Extremely beautiful small trees, easy to grow in pots, with finely-cut green leaves in summer that transform to red with a dramatic colourful autumn display. Japanese acers have a reputation for being a little sensitive, but if you meet them halfway with some TLC they are worth all the effort. We love Acer palmatum for the autumn leaf colour, small size, frost hardiness
Acer palmatum - Japanese maple APPEARANCE : Elegant deciduous small tree with hand-shaped maple leaves, light green in spring and turning orangey-red shades in autumn. USE FOR : Plant as a feature or shade tree in the garden or a large pot. Site carefully to avoid having to prune to fit a too-small space. LOCATION : Needs moist, rich, slightly acid soil in dappled or part shade. Acers will grow in full sun but leaves tend to scorch and autumn colour is reduced; avoid an exposed or windy site for the same reason. Extremely cold hardy. CARE : Mulch when planting and provide regular water until the plant is established, usually around 12 weeks. Plants need more water in sunnier locations, especially if container-grown. Add slow-release fertiliser in spring, and mulch to keep roots cool. If you must prune, do this in winter, but plants have an elegant natural shape and shouldn't need it. HEIGHT & WIDTH 4 - 8m H slowly x 4m W YOUR PLANTS : These are tubestock plants, healthy young plants with new roots that will establish quickly in your garden. The pot size is 80 mm x 42 mm wide. You can see an example in the image gallery
