What is the best way to control striped maple?
Striped maple can reach heights greater than 20 feet and form particularly dense stands. These growth traits present special problems that inhibit adequate coverage of herbicide during the spray application. Reducing the spray swath distance from 80 feet to perhaps 60 feet in moderate cover or 40 feet in very dense cover can compensate for stand density. However, mechanical limitations prohibit the control of striped maple that exceeds 20 feet in height. In stands where a significant percentage of striped maple is greater than 20 feet tall it may be necessary to a.) Cut all the stems greater than twenty feet in height, then herbicide the site one or two spray seasons following the cut, b.) Herbicide the stand, then cut and/or basal spray all stems that survived the initial herbicide spray application, or c.) Conduct a shelterwood harvest which includes the cutting of all understory trees down to 1″ DBH, then herbicide 2 seasons following the harvest. Option C is probably most cost effe
