‘Acer palmatum’ commonly known as The Japanese Maple is native to the mountains of the Japanese forests, however it can be grown successfully anywhere from The Hinterland to the beachfronts here in Byron Bay to if given enough protection and water.
The Japanese Maple boasts a countless number of cultivars with even more variations of size, form, shape, colour and leaf surface.
There are varieties which turn red in Autumn and varieties which have green leaves that turn yellow or orange.
There are also differences in form and leaf surface.
As the names imply, the upright Japanese Maple will grow in a typical upright form with rigid growth and an equal spread. The leaf shape does tend to be palmate with a flat surface and referred as ‘whole-leaf’.
The weeping Japanese Maple’s have a weeping, almost mounding form. Their leaves have a lace textured surface and called ‘cut-leaf’
Adding to the versatility of The Japanese Maple, there are dwarf species, making them perfect for including in a design for small areas. The dwarf species have a range of heights, colours, form, habit and shape
When used in a landscape design The Japanese maple can work in many styles, not just Japanese gardens. It can be used in many ways, it works well as a specimen tree in small gardens, an understory tree, it can be used in pots and containers and as it is deciduous it can be used to create shade through the warmer months whilst letting in filtered light during Autumn
