The foliage on our Japanese maples has come out spectacularly and the Japanese maple area of the nursery is looking stunning!
In previous blogs, we have concentrated on Buying and Caring for Japanese Maples and how to Create a Japanese garden with ease. Both of these blogs will give you lots of information on how to look after your Japanese maples – just follow the links.
Japanese Maples (Acer palmatum) are deciduous trees, and depending upon the variety will grow to a height of 8-9m over a fifty-year period. Their ground conditions will also play a big part in the speed of their growth.
Japanese Maples will add elegance to any part of your garden plan, bringing a graceful growth habit and fantastic spring, summer and autumn colours. Japanese Maples can be grown very successfully in pots, which is ideal for a small garden.
They will also grow well in sheltered, sunny or partial shade positions, again depending upon the variety. They do require the position to be sheltered in order to protect their delicate foliage. The red and purple varieties do require a degree of the sun to help them develop their full, dark colours.
We have an extensive range of Japanese Maples in stock now, although as we mentioned in our previous blogs, there are over 1,000 recorded varieties, so it is impossible to stock them all! The varieties are derived from Acer palmatum, Acer japonica and Acer shirasawanum. However, we are sure to have one suitable for your garden, whether you are looking for a weeping, upright or spreading habit tree.
Here is a small selection of Japanese Maples you could consider:-
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Garnet’
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Garnet’ is a deciduous, medium-sized Japanese maple. Its lobed leaves are dissected with seven lobes. The leaves are a deep reddish-brown in summer, turning slightly brighter in the autumn. Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Garnet’ produces small, purplish flowers which are followed by red fruits. It can grow in full sun or partial shade in a sheltered position. Its eventual height is approximately 1-1.5m with a width of 1.5-2.5m. It should be grown in a moist well-drained soil.
Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’
Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ is a large, deciduous Japanese Maple with a round habit. Its large, seven-lobed green leaves turn a brilliant orange-scarlet in the autumn. Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ produces small red flowers and fruits. It has an eventual height of 2.5-4m and a spread of 2.5-4m. Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ can be grown in full sun and partial shade in a sheltered position, in moist well-drained soil.
Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’
Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ is a large deciduous Japanese maple that can be grown as a shrub or small tree. Its coral red, young branches are a very prominent colour during the winter months. The five lobed leaves open a pinkish-yellow in the spring, turning green during the summer, before turning yellow in the autumn. Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ produces small reddish flowers. It can be grown in a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade in a moist well-drained soil. Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ has an eventual height of 4-8m and a spread of 2.5-4m.
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Orangeola’
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Orangeola’ is a small deciduous Japanese Maple with a graceful, spreading habit, with a rounded shape. It produces orange-red foliage in the spring, which turns a bronze-red during the summer months, before turning a deep fiery orange in the autumn. Tiny, reddish-purple flowers appear in the spring which is followed by red-flushed green fruits in the summer. Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Orangeola’ prefers a sheltered position in moist, well-drained soil, and has an eventual height of 2-2.5m and a spread of 1-1.5m.
Acer palmatum ‘Shidava Gold’
Acer palmatum ‘Shidava Gold’ is a deciduous, upright Japanese Maple with an open growth habit and excellent form. It produces bright green leaves and a striking green bark. Acer palmatum ‘Shidava Gold’ was first discovered as a witch’s broom! The new leaves appear yellow-green in the spring, turning green in the summer, before turning a golden yellow in the autumn. It has an eventual height of 2m and can be grown in a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade.
We look forward to welcoming you to Arundel Arboretum – we have an excellent range of Japanese Maples in stock. It is well worth a visit to appreciate their stunning colours now.
