Black Japanese maple

Bloodgood Japanese maple

Crimson Queen Japanese maple

Coral Bark Japanese maple

Emperor I® Japanese maple

Oshio-Beni Japanese maple

Red-Leaf Japanese maple

Seiryu Japanese maple

Shaina Japanese maple

Waterfall Japanese maple

JAPANESE MAPLE

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum): A deciduous, small to medium size tree appreciated for its cut leaves and upright, fine textured, compact to willowy spreading form. It can take considerable shade, although red-leaved varieties may lose color if planted in too much shade, and is one of the best small trees for narrow side yards or as a central feature in a woodland setting. The bark and leaves contrast well with walls or fences, whether leafing out in spring, in full summer foliage, or turning color in fall. Japanese maples do well in very large or small containers, and look good in a wide range of colors or materials. They only ask for not too much heat (especially reflected) and regular watering. The winter form is interesting, and it combines well with either formal architectural designs or informal, woodsy plantings.

The green maple can be grown in full sun if it is supplied with plenty of high quality water, good drainage and acid planting mix. Grown in full sun the green maple will develop a more compact form. It is probably at its best in either part sun or mostly shade where its branches tend to be long, willowy, and with little taper. Frost hardy. Native to Korea, China, Japan. 

Companion plants — Ferns, Azaleas, Pieris, Coral Bells, Acorus Grass, Viburnum, Choisya, Camellias.

Japanese maples are normally cultivars of Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum (Full Moon maple). In Japanese, the Japanese maple is "Momiji" or "Kaede" - baby hand or frog hand. Japanese maples are a favorite in the garden, with many cultivars available. Blue Hills usually has a good selection of varieties that do well in Southern California, if proper care in site selection and good horticultural practice are followed.

Cultivars are divided into eight groups by Vertrees (a maple expert): palmate, dissectum, deeply divided, linearilobum, dwarf, semi-dwarf, variegated, unusuals. But for the sake of the average gardener, at Blue Hills we normally divide maples into green or red groups and then consider whether a palmate or dissected leaved tree makes sense for the given application.

Blue Hills carries the following species and others:

Black Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Nigrum')
Attractive small garden or patio tree displays black-red new foliage, maturing to deep purple-red. Useful for garden accents; also great in containers and as bonsai.

Bloodgood Japanese maple (Acer palmatum Var. Atropurpureum 'Bloodgood')
Also one of the best red maples for our area in full sun. Attractive foliage with rich dark red coloring in summer that turns brilliant scarlet in fall. Moderate grower to 15 feet tall and wide. Grafted. 

Coral Bark Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Sangokaku')
Beautiful small tree has brilliant coral bark on young branches; color intensifies in winter. Deeply cut light green leaves.

Crimson Queen Japanese maple (Acer palmatum Var. Dissectum 'Crimson Queen')
Low-branching, dwarf tree with delicate weeping effect. Holds beautiful crimson color throughout summer before dropping in fall.

Emperor I® Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Wolff')
A Bloodgood variant. One of the best red maples for our area in full sun. Attractive foliage with rich dark red coloring in summer turns brilliant scarlet in fall. 

Oshio-Beni Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Oshio-Beni')
Graceful, arching branches display deeply lobed, finely serrated, brilliant red-orange leaves; become scarlet in fall. Provides artistic lacy effect that contrasts well with green-leafed plants.

Red-Leaf Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum')
Graceful deciduous tree displaying star-like leaves which hold an excellent reddish-purple coloring. Foliage makes an outstanding contrast with green leaved plants. Brilliant red fall color.

Seiryu Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Seiryu')
Selected for its upright, vase-shaped form; displays finely dissected rich green foliage.

Shaina Japanese maple (Acer palmatum 'Shaina')
New tree selection displaying a dwarf, compact form. Bright red new foliage matures to deep maroon-red. Freely branching growth becomes dense with maturity.

Waterfall
Improved green-leafed selection makes an attractive garden or patio tree. Displays exciting cascading branches, large green leaves; golden fall color.

LANDSCAPE NOTES

Landscape use: specimen small tree, maple glade, varieties available for the home and patio, containers; rock garden, companions with azaleas and camellias and other part-shade lovers, high canopy tree plantings, etc.

Locating the Japanese maple in your garden: Think sunlight first. Part shade best but some cultivars do quite well in almost full sun in Southern California (straight species, green palmate cultivars, some red palmate cultivars). Dissectums and heavily divided cultivars need protection from western sun and drying winds. Variegated forms generally need additional protection - again depending on the cultivar's degree of variegation. Think drainage second. Generally prefer wide well-drained berms. Tolerant of sands to clays; generally prefers slightly acidic soils. Performs best under a good mulch of peat moss. Plant with a good acid planting mix such as Gardner & Bloome Acid Planting Mix.

References: Japanese maples by Vertrees, Timber Press, 1987; Maples of the World by V.M. van Gelderen, Jong, and Oterdoom, Timber Press, 1994; Maples for Gardens by C.J. van Gelderen and D.M. van Gelderen, Timber Press, 1999.