Maple, Japanese
Acer palmatum
Aceraceae - Maple

Description

Leaves: Opposite; simple; deeply 5- to 9-lobed; 2" to 5" long; deciduous; doubly serrate; green to reddish-purple depending on cultivar; yellow, orange, purple, or red fall color.

Twigs/buds: Twigs green to reddish usually, hairless; thin. Buds green or red; small, hidden by petiole; terminal buds often double.

Flowers/fruit: Monoecious. Fruit a samara; 1/2" to 3/4" long; wings curved in toward one another; fall maturing.

Bark: Green to reddish-purple when young, but grayish when older; attractive.

Wood: Hard; little information available.

General: Native to China, Japan, and Korea. Does not like cold or intense heat. Intermediate shade tolerance.

Landscape Use: Beautiful small tree that has been planted a fair amount in Utah, but is limited by cold and heat extremes. Its foliage texture, fall color, and small size make it very desirable. I have seen one doing well on the USU campus in Logan in a sunken area on the southwest side of a building. I also have three in my front yard on the north side of the house for protection. The cut-leaved variety occasionally suffers frost damage, but so far is still worth having. Best planted where afternoon shade and wind protection are available. Zones 5-8.

Cultivars: Numerous varieties.

Characteristics