Houston's favorite garden center devoted to Texas native plants and organic gardening.
Botanical name: Acer palmatum
The most coveted of all small landscape trees, and with good reason – it has almost the perfect shape, habit, and fall colors; the species can be quite variable, numerous cultivars are available selected for specific attributes.
| Hardiness zone | 5b |
|---|---|
| Flower color | red |
| Foliage type | deciduous * |
| Plant form | round |
| Mature height | 20 feet |
| Spread | 25 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun to partial shade |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
* deciduous = loses leaves in winter
Japanese Maple features subtle corymbs of red flowers rising above the foliage in mid spring before the leaves. It has dark green foliage throughout the season. The lobed palmate leaves turn outstanding shades of yellow, red and deep purple in the fall. It produces red samaras from early to mid fall. The rough gray bark and red branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape.
Japanese Maple is a 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 is a relatively low maintenance tree, 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.
Japanese Maple is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Accent, Shade
Japanese Maple will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 25 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 5 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 for 80 years or more.
This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, 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.
Our Monthly To-Do List For Your Garden
