FALL FOR A MAPLE
Brighten up your autumnal garden with a vibrant acer
Planting a maple can add autumn charm to your garden. it doesn’t have to be a towering tree or even a large bush. Maples or acers range from tiny shrubs to large forest trees. With 120 species and hundreds more varieties, there are acers for everyone. Dwarf Japanese varieties are the prettiest. their decorative leaves change colour, from spring through summer to autumn.
For larger spaces, there are mid-sized varieties. Some grow tall and slender, others become small trees with elegantly spreading branches.
all acers have prettily shaped leaves, often lobed but sometimes deeply cut, creating a lacy effect. autumn leaf colours can vary from bright yellows and orange to scarlet or sultry crimson. Special features include distinctive bark and decorative outlines.
among medium to large maples, Acer davidii has green and white striped bark. the leaves of A. davidii Ernest Wilson, turn dazzling orange in autumn. the bark of A. griseum flakes into papery layers.
Maples are charming in lesser ways, too. the two-winged fruits are pretty before winds twirl them away, spinning like tiny drones. Choose with caution, though. Some stay small, growing at glacial speed. Others, such as red-leaved A. rubrum and syrup-yielding, A. saccharinum soar quickly to 20 m.
JAPANESE ELEGANCE
tHE prettiest and most loved maple is Acer palmatum. native to Japan, China and Korea, it’s variable, even in the wild. So it’s not surprising that centuries of cultivation have given us so many varieties. these differ in leaf-shape, colour, growth habit and stature.
For mid-size gardens upwards, my personal favourite is A. palmatum Osakazuki. the autumn leaves turn crimson, then bright scarlet before falling. they’re also beautiful from spring onwards.
A. palmatum Orange Dream makes a charming companion. if there’s extra space, yellow-leaved A. shirasawanum Aureum, would supply a gentle contrast. For container culture, dwarf A. palmatum varieties are best. Some of the most popular are dark purple-leaved varieties such as feathery A. p. dissectum Firecracker or garnet.
though easy to grow, it’s always worth seeking advice from suppliers. Specialists include hippopotteringmaples. co.uk and acersonline.co.uk.
FOR BEST RESULTS
MOSt maples are easy to grow. But the most popular, particularly A. palmatum and A. japonicum, have special needs. their wild forebears are understorey plants, growing below larger trees in woodland.
they’re fully hardy in our climate. But they hate wind and will languish in exposed places.
Fourteen years ago, i planted A. japonicum Vitifolium and a purple-leaf hazel at the edge of our tiny woodland garden.
the hazel is now a lusty, 4m coppice with beetroot-colour leaves. the maple is barely 5m high, lopsided and miserable.
i should have planted it inside the wood or somewhere more sheltered.
though lime-tolerant, acers like lots of organic matter. With containerised plants, pots or tubs must be large enough to allow root-growth.
Pruning is seldom necessary. But damaged branches need attention. Do that only between leaf-fall and Christmas. at other times, the trees can bleed sap.