When Is a Good Time to Get a Silver Maple Tree Topped Out?

Timing

• According to horticulturists and arborists, no time is good to top a silver maple. The severe cutting back of large, central branches to an arbitrary height -- often to keep the tree under utility lines -- leads to a rapid regrowth of weak-wooded sprouts in a broomlike thicket. The visual and structural integrity of a topped silver maple is destroyed by topping. Topping results in branch rot, plant starvation, more limb breakage and an unnecessary drain of your wallet.

Pruning Alternative

• Rather than topping the silver maple, conduct selective pruning of branches to limit the overall size of the canopy. Removing certain branches in the canopy eliminates growth that is encroaching on overhead wires and helps direct new growth to side branches rather than more upward growth. Consult with a professional arborist to properly prune a silver maple to avoid weak sprout regrowth, as well as to hire a service provider with knowledge and equipment to safely and competently complete the pruning task. The best time to prune any maple tree, to diminish sap bleeding and sprouting, is from late fall to midwinter.

Planning

• Thinking about topping a silver maple tree suggests an issue with its natural size and growth habit. Topping is frequently done to stop trees from growing too tall for a space, or to prevent limbs from entangling with power or telephone lines. Rather than spend money on the ill-conceived practice of topping a problematic tree, a wiser solution is to remove the tree. Then replant a small-maturing tree that is appropriate for the site or replant in a different location where the tree's height is not an issue.

Insight

• It may take less time and money to top a silver maple tree every year than to either remove the tree completely or hire a professional to properly prune the tree. However, topping trees lowers property values, according to Sandy Feather of the Penn State Cooperative Extension Service. The silver maple is made less sturdy, more prone to breakage, insect infestation and disease and becomes visually ugly. Prospective buyers see the mismanaged tree as a liability since it will require future maintenance or removal.