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Japanese maple

Japanese maple

Acer palmatum

Garden Balcony Partial shade Sun TreeMedium

For your Japanese maple

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Profile

Plant group
Deciduous ornamental woody plant
Growth & habit
Depending on cultivar, an upright small tree, broad shrub or weeping form; the natural branch framework is its main design feature.
Foliage
Palmately lobed leaves, finely divided in laceleaf forms. Spring, summer and autumn colours vary greatly between cultivars.
Family
Soapberry family (Sapindaceae)
Origin
Japan, Korea, China
Height
2–6 m (varies by cultivar)
Bloom
April–May, subtle
Toxicity
Non-toxic

Care calendar

Leaf emergence

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Usually April and May; early shoots can be damaged by late frost.

Flowering / flower development

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Small, inconspicuous flowers appear around leaf emergence.

Leaf fall

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Leaves fall after autumn colouring; timing changes with temperature and location.

Pruning & growth habit

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Prefer late summer for small corrections. Pruning is generally possible from July to January; avoid spring sap flow.

Guidance for Germany and Central Europe. Position, weather, species and cultivar shift these windows; indoor and container plants also depend on their winter conditions.

Your seasonal care plan

  • Keep root-ball moisture even

    Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct

    Check moisture around the roots before watering container plants. Water thoroughly when needed and let excess drain. Hot sun and drying winds can scorch leaf edges; more fertiliser does not correct these causes.

  • Follow the fertiliser’s own label

    Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep

    The linked Maple Fertiliser specifies 5 ml per 2 litres of water every two to four weeks during growth, regularly April to September. Account for nutrients already in fresh compost and pause during rest.

    View product dosage and application →

  • Check root space before vigorous growth

    Feb · Mar · Apr

    When needed, move to a suitably larger container towards the start of growth. Preserve healthy roots and the previous planting depth. Root congestion and compost condition determine the need, not a fixed annual date.

    View product dosage and application →

  • Protect potted roots and new growth

    Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr

    Keep this tree outdoors through winter. Protect containers from severe freezing and cold winds, and check root-ball moisture on frost-free days. Protect young spring leaves when late frost is forecast. Leafless winter rest is not nutrient deficiency.

Highlighted months are guidance, not fixed dates. Observe the plant, root ball and weather; water, feed and repot according to actual need.

Seasonal care intensity

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Seasonal guidance for Germany. Needs depend on location, weather and species. Check moisture in winter too; these markers are not a feeding schedule.

Peak care Active Reduced care

Care tips

  • Sheltered partial shade protects fine leaves from scorch.
  • Even moisture – never let pots dry out completely.
  • Feed gently; avoid overfeeding. Prefer soft water.

Fruit & harvest

Fruit and seed formation

Japanese maples form paired winged fruits, often reddish at first and brown later. Their curved wings are a distinctive detail among the foliage.

Harvest and use

Not normally harvested for food. Mature winged fruits can be collected for sowing; seedlings do not reliably retain a named cultivar's leaf colour or growth habit.

Plant knowledge at a glance

Position, benefits & character

Position & soil

Light shade sheltered from drying winds. Use humus-rich, evenly moist, well-drained soil; avoid hot midday sun and waterlogging.

Distinctive features

Delicate leaves respond quickly to wind, heat and late frost. Some cultivars remain compact while others eventually become much larger. This profile covers Acer palmatum. Other Japanese maples such as A. japonicum and A. shirasawanum, and other species in the genus Acer, differ in mature size, growth and preferred conditions.

Benefits

Leaf patterns, colourful new growth and autumn foliage provide seasonal interest; winter branching and, in some cultivars, red young bark add detail.

Partners & symbioses

The small flowers can feed insects. No particular companion plant or added fungal culture is required for garden care.

Pruning & growth habit

Depending on cultivar, an upright small tree, broad shrub or weeping form; the natural branch framework is its main design feature.

  1. 1. Read the growth habit

    First decide whether pruning is necessary. Let weeping forms spread naturally instead of shortening every tip.

  2. 2. Correct a few branches

    Remove dead or badly crossing branches selectively. Cut back to a suitable side branch without leaving stubs.

  3. 3. Preserve the natural outline

    Avoid hedge trimmers and major reshaping. Distinguish rootstock shoots from the intended crown.

Nursery forms

This overview explains nursery supply forms. It does not indicate current availability in the GREEN24 shop.

Bare-root

Ask a specialist nursery

May be offered by specialist nurseries during dormancy.

Root-balled

Ask a specialist nursery

For larger garden specimens with a protected rootball.

Container-grown

Common form

Commonly offered; look for healthy leaf edges and a balanced crown.

Young plant

Common form

A young cultivar plant or seedling; its origin should be identified.

Shrub

Common form

Multi-stemmed and low-branched, matching the natural habit of many cultivars.

Feathered tree

Ask a specialist nursery

A main stem with low branches; useful as a specimen form.

Half-standard

Ask a specialist nursery

A crown trained above a short clear stem; check cultivar and crown height.

Standard

Ask a specialist nursery

For suitable upright cultivars and carefully trained specimens.

Topiary

Ask a specialist nursery

Bonsai or a specially trained form; its care must still suit the cultivar.

Propagation & grafting

Propagation

Seeds can be grown but do not reliably preserve cultivar traits. Layering may work; many cultivars are difficult from cuttings.

Grafting

Many named cultivars are grafted. Shoots below the graft may belong to the rootstock and look different.

Species & cultivars

Bloodgood

Upright growth and deep purple summer leaves, turning red in autumn.

Sango-kaku

Known for coral-red young stems and green summer foliage.

Orange Dream

Yellow-orange young leaves; give the pale foliage a sheltered position.

Pests & diseases

These signs support an initial assessment. Different causes may look alike; choose a treatment only after identifying the problem.

Crisp leaf edges

Often a response to sun, wind or uneven moisture. Check the site and rootball before assuming a pest.

Vine weevil in pots

Check leaf notches and declining root stability separately: adults eat leaves while larvae can damage roots.

Suddenly wilting branches

One-sided wilt can involve root problems or verticillium. Wilting leaves alone do not prove drought.

Hardiness · USDA

Check cultivar; new growth risks late frost.

Acer palmatum
USDA 5a–8b

USDA zones describe long-term average winter extremes. Containers, young plants, wet soil, wind and late frost need separate consideration.

Understand USDA zones and maps →

A closer look

Japanese maple autumn foliage
Leaf

Japanese maple autumn foliage

Autumn leaves of a red-leaved Japanese maple (Acer palmatum, Atropurpureum Group). Leaf shape and colour vary with cultivar and season.

Tangopaso · Public domain (PD-self) · Image source
Japanese maple bark
Bark

Japanese maple bark

Textured Acer palmatum bark with an old branch attachment point. Reduced-size, uncropped version.

PumpkinSky · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image source

Botanical features vary with age, species and cultivar.

Matching GREEN24 products

Matching fertilisers and substrates for your plant care.