Acer palmatum Beni Shichihenge - Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Beni-shichi-henge' is a variety of Japanese maple, with particularly bright and colourful spring foliage. Its early leaves are light green and edged with bright pink, sometimes splashed with cream. Its fine leaves give this small tree a pink cloud-like appearance. This brilliant variegation loses some of its brightness in summer, then the foliage comes alive again in autumn, in a perfectly uniform dark pink. This medium-sized Japanese maple takes its time, but it often becomes the most elegant feature of the garden or terrace. Plant it in partial shade or in the morning sun to enhance the colouration of its foliage.

Originally from eastern China, Korea, and Japan, Acer palmatum is the origin of a multitude of horticultural varieties that compete in beauty. Like all maples, it belongs to the Sapindaceae family (formerly Aceraceae). It is relatively hardy, but only accepts limestone-free soils. The 'Beni-shichi-henge' cultivar, with its slow growth, has an upright, bushy, and airy habit and will reach an average height of 3.5m (12ft) with a spread of 1.5m (5ft). In spring, this little tree develops reddish young branches and shrimp-pink young shoots. They unfold into finely dissected palmate leaves, irregularly edged with bright pink and sometimes speckled with cream-white. In summer, the green of the leaf darkens and the margins take on a brown-orange hue. Just before falling, the leaves turn a beautiful pink-red colour. They are opposite on the stems, each one divided into 5 long triangular and pointed lobes, with strongly toothed edges. Discreet flowering takes place in May-June. The flowers, grouped in small clusters, sometimes produce fruits with curved wings called samaras, measuring 3cm (1in) long.

Acer palmatum 'Beni-shichi-henge' prefers neutral to slightly acidic, moist, fertile, soft, and well-drained soil, in a partially shaded position protected from cold and dry winds and heavy rains. Compact yet truly elegant, this small tree is well suited to small gardens and the ornamentation of terraces and patios. Azaleas, pieris, rhododendrons, wild camellias, and heathers will be its most beautiful companions. It can form a magnificent bonsai to be cultivated in a flat pot. Combine several varieties of Japanese maple to vary the colours and structures of the foliage; the effect is always stunning at the end of the season. Its variegated foliage is enhanced by purple foliage. Choose, for example, a purple hazel, Physocarpus 'Lady in Red', or Berberis 'Rosy Glow'.