The Japanese Maple

The Japanese Maple

The Japanese Maple is a delightful addition to your patio or yard. Beautiful and vibrant red hues, along with the feathery, frilly or cut lacy-styled leaf makes for a stunning contrast and compliment to any yard.

Japanese maple trees are found in hundreds of varieties, including the dwarfs or weeping – classified for their foliage colour, which can range from red to yellow or gold, as well as their leaf type. There are four to five different styles of foliage known as Full moon, Autumn moon, Beni Kawa and the Coral bark; with bark and stems of the coral colour – brightest if the tree is grown in the full sunlight.

Bloodgood Japanese maple trees are most common, and a good variety for shade and patio landscaping. They prefer sun and flourish well in partial shade. The first leaves are bright red with some leaves transforming to a lighter shade of green. The Pygmy variety bears reddish orange leaves in the fall.

The Crimson Queen bears dark red summer leaves, which transform into a crimson colour for the fall. Other varieties include the Cutleaf Japanese Maple bearing green leaves in the summer and turning golden in the fall.

The Harriet Waldman variety is known for its more variegated pink hues on new spring leaves.

How To Care For Your Maple

Japanese Maples are either planted in full sun or stippled shade, and need to be well watered in the dry times. Young trees require little pruning, and only in late summer or early fall to develop and maintain a strong structure and framework. They prefer either sloping or well-drained sand, clay soils; slightly acidic soils enhanced with organic matter or mulch below their canopies.

If you are looking for a versatile tree for your garden, there is no doubt the Japanese Maple will be a pleasing addition, that will delight you with its beautiful and surprising shady canopy of pinks, reds to golden and green frilly and lacy foliage throughout the seasons!