Characteristics
| Hardiness zone | 5a |
|---|---|
| Foliage type | deciduous * |
| Plant form | round |
| Mature height | 20 feet |
| Spread | 20 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
* deciduous = loses leaves in winter
Fullmoon Maple
Botanical name: Acer japonicum
A shapely, neat and tidy small accent tree, the ideal size for the home landscape, interesting in all seasons with delicately-shaped foliage, blazing fall colors and colorful stems.
Ornamental Features
Fullmoon Maple has green foliage throughout the season. The lobed palmate leaves turn outstanding shades of yellow and red in the fall. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
Fullmoon Maple is an open multi-stemmed deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.
This tree will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned in summer after the leaves have fully developed, as it may 'bleed' sap if pruned in late winter or early spring. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Fullmoon Maple is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Accent, Mass Planting, General Garden Use
Planting and Growing
Fullmoon Maple will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live to a ripe old age of 100 years or more; think of this as a heritage tree for future generations!
This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America.
