Acer palmatum susbp. dissectum Crimson Queen - Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum ssp. dissectum 'Crimson Queen' is a rather fantastic Japanese maple, both in terms of its beauty and ease of cultivation. It is a small tree with an almost weeping habit, which widens over time. Its feathery foliage retains a beautiful red hue from spring until autumn, without any trace of green in summer. Its growth is more vigorous and abundant than that of other comparable varieties. The 'dissectum' group of maples are robust plants that show better tolerance to heat and sun, and 'Crimson Queen' is no exception.

Acer palmatum 'Dissectum' is native to eastern China, Korea, and Japan. It belongs to the Sapindaceae family. The 'Crimson Queen' cultivar is a horticultural creation that carries its genes. It is a deciduous, hardy, and relatively fast-growing small tree for a Japanese maple. It develops a single trunk supporting a rounded and spreading crown over time, which is relatively dense, and supported by flexible and slender branches of a reddish-brown colour. Eventually, it will reach approximately 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in height and 3 m (9.8 ft) in width, depending on the growing conditions. Its laciniate foliage is composed of palmate leaves, measuring 5 cm to 8 cm (2 in to 3.1 in) long, deeply divided into 5 to 7 finely cut lobes with strongly toothed edges. Their colour changes from light red, to dark purple, then turns to scarlet red tinged with orange in autumn before falling. The reddish flowers grouped in small clusters in April are insignificant, but the 3 cm (1.2 in) long fruits with recurved wings are interesting from September.

'Crimson Queen' makes an incredible focal point when planted in a semi-shaded lawn or in ericaceous beds alongside azaleas, pieris, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, and heathers. It can also form a magnificent bonsai to be cultivated in a flat pot. Despite its delicate appearance, this small tree is robust and accommodating, requiring only light and well-drained, slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil, and occasional watering during dry periods. Diseases such as Verticillium (caused by a fungus) are more likely to develop in constantly moist substrates than in sporadically dry ones. It should be noted that this variety performs well in hot climates if the tree is placed away from scorching sun and sheltered from the wind.