Japanese Maple Gaining in Popularity

A healthy Japanese maple draws much attention with its beautiful summer leaf color, branching habit and form. This plant is gaining in popularity as a specimen or small accent tree in local landscapes. It is relatively expensive, so prior to the purchase, it is important to know proper selection, establishment and maintenance practices before investing in one.

All Japanese maples are not the alike. Though all are of the same species – Acer palmatum, plant selection has yielded hundreds of cultivars or varieties.

The basic palmatum yields plain green foliage all during the growing season and provides some fall color. Though not very interesting to more advanced Japanese maple fans, it is tougher and more adaptable than most of the newer cultivars. This is also the one that is used as understock for the newer, more fancy selections which are usually grafted.

Shopping for a Japanese maple can be an interesting undertaking because there are so many different cultivars and they vary in leaf color, shape, mature size and adaptability. “Bloodgood,” for example, has deeply lobed leaves and deep red color. It reaches a height and width of about 20 feet and has been grown successfully in the south for years. “Atropurpurea” is one of the older dark red cultivars and is most easily found at nurseries.

Cultivars within the Dissectum group are where the most unusual and fancy forms are found. Most have deeply lobed, even lacy leaves and a wide range of colors in shades of green, purple, red, bronze and even variegated. Within this group you will find some of the most expensive landscape plants that are currently on the market. Prices range from fifty to several hundred dollars each for sizable plants.

Japanese maples are best adapted to hardiness zones 5 through 8. When grown in the Gulf Coast region they are therefore at the extreme southern end of their range. Though they are marginally adapted there are certain practices that can help them to better tolerate our sandy soil and extreme heat.

Soil Moisture and Light Exposure

Choose a planting site that does not receive full sunlight all day. Most Japanese maples don’t thrive when fully exposed to our extremely bright Gulf Coast sun and summer heat. The green-leaved cultivars can tolerate the most sun. The purple and red leaved forms require partial or filtered sunlight in order to develop the most color, but leaves will scorch or bronze in full sun. The fancy, lacy-leaved cultivars require a location that provides afternoon shade.

Gardeners who grow the Japanese maples often complain about leaf scorch that occurs in late summer. This is mostly due to extreme fluctuations in soil moisture. Since they require more consistently moist soil conditions than most landscape trees or shrubs, supplemental irrigation is normally suggested. This can be accomplished by installing a microsprinkler or drip emitters for use during dry periods.

Question of the Week: I am new to the area. When is it safe to plant spring vegetables and flowers?

Answer: Don’t even consider establishing the warm season annuals and perennials at this time. Though warm spells occur during January and February, we are subject to frosts and freezes for several weeks yet. Early March is considered a gamble, while mid-March is a common planting time. Gardeners who aren’t willing to take a chance on having to replant can wait until early April.