San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
The best Japanese maple for you
The history of cultivating Japanese maples is an ancient and storied one. It is believed the first mention of them in Japan dates to the 7th century. In the last 100 years, these maples have become very popular as garden trees here in North America. They add foliar beauty in spring through fall and architectural interest in winter. This article serves as both an introduction and a guide for choosing a Japanese maple that suits your needs.
Choosing a Japanese maple
There are six main factors in choosing a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum). Your selection will involve choosing factors from each of these categories.
1 Overall size. This ranges from low cascading types that top out at 4 feet tall and wide to the tallest selections (up to 30 feet). A measured consideration will take into account the form of the tree (upright and treelike, lower and bushier or short and cascading) and how that choice fits into its final location, designwise.
2 Light requirements. Although most varieties can take full sun, there are a few that will burn in afternoon sun. That’s especially true for the variegated leaf selections. Conversely, if a red maple such as ‘Emperor 1’ is planted in too much shade, the foliage will lose much of its desired burgundy color.
3 Red, green or variegated types. Although all Japanese maples will offer a blaze of fall color right before the leaves drop, for the other six to eight months of the year the tree’s natural foliage color will provide its main interest. In terms of color, there are the red maples (burgundy foliage), the greens (light to dark green) and several variegated leaf varieties, typically featuring combinations of creams, pinks and greens.
4 Palmate or dissected leaf. Generally speaking, leaf shape is either palmate (shaped like a hand) or laceleaf (with finely dissected leaves). This is an important consideration, as the palmate leaves of a ‘Bloodgood’ maple offer a dramatically different look than the finely textured dissected leaves of a ‘Red Dragon’ or ‘Waterfall.’
5 Landscape use. Japanese maples’ versatility means you can plant it in the ground or grow it in a pot. Smaller varieties are popular as potted trees for the deck. In the ground, they can be blended with a variety of evergreen or deciduous shrubs and trees or used as focal points. Given their dazzling beauty, many a gardener chooses to feature the maple prominently. Unlike most other deciduous trees, Japanese maples often provide winter interest, especially if pruned to create an eyecatching shape.
6 Starter size. In the trade, Japanese maples are available in 2,5,10 or 15gallon containers. Apart from price considerations, there are three factors to consider in the size. First, many customers want a nearly mature tree, meaning the 10 or 15gallon size. For the taller upright types, this means a tree already 8 to 12 feet tall. Second, there is the question of the space it is to be planted in; it may be difficult to squeeze in an already large tree. And finally, landscapers often say it’s best to start with a smaller specimen as it will establish more quickly.
Maple selections
There are dozens of maple varieties, but here are 11 that cover the spectrum of choices.
Reds: I think of the palmate leaf ‘Emperor 1’ and ‘Bloodgood’ together, as they are essentially the same tree. Whereas ‘Emperor’ can get to 20plus feet, the ‘Bloodgood’ variety tops out at around 10 feet. They are two of the most popular Japanese maples, and each offers brilliant fall red color. For a shorter and dissected leaf variety, the 4 to 8 foot ‘Red Dragon’ is a soughtafter choice. Also beautiful is the ‘Orangeola,’ which adds in orange tones and a 4 to 6foot high cascading habit.
Greens: Coral Bark maple (‘Sango Kaku’) is the clear favorite for an upright (15 to 20 feet) palmate selection. It is also distinctive for adding goldenorange fall color instead of the usual reds. It also adds winter interest with its shiny coral branches. There are three wonderful laceleaf varieties to choose from. ‘Seiryu’ takes more of a shrub form, with denser growth to 10 to 12 feet. ‘Viridis’ and the aforementioned ‘Waterfall’ display an architectural weeping variety, each 4 to 8 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide.
Variegated: ‘Butterfly’ offers cream and green palmate leaves and stays a modest size (6 to 10 feet). The new palmate leaves on ‘Orido Nishiki’ (12 to 18 feet) emerge a vibrant pink and then age to cream and green. ‘Peaches & Cream’ is a 10foot palmate beauty with creamy ribs and pink borders that turns a vibrant gold in autumn. As noted above, variegated leaf selections need relief from the heat of midday.