Acer palmatum Brandt’s Dwarf - Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Brandt's Dwarf' is a small variety of Japanese maple, highly valued for its colourful foliage throughout the season. In spring, the young leaves are purple. In summer, they gradually turn dark red, and when autumn arrives, it's a blaze of orange and scarlet red. This small bush remains compact, making it easy to grow in a beautiful decorative pot to enhance a shaded terrace. In the ground, it will need a sun-protected exposure; if possible, place under the shade of a tree to maintain a certain atmospheric humidity. It prefers moist, non-calcareous soil.

Native to eastern China, Korea, and Japan, Acer palmatum is the origin of a multitude of horticultural varieties that rival each other in beauty. The Japanese maple now belongs, like all maples, to the Sapindaceae family (formerly classified Aceraceae). Acer palmatum forms small trees with graceful habits and deeply palmate leaves. Highly appreciated for its foliage, it has been cultivated for several hundred years in Japan, in gardens or trained as bonsai.

Acer palmatum 'Brandt's Dwarf' is a slow-growing shrub. After 10 years, it will reach about 1.5m (5ft) in height and 1m (3ft) in width. Its graceful habit is both erect and bushy. It has the same characteristic leaves as the species, that is to say, palmate, deeply cut, and with a smooth surface. In spring, they have a beautiful purple colour that evolves into dark red during summer. Then in autumn, the foliage turns orange or scarlet red before falling to the ground.

Acer palmatum 'Brandt's Dwarf' is not strictly speaking an acid-soil plant, but it prefers humus-rich and moisture-retaining soils. It can grow in acidic to neutral soil, but not calcareous, as it may develop chlorosis. Fearing atmospheric dryness, it thrives in oceanic climates, provided it is protected from wind and afternoon sun.

Its small size and hardiness (around -20°C (-4°F)) allow its cultivation almost everywhere, except in hot and dry climates where its foliage may suffer. It is easy to combine in borders where it should be placed in the foreground due to its small size. To stay in a Japanese spirit, you can plant it with sumptuous Camellias, charming Pieris, or Japanese Andromeda, whose early bells celebrate spring. There is a wide choice in this register, including lesser-known shrubs such as Kalmias with unique flowers, whose size and slow growth are comparable to those of 'Brandt's Dwarf', or Enkianthus campanulatus with charming bell-shaped flowers.