Acer Palmatum or Japanese Maple
Posted by landscapeartisan on April 7, 2009
Acer palmatum
Japanese Maples are wonderful ornamental trees, their leaf shape and color, plus their branch structure, adding so much to the landscape. These plants are so valuable to my own landscaping that I can’t say enough good things about them. These maples at first look somewhat delicate, but are in fact very hardy, with little susceptibility to insect pests or air pollutants. The Japanese Maple is a deciduous shrub or small tree, which can resemble an upside down pyramid when young, transforming into a more domed shape when mature. It comes in very diverse and striking varieties, the leaves varying from what is seen as a typical Maple, to a more lace-like leaf shape. The foliage can be anywhere from light green to a deep rich burgundy and individual plants can either be the low growing, weeping version or a shaded tree reaching up to twenty feet or more.
Japanese Maple in front of Basalt Fountain
M. D. Vaden of Oregon said
We have a nice one about sixteen feet tall with red leaves. On the edge of a hill, which is good, because Verticillium exists in our soils out here.
More and more, I’m liking Vine Maple just as much for landscaping in the Portland area.
Less varieties, but a bit thicker leaf and more flexible branches.
MDV / Oregon