Japanese Maples are the royalty of the garden, in my opinion. Every one of them is beautiful. Acer palmatum (pronounced AY-sur pahl-MAY-tum) trees are native to Korea, China, Japan, and parts of Russia. They are hardy in zones 5-8. Due to their small stature and slow-growth habit as well as their gorgeous leaf colors, they are much loved in American gardens.
Some Japanese Maples are upright with mature heights up to twenty-five feet, usually shorter. Some have broad, palm-shaped leaves, imitating Sweet Gum or standard Maples. Other have finely cut foliage that is often described as lace-leaf. Some have a strong weeping habit and a mature width much wider than their height. Foliage colors range from chartreuse to pink, salmon, orange, red, burgundy and an endless array of variegations including white markings. In neighborhoods where HOA restrictions prevent front yard fencing, a weeping Japanese Maple forms a nice umbrella shape that can conceal summertime views of your neighbors. All types are deciduous (lose their leaves in winter).
Trees should be planted in dappled shade and well-drained soil containing plentiful organic matter. Direct sun will cause crispy leaves with brown edges. Those with red leaves will tolerate more sun than those with yellow-to-green leaves. These petite trees can be kept small by growing them in containers. They will survive in containers for years if irrigated regularly. While Japanese Maples can be incorporated into borders and mixed plantings, their attractive structure and outstanding colors make them excellent specimen trees, planted alone to draw attention.
Every gardener has their favorite cultivars. Here are mine: ‘Bloodgood’ – one of the oldest, most common, and easily grown trees, with beautiful red foliage. It has an upright form.
‘Tamukeyama’ – a weeping red lace leaf. It is late to leaf out, so is not damaged by late freezes.
‘Shishigashira ’ – also called the Lion’s Head Maple. In spring, it produces bright green, crinkled leaves. Its dense form gives it an architectural quality I love, and the fall color is yellow with a hint of orange. It will tolerate more sun than some, and is a good choice for bonsai.
‘Mikawa Yatsabusa’ – has a dense form like Shishigashira, but its green leaves emerge on red stems.
‘Shaina’ – one of my two latest acquisitions. The one I saw on a spring garden tour had peachy leaves, almost the same color as the terracotta pot in which it grew. The one I purchased (described as red) has a mixture of red, green, and peach leaves. Trees raised in greenhouses sometimes don’t reveal their true colors until planted outside. I can’t wait to see what develops. ‘Summer Gold’ – the other new purchase, has a yellow leaf with red edges. It was described as heat tolerant. Seller indicated that it could be grown in full sun without leaf scorch. We shall see.
As with other tree purchases, it pays to research mature sizes, growth habits, and special requirements before one goes shopping. I recently attended the open house of a Japanese Maple nursery that is normally a catalog-only resource (Mr. Maple, located in Flat Rock, North Carolina). It was heavenly to be surrounded by thousands of these gems. I wanted one of everything, but I managed to show restraint because of my prepared shopping list.
The beautiful limb structure of Acer palmatum
Japanese maples incorporated into a mixed border, early spring.
The dense, umbrella form of a weeping Acer palmatum can block unsightly views.