Acer palmatum Ariadne - Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Ariadne' is a variety of Japanese Maple, original for its marbled foliage. Indeed, the leaf veins occasionally take on a colour different from that of the foliar lamina, thus enhancing their already very strong graphic design. Furthermore, the deeply cut palmate leaves change hue according to the season, altering the visual imprint of this Maple like a plant chameleon. Emerging in pinkish-orange tones, the foliage goes through various shades before blazing into orange-red in autumn. This large bush or small tree thrives in partial shade, protected from strong winds, in preferably acidic, cool, humus-bearing and well-drained soil.

Once a flagship genus of the Aceraceae family, the Maple (Acer) is now integrated into the Sapindaceae family, along with the Horse Chestnut, also recently reclassified, and other ornamental trees like the Koelreuteria with its beautiful yellow flowering, or the too little widespread Xanthoceras, where one doesn't know what to admire most between its ornamental foliage which colours in autumn and its sumptuous flowering, white with an orange heart. There are about 150 botanical species of Maples and an incredible number of cultivars, as this favourite genus of collectors inspires breeders. Acer palmatum is widespread throughout all the islands of the Japanese archipelago, as well as in Korea, where it forms a large bush or a small tree up to 8 m in height. Highly prized by the Japanese who readily shape it into bonsai, it is part of the local landscapes where its autumn colours create magnificent scenes. Noticed by the famous botanist Thunberg, it was introduced to Europe as early as 1820, and nurserymen have since ceaselessly created new, ever more attractive cultivars.
The Japanese Maple 'Ariadne' forms a balanced large bush, approximately 2 m to 2.50 m in all directions after ten years of cultivation, and at ripeness, can reach 3 m. With slow growth, its narrower habit in youth later widens to become spreading in width. Its fine and flexible branches give it a light and very aesthetic silhouette, whose graphic design is further enhanced by the beauty of the leaves. These are palmate and deeply cut into 5 or 7 lobes, themselves notched with sharp teeth that reinforce the impression of fineness, common to many varieties. The distinctive characteristic of 'Ariadne', which earned it an "Award of Garden Merit" from the prestigious RHS (Royal Horticultural Society of London), lies in the changing and marbled colouration of its foliage. It goes through so many shades that it is difficult to give a precise description, especially as the soil, climate and exposure can impact the colours.
In spring, the young leaves emerge in slightly orange-pink tones, while the veins stand out in green, giving the leaves an even more graceful appearance. The reddish petioles also create a pleasant contrast. The leaves gradually turn to a purple veined with red in summer, with several tones coexisting simultaneously on the bush. As autumn approaches, the colour turns to an increasingly flamboyant orange-red, ending the season in a blaze of glory. The rather insignificant flowering in April, however, gives decorative red fruits; they are called pairs of samaras, they are the "helicopters" of our childhood memories...

Acer palmatum 'Ariadne' will delight lovers of original plants. Its changing colours will bring dynamism to a flowerbed alongside plants sharing the same needs. Hamamelis intermedia 'Diane' is a Witch Hazel which throughout winter produces astonishing flowers with an arachnid grace, formed of fine garnet-red filaments, while in autumn, its foliage takes on warm yellow and red hues. For spring, bet on Magnolia loebneri 'Leonard Messel', a reliable choice with its light pink star-shaped flowers. And to flower your summer, make your choice from the wide palette of Hydrangeas available...