The Care and Selection of Maples
Japanese Maples (of the Acer Palmatum family) are much admired for their spectacular colours and myriad forms: vibrant green, glowing orange and stunning red, sometimes all of these displayed in one specimen throughout the changing seasons – who could want for more? Robert and Stella Hore, owners of The Japanese Garden, St Mawgan, Cornwall offer some timely advice.
There are literally hundreds of different varieties to choose from, and we can only skim the surface here, starting with the numerous Acer palmatum dissectums, the perfect choice if you want a relatively low-growing, cascading dome shaped tree, with delicate feathered foliage. At the front of the border, one of the Yatsabusa family might well suit, with very small palmate leaves and a tendency to grow ‘outwards’ rather than ‘upwards’. These classical forms are found in Acer palmatum Kyohime, Kashima and otohime. The very small leaves of these particular varieties make them a popular choice with bonsai growers, who take advantage of the small leaf habit to create the sought after scaled down appearance of a mature tree.
Other varieties that deserve special mention are Acer palmatum Deshojo, which displays one of the most spectacular spring reds that you will ever see, and Acer palmatum Osakazuki that leads the way with its stunning autumn colours of red, orange and yellow. In winter, though leafless, the Acer palmatum Senkaki with its smooth, brilliant, bright red bark shines out, putting most dogwoods to shame.
The linearlobum group of palmatum offers one of the most delicate foliage types, with leaves reminiscent of fine bamboo foliage varieties such as Red Pygmy and Villa Taranto are included in this group, and all of the linearlobums exhibit good autumn colour.
Two of the most delicate, and equally beautiful, acer palmatums are Wilsons Pink Dwarf and Seigen, whose new foliage is a remarkable shade of coral pink. It must be noted here that these varieties require a dappled shade and next to no wind at all to flourish, but if such a situation exists in your garden, they should be at the top of your ‘to grow’ list.
The latter varieties, exquisite when cared for in the perfect situation, have very special needs, however it is important to mention here three environmental factors that govern the successful cultivation of all Japanese maples:
- An acid soil type.
- Protection from wind – (salt laden wind is anathema to all acers).
- Protection from direct sun.
A point to note concerning the Palmatum family is that all ‘named’ varieties are grafted onto ordinary palmatum rootstock – not seed grown. The root stock is usually a vigorous, basic green leaved variety, and any shoots that appear below the graft point will be true to the original root stock, so they should be removed at first sight.
Finally, regardless of the type of palmatum chosen, every maple has fresh spring growth, delicate palmatum leaves, and an autumn colour that is unrivalled by any other species! Further details and the range of maples that Robert and Stella can provide please visit: www.thebonsainursery.com.