Acer palmatum Dissectum Inaba-Shidare - Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Inaba-Shidare' is a superb variety of Japanese maple and one of the largest from the Dissectum form. Its dense foliage is particularly fine and cut, and offers a range of purple to violet tones, ending with a flaming red at the end of the season. This cultivar has many advantages and is among the most planted in Europe. It is valued for the red colour of its foliage (without any trace of green when exposed to the sun), its slightly spreading and gracefully drooping habit, and its robustness and ease of cultivation in non-limestone soil. It is essential in a Zen or Japanese-style garden and deserves a prominent place near the house or on a non-burning terrace.

Originating from eastern China, Korea, and Japan, Acer palmatum is the origin of numerous horticultural varieties that compete in beauty. The Japanese maple belongs to the Sapindaceae family. It is relatively hardy but only tolerates limestone-free soils.

The 'Inaba-Shidare' cultivar, which grows relatively slowly, develops a spreading habit over time, carried by slightly weeping branches, and reaches an average of 3 m (9.8 ft) in all directions. This small tree has brown to reddish-brown bark and develops magnificent deciduous leaves, which are intensely and finely palmate. In this variety, the foliage is brownish purple when it buds, takes on a very violet purple colour in summer, and then becomes bright red in autumn before falling. The leaves are opposite, 5 cm to 10 cm (2 in to 3.9 in) in length, divided into 5 to 7 very fine, elongated lobes, and strongly toothed at the edges. The discreet flowering takes place in May-June. The flowers, grouped in small clusters, sometimes produce fruits with curved wings called samaras, about 3 cm (1.2 in) long.

Acer palmatum 'Inaba-Shidare' prefers acidic, moist, fertile, flexible, and well-drained soil, in a sunny or semi-shaded position sheltered from cold and dry winds. Compact yet sculptural, it is very suitable for small gardens, for decorating terraces and patios, as well as shady rockeries. Its remarkable habit and colour, which make a statement in the garden, will be enhanced by ground-covering plants such as silver baskets, Bergenia cordifolia, Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigra', or creeping bugles. Azaleas, pieris, rhododendrons, wild camellias, and heathers will be its most beautiful companions. It can be trained into a magnificent bonsai in a flat pot. Combine several varieties of Japanese maples to vary the colours and structures of the foliage, the effect is always dazzling at the end of the season.

Tip: Treat to prevent Verticillium attacks.