Acer palmatum, Japanese maple

The Japanese maple, Acer palmatum, is a deciduous tree reaching heights of 18-30 feet. The size will vary according to the variety. There is a Japanese maple tree for every area in the yard. It is usually an understory tree in the woods. When grown from seeds, the tree will often vary greatly from the parent. For this reason, there are over 1000 varieties that exist on the market. I happen to like the smaller dwarf like trees. I currently have 2 trees growing in a very large pot. The most common tree is the red leaf variety. You can choose from a wide variety of leaf shapes. The leaves will be lobed with five, seven, or nine pointed lobes. This leaf is perfect for drying and using in crafts. It retains the color dried. Growing seeds require a cold period to germinate. I will post a picture tomorrow of one of my trees…