Acer palmatum
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Acer decompositum
- Acer formosum
- Acer ornatum
- Acer pinnatifidum
- Phonetic Spelling
- AY-ser pahl-MAY-tum
- Description
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The Japanese maple is a short tree in the maple family (Sapindaceae), native to southeast Korea and central and south Japan, and noted for having many aesthetically pleasing forms. Weeping as well as upright varieties exist, and the species is well noted for its beautiful deep red and orange summer color that deepens into the fall. Acer is Latin for sharp and palmatum means shaped like a hand, referring to the leaves.
Growth is slow to moderate, and the tree assumes a layered look with a low, dense, rounded top and spreading branches. The texture is medium to fine. Plant in dappled shade and evenly moist, well-drained soil, protecting it from drying winds.
Leaves are 2 to 5 inches, opposite, and simple with five to nine lobes. Most are deeply lobed. Color varies from green during summer to yellow, bronze, purple, and red in fall (color varies with cultivar). Some cultivars have colorful twigs and young branches. This is a prized specimen tree and one of the more versatile maple species for landscape use. Young leaves of this species are sensitive to frost and are not drought tolerant. Most cultivars are grafted and can be grown as a single or multi-stemmed small tree. They may suffer leaf scorch with excess sun, wind, or drought. This tree is mildly resistant to damage by deer.
Use it as a woodland understory tree or as an accent or specimen tree along a walkway in an Asian or children’s garden.
Quick ID Hints:
- Serrated leaves with five to nine lobes
- Leaves concolorous, green to red
- Small deciduous tree to 25 feet
- Slender green to red twigs; often glaucous bloom
- Small, green buds hidden by petiole base; terminal bud often doubled
For weeping varieties, see Acer palmatum 'dissectum.'
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Aphids, scale, maple worms, leafrollers, and leafhoppers are occasional pests. Anthracnose, leaf scorch, and frost damage, especially from late frosts, can occur. It self-seeds easily so can spread and become weedy in the landscape. The Mid-Atlantic Pest Council lists it as invasive in VA and DC. See potential insect and disease problem fact sheets to the left.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common maple diseases and insect pests.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape s :
- Michael McCarthy Memorial Garden, All Saints Episcopal, Concord Mountain Ridgetop Garden - East Lawn and Lower Drive Border Mountain Ridge Top Garden - North Lawn and Upper Drive Border Mountain Ridge Top Garden - North Woods Mountain Ridge Top Garden - West Lawn and Border Juniper Level Botanic Gardens: Front Shade Garden Shade Garden at the New Hanover County Arboretum A Sampling of Shade Gardens Woodland Backyard Garden Walk Floricyle Shaded Slope Rock & Water Garden Patio Room Relaxed Foundation Planting Asian Garden - Zen Garden Rock and Crevice Garden Water Garden in Cabarrus County Collector’s Garden Bonsai Garden in Davidson County
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Ariadne'
Elliptical 9-lobed & serrated light red, gold & green leaves
'Atropurpureum'
- 'Autumn Fire'
Dwarf mushroom habit. Dissected lace-like leaves, - 'Ben Komachii'
Red to purple spring leaves, purple margined green leaves in summer and red in fall - 'Bihou'
Yellow-Orange Bark
'Bloodgood'
- 'Burgundy Lace'
Finely cut purple-bronze palm-shaped leaves - 'Crimson Queen'
Dwarf tree with dissected, lacy purple foliage that turns bright scarlet in the fall - 'Fire Glow'
8-lobed pinkish-red opposite leaves with crimson twigs - 'Garnet'
Graceful small weeping tree with red deeply cut leaves - 'Grandma Ghost'
Chartreuse dissected leaves - 'Green Cascade'
Compound leaf with fern-like leaflets radiating from a center - 'Gwens Rose Delight'
Lobed, pale green leaves with white margins that flush with red and pink in spring - 'Higasayama'
Pink leaf margins - 'Jordan'
Yellow leaved foliage - 'Kagiri Nishiki'
Pink and white irregular margins
'Kiyohime'
- 'Koto no ito'
Fine, thread-like leaves.
'Mikawa yatsubusa'
- 'Mizuho Beni'
Orange spring foliage, yellow-green summer leaves, and bright crimson buds - 'Moonfire'
Dark purple-burgundy leaves - 'Murasaki Kiyohime'
Dwarf habit with green-gold leaves - 'Novum'
Dark red leaves divided into five-seven, lance-shaped, toothed lobes - 'Orange Dream'
Golden-yellow spring foliage edged in vibrant orange-red. Compact - 'Orangeola'
Orange-red leaves in spring. Weeping.
'Osakazuki'
- 'Oto hime'
Dwarf - 'Purple Ghost'
6 deeply lobed leaves - 'Red Dragon'
Deeply cut fernlike bright scarlet leaves in spring - 'Red Emperor'
7-lobed broad leaf with a deep maroon/burgundy color. - 'Redleaf'
Purple leaves turn red in the fall - 'Rhode Island Red'
Broad deeply lobed (7) leaves with shades of crimson & green - 'Ryusen'
Weeping form
'Sango-Kaku'
- 'Shaina'
Dense & compact with red foliage - 'Sharp’s Pygmy'
Slow growing dense form, truly dwarf maple. Tiny leaves. - 'Sherwood Flame'
Reddish purple foliage; scarlet in the autumn - 'Shindesojo'
Red emerging leaves - 'Sister Ghost'
Dissected 7 lobed leaves with luminous green-yellow color - 'Spring Delight'
Dissected with 7-8 lobes yellow-green with pink-red margins
subsp. matsumurae
- 'Trompenburg'
It's glossy burgundy-red leaves curl downward at the edges - 'Twombly Red Sentinel'
Foliage is bright red in spring, deeper maroon by summer and red in fall - 'Viridis'
- 'Waterfall'
Weeping cultivar with cascading branches - 'Yuri Hime'
Dwarf cultivar with small leaves.
Dark purple foliage
Its deep burgundy spring and summer foliage turns bright crimson in fall
Red-purple bordered leaves in Spring
Compact plant with bright red autumn color
Excellent fall color
Coral-colored twigs. 'Seiryu'
Red-tipped leaves in Spring
Deeply cut, feathery leaves - 'Ariadne'
- 'Ariadne', 'Atropurpureum', 'Autumn Fire', 'Ben Komachii', 'Bihou', 'Bloodgood', 'Burgundy Lace', 'Crimson Queen', 'Fire Glow', 'Garnet', 'Grandma Ghost', 'Green Cascade', 'Gwens Rose Delight', 'Higasayama', 'Jordan', 'Kagiri Nishiki', 'Kiyohime', 'Koto no ito', 'Mikawa yatsubusa', 'Mizuho Beni', 'Moonfire', 'Murasaki Kiyohime', 'Novum', 'Orange Dream', 'Orangeola', 'Osakazuki', 'Oto hime', 'Purple Ghost', 'Red Dragon', 'Red Emperor', 'Redleaf', 'Rhode Island Red', 'Ryusen', 'Sango-Kaku', 'Seiryu', 'Shaina', 'Sharp’s Pygmy', 'Sherwood Flame', 'Shindesojo', 'Sister Ghost', 'Spring Delight', subsp. matsumurae, 'Trompenburg', 'Twombly Red Sentinel', 'Viridis', 'Waterfall', 'Yuri Hime'
- Tags:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Ariadne'
Elliptical 9-lobed & serrated light red, gold & green leaves
'Atropurpureum'
- 'Autumn Fire'
Dwarf mushroom habit. Dissected lace-like leaves, - 'Ben Komachii'
Red to purple spring leaves, purple margined green leaves in summer and red in fall - 'Bihou'
Yellow-Orange Bark
'Bloodgood'
- 'Burgundy Lace'
Finely cut purple-bronze palm-shaped leaves - 'Crimson Queen'
Dwarf tree with dissected, lacy purple foliage that turns bright scarlet in the fall - 'Fire Glow'
8-lobed pinkish-red opposite leaves with crimson twigs - 'Garnet'
Graceful small weeping tree with red deeply cut leaves - 'Grandma Ghost'
Chartreuse dissected leaves - 'Green Cascade'
Compound leaf with fern-like leaflets radiating from a center - 'Gwens Rose Delight'
Lobed, pale green leaves with white margins that flush with red and pink in spring - 'Higasayama'
Pink leaf margins - 'Jordan'
Yellow leaved foliage - 'Kagiri Nishiki'
Pink and white irregular margins
'Kiyohime'
- 'Koto no ito'
Fine, thread-like leaves.
'Mikawa yatsubusa'
- 'Mizuho Beni'
Orange spring foliage, yellow-green summer leaves, and bright crimson buds - 'Moonfire'
Dark purple-burgundy leaves - 'Murasaki Kiyohime'
Dwarf habit with green-gold leaves - 'Novum'
Dark red leaves divided into five-seven, lance-shaped, toothed lobes - 'Orange Dream'
Golden-yellow spring foliage edged in vibrant orange-red. Compact - 'Orangeola'
Orange-red leaves in spring. Weeping.
'Osakazuki'
- 'Oto hime'
Dwarf - 'Purple Ghost'
6 deeply lobed leaves - 'Red Dragon'
Deeply cut fernlike bright scarlet leaves in spring - 'Red Emperor'
7-lobed broad leaf with a deep maroon/burgundy color. - 'Redleaf'
Purple leaves turn red in the fall - 'Rhode Island Red'
Broad deeply lobed (7) leaves with shades of crimson & green - 'Ryusen'
Weeping form
'Sango-Kaku'
- 'Shaina'
Dense & compact with red foliage - 'Sharp’s Pygmy'
Slow growing dense form, truly dwarf maple. Tiny leaves. - 'Sherwood Flame'
Reddish purple foliage; scarlet in the autumn - 'Shindesojo'
Red emerging leaves - 'Sister Ghost'
Dissected 7 lobed leaves with luminous green-yellow color - 'Spring Delight'
Dissected with 7-8 lobes yellow-green with pink-red margins
subsp. matsumurae
- 'Trompenburg'
It's glossy burgundy-red leaves curl downward at the edges - 'Twombly Red Sentinel'
Foliage is bright red in spring, deeper maroon by summer and red in fall - 'Viridis'
- 'Waterfall'
Weeping cultivar with cascading branches - 'Yuri Hime'
Dwarf cultivar with small leaves.
Dark purple foliage
Its deep burgundy spring and summer foliage turns bright crimson in fall
Red-purple bordered leaves in Spring
Compact plant with bright red autumn color
Excellent fall color
Coral-colored twigs. 'Seiryu'
Red-tipped leaves in Spring
Deeply cut, feathery leaves - 'Ariadne'
- 'Ariadne', 'Atropurpureum', 'Autumn Fire', 'Ben Komachii', 'Bihou', 'Bloodgood', 'Burgundy Lace', 'Crimson Queen', 'Fire Glow', 'Garnet', 'Grandma Ghost', 'Green Cascade', 'Gwens Rose Delight', 'Higasayama', 'Jordan', 'Kagiri Nishiki', 'Kiyohime', 'Koto no ito', 'Mikawa yatsubusa', 'Mizuho Beni', 'Moonfire', 'Murasaki Kiyohime', 'Novum', 'Orange Dream', 'Orangeola', 'Osakazuki', 'Oto hime', 'Purple Ghost', 'Red Dragon', 'Red Emperor', 'Redleaf', 'Rhode Island Red', 'Ryusen', 'Sango-Kaku', 'Seiryu', 'Shaina', 'Sharp’s Pygmy', 'Sherwood Flame', 'Shindesojo', 'Sister Ghost', 'Spring Delight', subsp. matsumurae, 'Trompenburg', 'Twombly Red Sentinel', 'Viridis', 'Waterfall', 'Yuri Hime'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Acer
- Species:
- palmatum
- Family:
- Sapindaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Grafting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia: Japan, China, Korea, eastern Mongolia, southeastern Russia
- Wildlife Value:
- Members of the genus Acer support Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Small song birds are attracted to this plant.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Pieces Used in Games
- Sound
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wind Shimmer
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- This tree is mildly resistant to damage by deer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Broad
- Dense
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Samara
- Schizocarp
- Fruit Description:
- A schizocarp of two samaras, wings incurved forming an arch, becoming reddish.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are small and red to purple. They are attractive if viewed closely but insignificant from a distance.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Palmasect
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are 2 to 5 in., opposite, and simple with 5 to 9 lobes. Most are deeply lobed. Their color varies from green during summer to yellow, bronze, purple to red fall color (however, color varies with cultivar).
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Green
- Light Gray
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Young stems vary from green to polished reddish brown. Older branches assume a gray cast.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Orange
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Glabrous, slender, usually green to red. Tremendous variation in stem color with green leaf trees green to reddish purple, red leaf trees often bright red to blood red to reddish purple. Exceptions arise. Frequently double terminal buds hidden by the base of the petiole.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Recreational Play Area
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Children's Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Specimen
- Understory Tree
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Problems:
- Weedy
