach, cut back every branch so the tree does not decide to put it’s energy into the remaining branches with foliage and let the others die. However, this approach is risky.
The tips and edges of the leaves look a little browned/distorted. Did it get exposed to high heat or drying? Or was it sprayed with something that might be phytotoxic to new leaves?
Thanks for the tips and advice. I sprayed with neem oil because there were webs. I thought it might be spider mites or web worm. I am north of Houston and we did get a few days in the low 90’s recently. Could be that causing the burnt leaves and deformed leaves. I also may have been overwatering.
So, based on everyone’s advice, I have backed off watering and put it in dappled shade. Going to spray with an organic fungicide and will let it grow this year and repot out of the nursery soil to akadama in early spring 2026. Then partially defoliate after next spring’s growth hardens.
After that will reassess and go from there. I agree - doesn’t look like a Murasaki Kiyohime, but I still like the tree a lot. Has some interesting lines.
I did also notice some dieback in branches where the nursery pruned it. Have just left those spots alone for the time being.
