Perhaps no other single plant or tree can add as much value to a garden landscape as a Japanese maple. They look great planted as a centerpiece in mounds or garden islands, plus they make excellent container plants for a patio or terrace. Japanese maples are also used quite extensively as bonsai specimens.
What makes this tree so popular is that it is available in many sizes, colors, leaf shapes, and growing habits. The color of Japanese maples ranges from bright green and variegated to shades of orange, red, and purple. The fall foliage on most varieties is beautiful. You can find single-stemmed specimens, multi-trunk, and low-growing mounded varieties. Japanese maples also deliver four seasons of garden interest. In winter, their bare branches (they are deciduous) have a rare structural beauty-some highly colorful, others with graceful weeping silhouettes. Some varieties have green, red, or variegated bark.
This versatile tree can be planted any time of the year, as long as the soil is not soggy. They require a location with good drainage and prefer protection from the wind. Avoid planting them in lawn areas, because lawns receive more frequent watering than Japanese maples require. Use red- and purple-shaded varieties against light-colored fences and walls, or to set off other plants. Use green-leafed varieties in shadier areas, against plain fences or darker shaded walls.
Most Japanese maples prefer a morning sun/afternoon shade or full shade location but will acclimate quite well after a few years when planted in full sun, provided the soil around them is kept consistently moist. The key to watering Japanese maples is slow, deep and regular waterings. Never let the tree dry out. The soil should be kept moist, not wet.
Japanese maples are not heavy feeders, and can burn from too much or too strong a plant food. We recommend feeding twice a year during the growing season. It is important not to cultivate around the root zone. A 2″ layer of mulch will help keep the upper layer of soil moist and help prevent soil crusting and weeds.
Pay us a visit and let one of our nursery experts help you pick the perfect Japanese maple tree for your garden.