Acer palmatum, commonly known as red emperor maple, palmate maple, Japanese maple or smooth Japanese-maple, is a species of woody plant native to Japan, Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia.
Japanese maple Care
Acer palmatum
What is the plant
Acer palmatum is a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching heights of 6 to 10 m (20 to 33 ft), rarely 16 metres (52 ft), often growing as an understory plant in shady woodlands. It may have multiple trunks joining close to the ground. In habit, its canopy often takes on a dome-like form, especially when mature. Even in nature, Acer palmatum displays considerable genetic variation, with seedlings from the same parent tree typically showing differences in such traits as leaf size, shape, and color. Overall form of the tree can vary from upright to weeping. Acer palmatum has been cultivated in Japan for centuries and in temperate areas around the world since the 1800s.
humidity
Normal
lighting
Full Sun
temperature
5°C - 18°C
hardiness zone
min 5a
difficulty
Medium
hibernation
Cold Period
How to Care for the Plant
Water
Following a deep watering at planting time, a new maple tree requires one to two watering session per week for its establishment. A amount of water to use depends on a tree's size. Each week, a tree needs roughly 5 gallons of water plus an additional 22 liters or 5 gallons of water per 2.5 cm or 1 inch of tree diameter.
Pruning
Houseplants should typically be pruned at the beginning of the growing season, which is late winter or early spring for many varieties.
Fertilizer
Use a 5-10-10 blend or 10-10-10 fertilizer diluted to 1/4th strength.
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Sunlight
Plants need at least 6-8 hours of filtered sun daily.
Soil
Rich, well-draining soil.
Temperature
The tree can be grown in the areas with the lowest winter temperatures of -26.1°C (-15°F).
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Container
Pot should provide ample drainage and room for growth.
Fun fact
Do you have a sweet tooth? Japanese Maple's sap can be turned into syrup by boiling!
Popularity
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