Trident maple, three-lobed maple watering

Content:

• Trident maple origin
• Trident maple care and location
• Pruning trident maple
• Fertilizing trident maple
• Watering trident maple

Trident maple origin

The trident maple (Acer buergerianum), also known as the three-lobed maple, belongs to the soapberry family (Sapindaceae). It is native to East Asia – particularly China, Taiwan, and Korea. In its native habitat, it grows in mountainous regions and open deciduous forests, often on lime-poor, well-drained soils.

It has been cultivated in Europe since the 19th century and is enjoying increasing popularity – both as an attractive garden tree and as a bonsai. It is valued for its delicate growth and beautiful red autumn color.

Trident maple care and location

The trident maple prefers sunny to partially shaded locations with sheltered positions. Young trees are particularly sensitive to strong winds. The trident maple thrives in almost all permeable garden soils, but prefers slightly acidic to neutral, humus-rich substrates. It does not tolerate waterlogging or persistently dry soils well.

In the right location, the trident maple is an easy-care and adaptable tree with an elegant growth habit. It is robust against urban climates, air pollution, and heat – as long as the soil doesn't dry out.

Pruning trident maple

A regular Video editing is not necessary for the trident maple. Nevertheless, it tolerates occasional shaping and maintenance pruning very well – even more severe pruning in winter. Because of its tolerance to pruning, the trident maple is also often kept as a bonsai. Damaged or dead branches can be removed. The best time for pruning is between late winter and early spring, before bud break.

Fertilizing trident maple

The trident maple's nutrient requirements are moderate. In normal garden soils, an annual application of compost in spring is usually sufficient. If you keep your trident maple in a pot, we recommend regular Fertilization. Especially with the trident maple, a mulch layer be helpful as it also has a positive effect on soil moisture.    

Watering trident maple

The trident maple requires a consistent water supply, especially in hot summer months or when young trees are in the growth phase.

For the trident maple we give the following watering recommendation:

• Young trees: Water 2–3 times a week, especially at temperatures above 25°C.
• Mature trees: Water 1-2 times a week during prolonged dry and hot periods. 

And here are the basic recommendations for the Watering trees:

• To ensure that the water can actually reach the root area, a lot of water should be given at once, ideally 75 – 100 liters of water in one watering. 
• The water should be released slowly so the soil can absorb it optimally. If water is added too quickly, it will run off the surface, as dry soil can absorb only a small amount of water.
• Therefore, we recommend the use of tree watering bags. baumbad watering bags They release water drop by drop through small holes into the soil over a period of several hours. This allows for good moisture absorption in the root zone of the tree, where the roots can easily absorb the water.
• The bag is placed around the tree trunk like a jacket and zipped shut. It is then filled with water, releasing the water drop by drop over the next few hours.
• If you water your tree without a watering bag, you should water late in the evening or early in the morning.