The Japanese maple is a small tree that will fit into almost any yard. They are prized for their striking leaves. Japanese maple trees are often used for bonsai and in Japanese gardens.
Acer palmatum
Japanese maple
Zones 5-9, depending on cultivar chosen.
The size of the Japanese maple depends on the variety chosen. It can range from a shrub to a small tree. The average size is 15-25' tall and wide. The shape is usually round or vase. It may also have a weeping shape.
Grow Japanese maple in full sun to part shade. It is also shade tolerant if needed, especially in the warmer zones.
Foliage:The Japanese maple tree is renowned for its foliage. The leaves have 5-9 palmate lobes. They may come in green or red. In the fall, the leaves will turn to brilliant shades of red, orange, yellow or purple.
There are many different textures of leaves. Some have wide lobes, while others are finely dissected and lacy in appearance.
Flowers:The flowers are small and red or purple.
Fruit:The fruit is winged - a samara. It is .5-1" long.
Japanese maple is native to Japan, Korea and China.
The Japanese sometimes fry Japanese maple leaves to make candies with them.
There are hundreds of different varieties of the Japanese maple, in a range of sizes. This means that it can fit in almost any size yard.
A standard in a Japanese garden.
Excellent for providing fall and winter interest.
Japanese maple is often pruned into a bonsai.
Japanese maple trees like moist, well drained soil. They do not do as well in hot, dry areas, and they do not like windy places.
You can fertilize your Japanese maple in late winter - early fall, after it is one year old. You will only need to fertilize once a year in spring or summer.
Propagation is through seeds and softwood cuttings. The different varieties are also grafted onto rootstock.
Maintenance/Pruning:
You will usually not have to do much pruning. You can prune out the lower branches if desired. Sometimes branches may cross each other, so you can remove one to improve the appearance. Otherwise just remove any dead, diseased or damaged branches as necessary.
You can also control the appearance of the Japanese maple by choosing whether to train a single trunk, or to allow multiple trunks to form.
Pests & Diseases of the Japanese Maple:
Common pests include aphids, scale, Japanese beetles, and borers.
Diseases and problems include scorch, bark split, tar spot, verticillium wilt,leaf spots, twig kill and manganese deficiency.
