If you ’ve ever shop for a Nipponese maple , you have no doubt notice that they come in in an staggering array of leaf people of colour and shapes , and a range of growth habit and sizes .
While that ’s marvellous in footing of options , it can be a challenge when you ’re examine to spill all matter Japanese maple : “ You know , the one with the really deeply divided lobe ? Not , not that one . The one with the super serrate edge ? No … ”
Some enthusiasts simply divide maple tree into two radical : unsloped and weeping . But if you want to sincerely infer this various and ever - evolving grouping of plants , you postulate to be capable to trace them more specifically .
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
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That ’s why experts on these plants create 17 class to define all of the different types of Japanese maples that are out there .
In ourguide to growing Nipponese maples , we cover how to domesticate these Tree in your landscape painting .
This guide help to make sensation of all of the different categories , plus we ’ll provide contingent about a few plants that exemplify each group . Here ’s what ’s ahead :
Types of Japanese Maples
If you assume that the primary deviation between Nipponese maples was growth habit and sizing , you ’re in for a real kickshaw ! permit ’s get started .
How Japanese Maples Are Categorized
If you ’ve ever shop for Nipponese maples , you might not realize that many of them are mislabeled .
But I ’ve take aim a gander at the available varieties at several situation that shall rest nameless and find that they had multiple tree that were judge completely wrong !
I felt bad for the customers who thought they were bringing home a tree that was labeled asa eccentric having red leaf , only to chance on after they plant it that the foliage turns green in the summer .
Clearly , there was a gap in the Nipponese maple earthly concern that led to some labeling mental confusion . go into the Maple Society . Using their system , you ’d lie with if you were take care at a correctly labeled atropurpureum that it would stay red all summer long .
The Maple Society is a United Kingdom - base group that show fresh cultivar in theAcergenus , and rap into the expertise of plant scientist and Nipponese maple experts around the human beings .
They have formally broken up the unsubtle class of Nipponese maples into 17 group , using the system specify by note expert Cor van Gelderen , and build on the employment of gardener Benoit Choeau .
This system of rules is particularly helpful because these plants may come from one ofnumerousAcerspeciesthat are autochthonic to Japan .
A. palmatumis the most common , but you ’ll also see the speciesA. shirasawanum , A. japonicum , A. capilipes , and more , along with their crossbreed .
Originally , J.D. Vertrees , a extremely respected entomologist , grower , and educator free-base in Oregon who is by and large call back of as one of the most knowledgeable Japanese maple experts in the West , grouped the plants into seven categories .
Five of his category are used by the Maple Society today , plus twelve more . The five categories that overlap between Vertrees ’ and the Maple Society ’s are : amoenum , dissectum , linearilobum , matsumurae , and palmatum .
Vertrees also grouped all dwarf industrial plant together , and had a final category called “ other ” for everything else .
Both categorization systems are broadly based on the class of the leaf lobe , variegation , and color .
Before we jump in , we need a nimble folio anatomy lesson so we are all on the same page with these term :
Now , permit ’s take a expression at each of the 17 categorization used to describe Japanese maple today .
Amoenum
This group is a good one to start with , because it includes essentially any plant that does n’t have distinct characteristic that put it in another category .
What they all have in vernacular is that the leaves are n’t deep lob , and the leafage is greenish in the summertime .
Beyond that , this group is related in that they all have leaves with seven distinct lobe .
correspond out ‘ Ōsakazuki ’ for a unspoiled example of this miscellany . The bright green leaves have seven deep lobes and the margins of the leave-taking are deeply jagged .
In the fall , the foliage turns bright scarlet . Once mature , the tree diagram is about 15 feet marvellous and wide .
Defining characteristics : Leaves are only lobed to half the blade or less , summer foliage colour is gullible . Each leafage has seven lobes .
Atropurpureum
This category contains some of the most pop and recognizable Japanese maple . Basically , if a tree is upright with red foliage and it does n’t fit under witches’-broom or linearilobum , you ’ll find it here .
‘ Bloodgood ’ is perhaps the most famous cultivar of this category , and you ’ll often find it for sale at baby’s room and home supplying store . This tree develop about 20 groundwork tall and 15 feet wide .
The foliation is deep , dark red and the leaves are deep lobed with five “ fingers . ”
‘ Bloodgood ’
By the way , if you want to bring home a ‘ Bloodgood,’Nature Hills Nursery carries themin quart - sized containers .
delineate characteristic : Summer foliage coloring material is cherry or violet .
Aureum
Tree in the aureum category stand out because of the coloring material of their foliage . The leave are brilliant chickenhearted or orangish in the spring before turning yellow or lime gullible during the summertime . They then fade to a pallid chartreuse in the downslope .
‘ Golden Moon ’ is an passing pop option . It has leaf with seven or nine sharply show lobes , and grows to about 20 foot tall and wide-eyed .
‘ Summer Gold ’ stay under ten feet marvellous , and feature leaves with seven or nine average lobes .
‘ Autumn Moon ’ come forth in the spring with lime green parting with a speck of Orange River before transition to combust orangeness in the late summer .
In the autumn , the gloss becomes shiny orange . The tree grows to about 18 feet tall and 15 feet all-encompassing when mature .
Defining characteristic : summertime foliage is yellow or orange .
Convexum
What makes this group unique is that the lobe of the leaves are convex , and many of them are deeply lobate .
‘ Trompenburg ’ is a gross instance . It has profoundly lobed , benighted maroon leaves , the lobes of which deflect back from the midvein or veins . It stays under 20 human foot tall .
fix characteristic : Convex lobes .
Corallinum
This chemical group boast Tree that never fail to draw tending with their lustrous pinkish foliage in the spring , before transition to hopeful crimson and then dark red with hints of gullible , or entirely immature , in the summer .
A upright example is ‘ Deshōjō . ’ It has strike lustrous pinkish leaves with immature centers in the outpouring before wrick bright bolshie and then fading to green . The leaves have five or seven lobes .
‘ Amber Ghost ’ is another corallinum beauty , starting out shining pink and then fading to more of a melon vine colour . In the summer , it turn green with some pinkish and red at the tips of the leaves .
In drop , the leafage change again , becoming bright red and orangish . It grows to about 15 base tall and wide .
enthusiast in Japan call these plant life “ spring trees , ” because that ’s when the foliage really shines ( and when they ’re exhibited at bonsai shows ) .
Defining gadget characteristic : leafage are only lob to half the blade or less , outflow leafage color is pink or pinkish - red .
Crispum
The crispum grouping feature leaf that are wrinkled or wrinkle . Most of the trees remain fairly modest , but a few grow to around ten foot tall .
‘ Shishigashira ’ ( or ‘ Lion ’s Head ’ in English ) has small , crinkled , deep - lob dark-green leaves .
This tree diagram arise fairly tall for the class , to about 15 foot .
‘ Krazy Krinkle ’ has deep lobed , wrinkled farewell with heavily toothed margins . This tree stays under ten feet tall .
‘ Mikawa Yatsubusa ’ is adwarf maplethat stays under four foot tall , with tightly pack and layered green foliage .
Defining characteristic : Wavy or curly leaf tolerance .
Dissectum
This radical is a genuine stand - out because the foliation see like lacing from far away . Up nigh , you ’ll see that the leaf have tenacious , slender “ finger ” that are deeply lobed .
In fact , the leave of absence are so deeply lob that each division goes back to the base of the leaf , so they look like disjoined little leaves .
The leaf ordinarily have heavy toothed margins , supply to the lacing - like consequence . Most plants have aweeping growth habit , but not all .
Vertrees wrote that ‘ Tamukeyama ’ was his favorite from this grouping . This tree diagram stays under ten foot marvelous ( usually closer to six metrical foot ) and has deep red , almost violet foliation that does n’t languish in the summer .
In the fall , it turns undimmed , vivacious red .
‘ Tamukeyama ’
You ca n’t find out a gamy recommendation than that , so if you want to purchase one for your space , head to Maple Ridge Nursery . Choose from one- , three- , seven- , and 15 - gal container .
‘ Garnet ’ stays under eight feet marvelous with characteristic dissectum folio in deep maroon that turn brilliant garnet redness in the fall .
‘ Crimson Queen’is another classic favorite . It has deeply toothed and lobed parting in dark red , and a cascading growth habit . It stick thick , under ten feet tall .
‘ Crimson Queen ’
Nature Hills carriesa “ balled and burlapped ” five- to six - metrical unit tree that you could add to your landscape .
define characteristic : Deeply divided lobes with heavily toothed margins .
Linearilobum
You could almost mistake the Tree in this family for bamboo . That ’s because they have extremely narrow-minded , deep lobe that are n’t deeply toothed , as those in the dissectum group are .
‘ Koto No Ito ’ is a typical example . The foliage on this gorgeous tree start up out ruddy , transitions to orchard apple tree dark-green in the summer , and gradually becomes vibrant gilded yellow in the fall .
It has a narrow , erect growth riding habit and tops out at ten feet .
Vertrees called out ‘ Red Pygmy ’ as one of his favorites from this group . This weeping tree grows to just six substructure tall and wide-cut , with red spring foliage that transition to olive super acid in the summer .
When fall arrives , the leaves become golden orange .
Defining characteristic : Deeply shared lobes with thinly erose or quiet leeway .
Matsumurae
The tree in this grouping have leaves with seven to nine lobate leaves , with sinuses that go all the agency down to the base .
But instead of receive long , thin lobe like linearilobum or dissectum , the lobe are more rounded . The margins are delicately serrated .
Vertrees points to ‘ Omurayama , ’ as a dainty example of this class . This variety is a 15 - groundwork - tall tree with a cascade down form .
The leaf get down out light immature with hint of orange before turning green in the summer . In the fall , the leaves turn cherry , orange , and yellow .
Often you ’ll see this type of Japanese maple call “ fern foliage . ”
Defining characteristic : deep divided lobe with wide sinuses , toothed margin , light-green summer color .
Marginatum
This group is made up of plants with variegate foliage .
What set this grouping apart from variegatum , which also features tree diagram with variegated leaf , is that the parting have an extremely decided demarcation between the coloring on the margin and the center of the folio .
To see a dear example of this finicky group , check out ‘ Butterfly . ’
The foliage on this tree has creamy blanched tolerance and a grayish - green center . In the spring , the margin might have some pink hues to them , and in the fall , the margins move around red .
The leaves have five lobe and the tree develop to be about 12 feet magniloquent when ripe .
‘ Yama Nishiki , ’ known as ‘ Snow Peak ’ in the West , has a trenchant variegation with creamy ashen on the margin and medium green inwardness . untested leaves look slightly dapple before they make a stark contrast .
While most variegate Japanese maples are green , ‘ Shirazz ’ is principally red . In the outpouring , the leave-taking are non-white red with sluttish pinkish margins , before turn somewhat green - red in the center with pink border . This cultivar turn up to 15 feet tall .
define characteristic : folio margin contrasts with center .
Palmatum
This group can be a small perplexing , since the most vulgar species of Japanese maple isA. palmatum . But in this case , this group can include other species as well .
The word “ palmatum ” is Latin for hired hand , and that ’s what defines this group .
All of the leaves in this chemical group resemble hands in that they have five lobes ( and seldom seven ) , and the fistula extend no further than one - third down the length of the leaf .
Any plant that does n’t have a secondary gadget characteristic that would make it more desirable for a different pigeonholing , such as red wood , is placed in this category .
‘ Diana ’ is a good illustration . This tree diagram stays compact at under three feet . It has unripe leafage with a pink and white leeway .
Defining equipment characteristic : Leaf lobes stretch no more than one - third the distance of the folio , with chocolate-brown or green woodwind in the winter .
Pinebark
The name of this group says it all . rather of possess the distinctive smooth bark that most Nipponese maple have , the bark on these Tree is approximative and looks a bit like – you guessed it – pine barque .
The foliage in this grouping is implausibly wide-ranging , since only the barque is used to categorize these plants . Most start out with liquid barque when they are young before develop the characteristically rough barque .
tally out ‘ Nishiki Gawa , ’ and ‘ Arakawa ’ to see what this barque look like .
Defining characteristic : Pine - like , rough barque .
Red Wood
As with pinebark trees , this group is whole defined by its barque . All of the trees in this grouping have shiny red , coral , yellow , or orange branches .
While this tally a nice bit of coloring material and contrast to a wintry landscape , these plants also tend to suffer from branch dieback .
‘ Sango - kaku ’ is the one you ’ll most usually see .
‘ Sango - kaku ’
It hasbright coral barkthat contrasts with the lime unripe leaves .
Maple Ridge Nursery carries this move treein one- , three- , seven- , 15- , and 25 - Imperial gallon containers .
Defining characteristic : Bark is coral , orangish , yellow , or red-faced in wintertime .
Reticulatum
Trees in this group are defined as have leaf with mineral vein that are a dissimilar semblance than the rest of the leafage . Also known as reticulated maple , this group has some real stand - outs .
For case , ‘ Nathan ’ has orangish - Bolshevik leafage with unripened vein . ‘ Aka - shigitatsu - sawa ’ starts out with pale pinkish leave with dark-green veins , before transitioning to green and cherry leaves with greenish mineral vein .
‘ First Ghost ’ has creamy white or sick green leaves with inscrutable light-green veins .
Defining characteristic : folio veins demarcation with the repose of the foliage .
Sessilifolium
The plants in this group are delimitate by their lack of petioles . Sessile is a botanical terminus indicating the lack of a stalking . Instead , the lobes of each foliage have a kind of petiole - like bodily structure that tie them to the stem .
It does n’t count if the tree has motley foliage or any other finicky characteristic . If it lacks petioles , it ’s a sessilifolium , also known as stalking - less maple .
Most of these tree diagram are a bit more hard to find , but there are a few that are gaining in popularity . ‘ Beni - hagaromo ’ has red leafage that turns purplish - Brown University in the summertime .
Thanks to its heavy toothed leeway and typical sessilifolium lobe adhesion , the tree looks like it is covered in colorful plumage rather than leaves .
specify characteristic : Sessile leaves .
Variegatum
Variegated maple either set into this group or the marginatum group .
To call ‘ Ukigumo ’ a variegated plant does n’t do it justice , though . ThisA. palmatumcultivar , also known as ‘ float Clouds , ’ looks almost ghostly ashen , with pale milklike - pink leafage that wither gradually to green in the center of each foliage .
But the centre is more of a pink and lily-white color with spots of cryptic green , rather than a solid green . The warm the climate , the less variegation you ’ll see , but in cool climates , it ’s quite dramatic .
Unlike some Japanese maple , which run to regress at the slightest provocation , this one tends to bide true .
‘ Kumoi Nishiki , ’ also known as Siebold ’s maple , ( A. sieboldianum ) has beautifully dappled leaf that feature a blending of creamy snowy and apple green . This plant stays under 10 foot tall .
‘ looker and Cream ’ stands out because the leaves are creamy clean and rose pink in the spring , transitioning to greenish and white with coloured unripe veins and prove pink margins in the summer .
This one detain under 10 feet tall .
limit characteristic : Leaf is variegated beyond just the security deposit .
Witches’-Broom
While most Japanese maple foliage look like hands with a longer center lobe , the primal lobe on witches’-broom trees is short and stumpy , kind of like a deal with the middle finger’s breadth cut off below the middle knuckle .
‘ Carlis Corner Broom ’ has bright pinkish leaves in the spring that shift to dark Burgundy wine in the summer . By capitulation , the foliage is dark-skinned ruby . ‘ Skeeter ’s Broom ’ has bright red foliage that turns bronze in the fall .
‘ Vic ’s Broom ’ is a midget plant that pinch out at four feet , but that does n’t mean its impact in the garden is small .
The small-scale , pale unripe leaf are bordered with rose red margins . In the tumble , the leaf grow bright yellow with bits of orange and red .
set feature : halfway lobe is short and usually brusk than surrounding lobes .
Making Sense Out of Japanese Maples
This can be a confusing group of industrial plant , with all the unlike species , foliation , ontogeny habits , and barque colors that are available . But that ’s just part of what makes Nipponese maples so howling .
And with agriculturist crop intemperately to create unexampled type of trees , there are sure to be even more interesting options coming down the line .
That ’s why it ’s so handy take in them grouped into these gentle - to - understand categories .
Now , the next time you head to the nursery , you may narrate them that you ’re count for the perfect “ red barque ” to add some winter coloration to your yard .
If you ’re like me , no doubt it ’s insufferable to pick a pet , but have us do it what character you ’re hop to get your hands on ( or already have ) .
And we have some othergreat guides to Japanese maple carefor you to check out next , starting with these :
Photos by Kristine Lofgren © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right wing RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Originally published June 8 , 2021 . Last updated : February 22 , 2023 . intersection photos via Maple Ridge Nursery and Nature Hills Nursery . Uncredited photograph : Shutterstock .
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