Japanese maples have a multitude of attributes that make them perfect trees for shady landscapes. Some varieties boast eye-catching spring color, while others are bedecked with a riot of hues in fall.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. While most varieties of Japanese maples grow only 6 to 12 inches a year, pruning helps maintain their shape and keep them healthy.

Keep your Japanese maple looking bright and beautiful through the hottest part of summer by doing these simple tasks now.

A large Japanese maple tree with fall foliage in a landscaped backyard. - 4nadia/Getty Images You only have to look at a Japanese maple to know why these trees are such popular additions to a garden.

Pruning Japanese maples is essential for their care, but many gardeners struggle with the proper technique. Poor pruning can "destroy their beautiful shape and foliage", warned horticulture specialist ...

Q: My sister gave me two silver maples to plant. However, the maples look more like bushes than trees. When should I start pruning so I can get them to look more like trees? Which branches should be ...

A common piece of advice you will hear is to prune trees during the winter while they are dormant. I often give that advise myself and, for most kinds of trees, that is a good rule to follow. However, ...

Q. When is the best time to prune a maple? I’ve called several nurseries in town and some tell me right now and others say wait until December or January. Also, is there a pruning guide that you ...

Small trees and shrubs are an important part of most landscapes. While foliage can hide problems through the growing season, this is a good time of year to take a close look at branching patterns.

Keep your Japanese maple looking bright and beautiful through the hottest part of summer by doing these simple tasks now.