Acer palmatum - Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum, also known as the Japanese Maple, is a deciduous small tree with a compact and rounded habit that provides light shade and beautifully filters sunlight through its foliage. Its delicate leaves blaze in autumn, taking on shades ranging from vibrant gold to the deepest blood red. Its venerable and twisted silhouette, and the unique personality that each individual tree carefully cultivates, often inspire it to be grown as a bonsai or as a standalone specimen. This species tolerates heat better than others, but it requires shade and protection from the wind. It appreciates damp, well-drained, humus-rich soils but dislikes limestone.

Originating from China and Japan, the Acer palmatum is a small tree of the Sapindaceae family. It has a compact, rounded habit and low, strong and sinuous branches. It reaches a mature height and spread of about 3 to 4 metres (10 to 13 feet), with a relatively slow growth rate. Its delicate fern-like foliage, composed of leaves divided into five to seven dentate lobes, evolves throughout the seasons and varies between individuals. It can display shades of bronze green, tender green, dark purple, golden yellow, scarlet, and vibrant orange from spring to autumn. The same branch can bear leaves with a wide range of hues, and the overall colour may change depending on the viewing angle. In winter, its branches reveal a dark, almost black bark. This species is monoecious, meaning each tree has male and female flowers in different locations. The winged fruits of the Japanese Maple are called samaras.

The venerable and gracefully habit of the Japanese Maple, along with its slow growth, make it a perfect choice for enhancing a small urban garden or the lawn of a contemporary garden. It is the quintessential tree for Oriental and Japanese-inspired settings and an ideal candidate for practicing the art of bonsai. You can pair small specimens with Japanese azaleas and ferns as they thrive in similar environments. In a more woodland setting, it is one of the best companions for rhododendrons, softening their slightly bulky appearance and perfectly showcasing their flowering. Place larger specimens in the background of heather beds. Its light shade will benefit pieris, azaleas, and rhododendrons. At its base, you can create a carpet of bluebells and corydalis, creating a magnificent scene in spring.