Common Japanese Maple Cultivars
- Many, but not all, maple trees have their characteristic red leaves year round.
- These trees are native to Japan, Russia and China, but have become popular for their color, size and relative hardiness, and are bred and planted worldwide.
What does a Japanese maple leaf look like?
Typically, Japanese maple tree leaves emerge in spring in one color and turn another color in summer before displaying vibrant fall colors. Japanese maple leaf colors can be deep red, purple-red, bronze, green, golden yellow, and orange. There are also species of variegated Japanese maple trees with bi-colored leaves.
Do Japanese maple trees turn red in fall?
Japanese maple leaves: The ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese maple has red lobed leaves from spring until they drop in the fall. The maple leaf colors turn from bright red to dark maroon, then vibrant red in the fall. The ‘Fireglow’ red Japanese maple tree has stunning crimson red leaves lasting from spring until fall.
What are the best red Japanese maple trees?
Here are some of the best red Japanese maple trees to fill gardens with stunning shades of crimson, burgundy, purple-red, and scarlet throughout the three growing seasons. The ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese maple is a shrubby tree with rounded growth and deeply-lobed purple-red leaves.
What kind of maple tree has red leaves?
This leafy maple tree tolerates full sun without the leaves scorching. The Emperor Japanese maple tree is a fast-growing small tree with attractive palmate leaves ranging from burgundy-plum to rich red colors. Also called Emperor One and Red Emperor, this upright Japanese maple grows 10 to 15 ft. (3 – 4.5 m).
Why is my Japanese maple not red?
Many "red" Japanese maples are known to green up a little in the summer. The leaves should be red in the spring and fall. Also, in the heat of the summer, the plant burns carbohydrates faster when the nights are warmer, which can result in loss of colors other than green. This is normal.
Can Japanese maples be green?
Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are a small ornamental tree much prized in the landscape. Several cultivars have been developed based on native species, and the ones used in landscaping are chosen for their distinctive colors—bright green, dark red, or reddish purple.
How do I know what kind of Japanese maple I have?
Determine if your tree is a whole-leaf or cut-leaf variety. Whole-leaf Japanese Maple trees produce leaves with solid surfaces that have an irregular border along the edges. Cut-leaf Japanese Maples, also called lace-leaf, have a lacy or feathery look with no flat surface.
What is the prettiest Japanese maple?
Aconitifolium. One of the most beautiful Japanese maples, 'Aconitifolium' offers deeply cut, fern-like green foliage that turns shades of red, orange, and yellow in fall. This tree, also called 'Maiku Jaku', changes up the beautiful texture you've come to expect from most Japanese maples.
What time of year do Japanese maples turn red?
Emerging brilliant red in spring, the three or five pointed, lobed leaves fade to pinkish-red with green undertones in summer. As the season progresses, they become green-red with the main veins holding their red shade. In the fall, the leaves turn vibrant orange and fiery red before falling.
How do I make my Japanese maple red?
3:356:19Why Does My Red Leaf Japanese Maple Tree Have Green Leaves?YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou. Really need to have these guys in full Sun. And if. You don't they will red nup in full Sun allMoreYou. Really need to have these guys in full Sun. And if. You don't they will red nup in full Sun all right look at that I've put them back in their rightful spot.
What is a green Japanese maple called?
Beni Kawa (Acer palmatum 'Beni kawa') This green leaf Japanese maple features small leaves that turn golden-yellow in fall. In winter, the plant really shines because of its red stems. The bark is usually redder in winter compared to the salmon color of its more famous cousin 'Sango kaku'.
What kind of maple tree has light green leaves?
Maple tree leaves: Red maple tree leaves are light green with white undersides. The leaves have between three and five lobes and are typically 2” – 4” (5 – 10 cm) wide and long. Unlike sugar maples and silver maples, red maple leaves have serrated margins and the indention between the lobes is not deep.
What is the difference between a red maple and a Japanese maple?
The 3 most popular type of maple trees are Maple Sugar, Red maple and Japanese Maple. To do this, begin by counting lobes of leaves. Maple sugar, red maple have typically 5 lobes and Japanese maple between 5 to 7 lobes.
What color are Japanese maple leaves?
With a range of foliage colors–red, green, orange, purple, white, and pink depending on the season–Japanese maples are among the most colorful of trees. Some leaf out in brilliant reds in spring, change to green by summer, and finish the fall in yellows and oranges.
Do I need to cover my Japanese maple in winter?
If animals are a problem, the Japanese maple should be wrapped in burlap each winter to protect if from the animals. However, these beautiful trees are sensitive to the cold, so protection is necessary.
What is the most popular Japanese maple tree?
Bloodgood1. Bloodgood. Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' is one of the most popular Japanese maple trees available, featuring deep purple leaves that turn bright red in the fall – making it one of the best trees for autumn color, too. 'With such spectacular foliage, Bloodgood is one of my favorite varieties,' says Sons.
Can Japanese maple take full sun?
Dappled or Afternoon Shade - A mature Japanese Maple thrives in full sun everywhere but the southernmost portions of its hardiness range, but is also happy with a bit more shade. It does need some sun for best foliage color, but the amount you give it can vary greatly.
Which is the hardiest Japanese maple?
Beni Kawa (also called Beni Gawa) is one of the most cold hardy Japanese maples. Its deep green foliage transforms into gold and crimson in fall, and the scarlet bark looks fabulous in winter snow.
Is Miracle Grow good for Japanese maple trees?
Tip 3 I only recommend using liquid type fertilizer like Miracle-Gro® on Japanese maples during the first summer, and only to help establish the tree. Once you see good growth you can stop liquid feeding. IMPORTANT; Do not liquid feed in late fall or early spring.
How long do Japanese maples stay red?
Bloodgood Japanese maple trees reveal brilliant, red foliage for three seasons of the year. Bloodgood Japanese maple trees are as low-maintenance as they are lovely. These stunning specimen plants are short in stature with delicate branches and deep, vibrant foliage.
How long does it take for a Japanese maple to mature?
Japanese maples of all types live, on average, about 100 years. These slow-growing trees grow about 1 foot per year for the first 50 years, reaching maturity after about eight to 10 years.
Does Japanese maple like sun or shade?
full sunIdeally, they should be placed in a spot with dappled shade. Japanese maple foliage is prone to leaf scorch in hot and dry locations in full sun. Scorched leaves develop brown margins and often drop from the tree by mid to late summer.
Should you prune Japanese maple?
For Japanese maples, it is recommended to do structural pruning in the winter and wait until late spring, after the leaves come out, for fine pruning. Summer can also be a good time for removing larger branches and for removing dead, damaged, or diseased wood.
When should you trim a Japanese maple?
For heavier pruning, trim your Japanese Maple in summer or winter. Winter is the best time for modifying the branch structure while summer is best for thinning out the branches of your tree. If your tree is in full sun, especially in warm and southern climates, avoid pruning in temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Why is my purple Acer going green?
Your problem is caused by shade. A maple such as Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' is naturally purple but the underlying colour is green. It turns purple in response to sunlight - remove the sun and the foliage reverts to green. So prune it within the next three months and let more light in.
How big do green Japanese maples get?
The Japanese maple is considered a small tree, and it usually grows only between 10 to 25 feet tall. The Clemson Cooperative Extension describes the growth rate of this tree as slow, as it can take 10 to 15 years to reach a height of 15 feet. The Japanese maple typically grows faster when young.
Why is my Bloodgood Japanese maple green?
In a spot that gets morning sun and afternoon shade in mid-summer, 'Bloodgood' will usually stay reddish but may go green-bronze. In more sunshine and heat, it turns green by September.
Do red maples start out green?
Red maple leaves are green on the top and a light greenish white on the underside, and turn brilliant red in autumn. The leaf stalk and twigs also have a reddish color. Flowers: Small, hanging clusters of bright red flowers appear in spring before the leaves.
What is a Japanese red maple?
Japanese red maple in the cultivar group atropurpureum is a versatile, ornamental, hardy small tree or multi-stemmed shrub. The deeply lobed 5-7-9 leaves are red or reddish-purple in spring and again in fall. In between, color varies from remaining red all summer to sometimes fading slightly with maturity or summer heat and even turning green.
What animals eat maple seeds?
Squirrels and chipmunks are very fond of these maple seeds. The seeds, buds and flowers are also eaten by grouse, quail and many songbirds.
What zone do Japanese red maples grow in?
The japanese red maple can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 5–8. View Map
How long are samara seeds?
Can be grown as a small tree or multi-stemmed shrub. Yields red, winged seeds (samara) joined in pairs. The seeds are ½–1" in length, and the wings are ¼– ⅜" long. Grows in a rounded shape. Works well as a specimen, accent, shrub border, grouping or bonsai.
What is the best way to protect young leaves from frost?
Young leaves will need protection from high winds or late spring frosts. Water during dry periods. It is important to keep soil moisture consistent avoiding alternating dry and wet periods. This tree can be used for a specimen, accent, shrub border, grouping, or bonsai.
How fast does a sage tree grow?
This tree grows at a slow to medium rate, with height increases of anywhere from less than 12" to 24" per year.
When do samaras ripen?
The paired, winged samaras are red and ripen in early autumn. The bark is fairly smooth. Young stems are green to reddish purple and red turning gray with age.
How do trees start?
Many tree cultivars originally start as a genetic accident or an aberration that appeared on an otherwise normal tree. If that aberration was appealing, horticulturists may then seek to propagate that "mistake" and create a whole line of trees that duplicate that unusual characteristic. Many trees with variegated leaves or unique leaf colors or unusual fruits began their lives as "sports," or genetic mistakes that were then deliberately cultivated through different methods, including grafting new branches onto hardy rootstocks. In the case of red or purple Japanese maples, branches from trees with desired colors are grafted onto hardier rootstocks that are more durable in the landscape.
How to make a maple tree with unusual colors?
To produce tree cultivars with unusual colors, horticulturists may begin with the original species root-stock, then graft on branches with different characteristics. (There are other ways in which tree cultivars can be created, but this is a common technique used for Japanese maples.)
What happens when a tree sprouts from the ground?
When this happens, the new branches that sprout (" sucker ") up from the ground will have the genetic makeup of the original rootstock —which will be green, rather than red or purple. Or, it's possible that new branches may sucker up from below the graft in addition to the red-leaved branches that are grafted onto the tree.
What is a Japanese maple tree?
Japanese maples ( Acer palmatum) are a small ornamental tree much prized in the landscape. Several cultivars have been developed based on native species, and the ones used in landscaping are chosen for their distinctive colors—bright green, dark red, or reddish purple.
Why do red maple trees turn green?
Red Trees That Turn Green. It can come as something of a shock, then, when a tree we picked because of its color begins to change to another color over time. Japanese maples are one such tree in which this frequently happens.
Can Japanese maple trees change color?
All true Japanese maples are variants of the sturdy green Acer palmatum. If you happen to have one of these pure species types, there's almost no chance that your tree will change colors.
Who is Steve Nix?
Writer. University of Georgia. Steve Nix is a member of the Society of American Foresters and a former forest resources analyst for the state of Alabama. our editorial process. Steve Nix.
What color are Japanese maple leaves?
So unlike trees that have green leaves most of the year and red/yellow/brown leaves in the fall, Japanese maples have reddish leaves year round.
Why are my Japanese maple leaves turning green?
The leaves will have started to turn from ruddy red to pale green, especially at the veins as the plant switches to a high-chlorophyll cycle to try to produce more energy. It should be noted that Japanese maples have a slow metabolism and are a slow-growing plant related to their low chlorophyll production.
How tall do Japanese maple trees grow?
Japanese maples reach heights of 20 to 50 feet and in their native environments, which are Japan, China, Russia, Korea, are often an understory plant (grows under larger trees) in shaded woodlands. They are prized as ornamental trees for their beautiful perennial red leaves.
What maple tree has red leaves?
red maple tree image by Giovanni Aquaro from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>. Many, but not all, maple trees have their characteristic red leaves year round. The Japanese maple family, which includes six sub-species, is among the most well-known of the perennially red maples.
What are the common cultivars of Japanese maple?
Common Japanese maple cultivars (varieties developed for commercial use) include Bloodgood, Butterfly, Golden Pond, Dissectum, Hupp's Swarf and Little Princess. Most of these commercial cultivars have been developed due to the popularity of the Japanese maple as an ornamental tree.
What is the name of the tree that grows in Vermont?
The Sugar maple, or Acer saccarum, is the species of tree that grows commonly in Vermont and the Eastern United States. It is used to produce maple syrup. The Sugar maple has red leaves, but only seasonally, as the leaves turn yellow-brown in the fall.
Do Japanese maples have chlorophyll?
Despite the year-round red color of the leaves, Japanese maples do produce chlorophyll a and b like all photosynthetic plants, but only in relatively small quantities. And Japanese maples do carry out photosynthesis like all other trees.
What is a filigree tree?
The Tree Center. 'Filigree' is a smallish cultivar of the A. palatum dissectum species, and it has the familiar lacy leaves of others in the dissectum group. The leaves are solid green through summer, turning golden in fall.
What is a red dragon?
'Red Dragon' is a smallish cultivar with reddish-purple foliage that transforms into bright crimson red in fall. This tree has an upright, pendulous growth habit and makes a spectacular mounding plant in the landscape.
What is a full moon?
The 'Full Moon' cultivar of A. shirasawanum has showy bright yellow foliage rather than the bright green found in the species plant. The foliage gradually deepens to yellow-green in summer, then turns orange-red in fall. It often grows as a multi-stemmed shrub, but can also be trained with a single trunk as a small tree.
What color are Japanese maple leaves?
It has dark-red summer leaves that mature to a crimson hue. Fall color is often a combination of yellow, red, purple, and bronze. When you see the word " dissectum " in the scientific name of a Japanese maple, it refers to foliage that's deeply cut, with a lacy texture.
What is a butterfly tree?
'Butterfly' is perhaps the most common of all variegated A. palmatum cultivars. It is a shrubby tree with a rather irregular growth habit, but the green leaves have white margins and are often twisted in a manner unlike any other Japanese maples. The white portions of the leaves turn magenta or red in the fall. The unusual leaves make this an interesting bonsai plant.
How tall do Japanese maple trees grow?
This tree is a smallish, slow-growing species, with mature heights of 4–30 feet, depending on the cultivar.
How tall does a dwarf maple tree get?
This dwarf cultivar grows only about 4 feet tall. Bright green spring leaves develop a yellowish cast in summer, then turn a deep pink red in fall. This plant was developed from a "witch's broom" deformity found on a Japanese maple growing in Australia.
What color is a JM?
And that would be most red leaved JM's, although some will 'bronze out' a bit in summer if in a very hot, sunny location. Typically they go through a series of colors, with spring color one intensity followed by a more subdued seasonal color and then a pretty bright (usually) fall color. So bright red to hot pink in spring to a deeper wine or maroon red in summer to a scarlet/brick red in fall.
Do Japanese maples have red leaves?
No Japanese maple has red leaves all year round - these are deciduous trees and lose their leaves in winter .
What Causes Japanese Maple Leaf Spot?
For example, spraying your tree with water on a sunny day can actually cause spots to burn on the leaves. The small droplets of water magnify the sunlight, causing burns. Keep your tree dry during the day to avoid this.
Why do Japanese maple trees have spots on their leaves?
For example, spraying your tree with water on a sunny day can actually cause spots to burn on the leaves. The small droplets of water magnify the sunlight, causing burns. Keep your tree dry during the day to avoid this. Leaf spot on Japanese maple trees caused by disease is most likely tar spot —a fungal infection— but even this is not something ...
How to keep tar spots off of trees?
To manage and avoid tar spot, pick up debris around the tree regularly and keep it dry and spaced far enough from other plants that air can circulate. Clean up is especially important in the fall.
What is a Japanese maple tree?
A Japanese maple is a great decorative element in the garden. With a compact size, interesting foliage, and beautiful colors, it can really anchor a space and add a lot of visual interest. If you’re seeing spots on Japanese maple leaves, though, you may be worried for your tree.
Can Japanese maples be overwatered?
Plant your Japanese maple with compost to enrich the soil, but don’t add much fertilizer later. These trees do not like to be overwatered or overfed. With these conditions, your tree should avoid most diseases and spots.
Is Japanese Maple healthy?
Generally, your tree will be happy and healthy if you provide it with the right conditions. This is a tough tree that resists most diseases. One of the most important things that your Japanese maple needs is rich soil that drains well. It will not tolerate heavy soil that holds water and makes its roots soggy.
