You do not get named forms with seed-grown Japanese maples - it's just a generic Acer palmatum :-)) And 'Bloodgood' would have red foliage, as well. But it is a very handsome tree and not one I'd be in any hurry to remove. And certainly not to relocate! I'd leave it in place but hire an experienced pruner to lighten/thin the canopy and accentuate the structure. I'm not sure why you think it is too large for your garden.......looks just about perfect to me and would certainly be the focal point of any smaller garden. The branch at the base is fine - you just have some bark splitting but that occurred sometime ago and the wound looks well-healed currently.

Thanks so much for the excellent advice!

Yes, I love this tree and it has a lot of sentimental value, but it was planted directly in front so it practically hides the house from the street. It was great for the first few years but now it's huge... comparitively, to me anyway. Why should I not consider getting it moved? I've heard these are very hardy and good for transplanting, or is it a cost issue? Is it risky?

About the pruner, what's the best way to find one that's experienced with this sort of thing? I would hate to hire someone out of the yellow pages only to get it hacked up.

i agree, if you get a pruner, you will probably be very happy with results, they will probably make it look less bushy.

The cost to dig, move and replant a relatively mature tree such as this is prohibitive. And there is always a risk the tree won't survive such a disruption as it is inevitable with a tree of this size that a good portion of the root system would be destroyed.

You don't want a 'pruner' - you want an arborist, preferrably one skilled with Japanese maples. The yellow pages is not a bad place to look for one....just make sure they have the proper credentials. Look for a "certified arborist" designation or the initials CA or ISA after the company name. And assuring they have proper licensing and bonding is a given as well.

If you have a local arboretum or botanical garden they may be able to recommend someone who is an experienced arborist. The worst thing you could do is to hire "Bubba with a chain saw" to "top" your tree!

K4

There is a book called "Niwaki" by man who spent years working with the gardeners in Japan. The book describes exactly how to prune your tree to achieve a certain effect. If you are adventurous at all, I encourage you to give it a go. This is a really fun part of maples -- shaping and layering them to give them some personality and reveal the structure of the tree.

If you are not adventurous, I find it difficult to locate people who really know what they are doing. This may not be everybody's experience, but since I live in a place where Japanese Maples are a little more challenging to grow, it is not surprising that these people are hard to come by.

I'm not sure where you are located, but if it is in the Pacific NW, you should have no trouble....

Tom