I have a 30 yr old Acer Palmatum "Seriyu" that I've raised from a 1 gallon pot. I have noticed over the past 5 yrs the crown is getting lighter and the inside has opened up considerably. (Note: I prune for size/shape but only in small amounts). I am wondering if anyone has any input on whether this is entirely normal/natural or if there is anything I can do to ensure that my tree does not decline. I would be devastated if anything happened to the tree as it is beautiful and a central part of my landscape. If someone can point me to additional resources on the care of very mature trees it would be appreciated (most everything I find online is for young maples). Thank you.
We have a couple of seiryu's on our property, both well over 40 years old. One in container, the other in the garden landscape. I have video's on my youtube channel of how we care for and prune both. Just click on the link to my channel at the bottom of this reply ( my signature ) I notice your tree is quite large compared to many I have pruned over the years. It is looking very healthy from what I can see in your 2 photo's. The seiryu will open up in many cases when letting it grow out over the years. We are just 90 miles north of you in Chilliwack BC
