Should I cut the green leaves off of my red Japanese maple?

Connie
by Connie
I bought a small Japanese maple last year and this year the bottom leaves came in green. Should I leave the green ones or trim them off.
Red on top green on the bottom
  10 answers
  • Tam13317878 Tam13317878 on Jun 08, 2017

    leave them

  • Linda Garretson Linda Garretson on Jun 08, 2017

    No the new leaves are always green and will turn red later just wait and see how pretty

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Jun 08, 2017

    Cut the feeders off.If you leave them all energy will go to them and not the tree.

  • Julie M. Julie M. on Jun 08, 2017

    I used to have many different Japanese Maples when we lived in the Pacific Northwest. This is normal and they will probably change. BTW I do not believe that these are suckers or feeders so leave them alone for now. The beauty of the Japanese Maple is the continuing "mounding" of the tree. Spectacular specimens!!!!

  • Drae13 Drae13 on Jun 08, 2017

    Not an expert on Japanese Maples but it looks like 2 different leaves here, not talking about the color because that obvious. However the pattern and cut on the leaves look different as well. Could be you got one that was grafted onto a cheaper less showy cultivar.

  • Cyndie Birdsong Cyndie Birdsong on Jun 08, 2017

    I think they graft a lot of decorative trees. I know they do this for most fruit trees as well. I had a japanese maple that did the same thing and the lower leaves never changed to match the rest of the tree. Look closely at the trunk above the green leaf branch to see if you can find where/if it was grafted. I'd probably cut off any suckers to the lower trunk if that's the case.

  • Judith Judith on Jun 08, 2017

    Yes, this a grafted tree. The branches are coming fron the rootstock.

  • Judith Judith on Jun 08, 2017

    Cut them off.

  • Carrie Davis Carrie Davis on Jun 09, 2017

    If you look carefully at the picture you will see 3 different leaf types You actually have 3 different "trees" in one. You could probably cut off the branches that you dont want, but they may come back again.

    Check at a nursery and ask about a special paint. You paint it on the places you cut the branches off. It should inhibit any new growth as well as protect the remaining tree from pests, bacteria, and viruses.