{"id":19461,"date":"2022-08-23T08:29:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-23T12:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greatbiggreenhouse.com\/?p=19461"},"modified":"2025-05-19T11:43:59","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T15:43:59","slug":"gardening-info-from-doug-planting-and-growing-japanese-maple-trees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meadowsfarms.com\/great-big-greenhouse-gardening-blog\/gardening-info-from-doug-planting-and-growing-japanese-maple-trees\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Plant a Japanese Maple Tree & Care Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fall <\/span>is <\/span>just <\/span>around <\/span>the <\/span>corner, <\/span>and <\/span>for <\/span>gardeners <\/span>in <\/span>Central <\/span>Virginia, <\/span>that <\/span>means <\/span>the <\/span>best <\/span>season <\/span>for <\/span>planting <\/span>trees <\/span>and <\/span>shrubs <\/span>is <\/span>about <\/span>to <\/span>begin. <\/span>Cooler <\/span>air <\/span>paired <\/span>with <\/span>warm <\/span>soil <\/span>makes <\/span>fall <\/span>the <\/span>ideal <\/span>time <\/span>to <\/span>get <\/span>new <\/span>plants <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>ground <\/span>with <\/span>less <\/span>stress, <\/span>and <\/span>Japanese <\/span>maple <\/span>trees <\/span>are <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>most <\/span>rewarding <\/span>choices.<\/span><\/p>\n

If <\/span>you\u2019ve <\/span>ever <\/span>been <\/span>awed <\/span>by <\/span>the <\/span>grace <\/span>and <\/span>color <\/span>of <\/span>a <\/span>Japanese <\/span>maple, <\/span>you\u2019re <\/span>not <\/span>alone. <\/span>I <\/span>first <\/span>fell <\/span>for <\/span>them <\/span>during <\/span>buying <\/span>trips <\/span>to <\/span>Oregon, <\/span>where <\/span>I <\/span>saw <\/span>them <\/span>used <\/span>everywhere\u2014<\/span>from <\/span>backyards <\/span>to <\/span>gas <\/span>station <\/span>landscapes. <\/span>Even <\/span>decades <\/span>later, <\/span>I\u2019m <\/span>still <\/span>just <\/span>as <\/span>taken <\/span>by <\/span>their <\/span>beauty.<\/span><\/p>\n

When <\/span>you <\/span>visit <\/span>the <\/span>garden <\/span>center, <\/span>be <\/span>prepared: <\/span>the <\/span>sheer <\/span>number <\/span>of <\/span>varieties <\/span>can <\/span>be <\/span>overwhelming. <\/span>There <\/span>are <\/span>thousands <\/span>of <\/span>named <\/span>cultivars, <\/span>but <\/span>most <\/span>fall <\/span>into <\/span>two <\/span>main <\/span>types. <\/span>Upright <\/span>growers <\/span>are <\/span>part <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Acer <\/span>palmatum<\/span><\/em> group, <\/span>like <\/span>the <\/span>popular <\/span>Bloodgood. <\/span>These <\/span>trees <\/span>reach <\/span>15 <\/span>to <\/span>25 <\/span>feet <\/span>tall <\/span>and <\/span>have <\/span>a <\/span>more <\/span>traditional <\/span>maple <\/span>leaf <\/span>shape. <\/span>Then <\/span>there <\/span>are <\/span>the <\/span>weeping <\/span>types\u2014<\/span>Acer <\/span>dissectum<\/span><\/em>\u2014<\/span>with <\/span>finely <\/span>cut, <\/span>lace-<\/span>like <\/span>leaves <\/span>that <\/span>arch <\/span>gracefully <\/span>and <\/span>tend <\/span>to <\/span>stay <\/span>much <\/span>shorter <\/span>and <\/span>wider, <\/span>around <\/span>6 <\/span>to <\/span>8 <\/span>feet <\/span>tall <\/span>and <\/span>up <\/span>to <\/span>15 <\/span>feet <\/span>wide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Choosing <\/span>the <\/span>Right <\/span>Maple <\/span>for <\/span>Your <\/span>Space<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before <\/span>choosing <\/span>a <\/span>tree, <\/span>think <\/span>about <\/span>where <\/span>you <\/span>want <\/span>to <\/span>plant <\/span>it. <\/span>The <\/span>location <\/span>will <\/span>help <\/span>determine <\/span>whether <\/span>an <\/span>upright <\/span>or <\/span>weeping <\/span>variety <\/span>is <\/span>best. <\/span>Most <\/span>Japanese <\/span>maples <\/span>prefer <\/span>some <\/span>protection <\/span>from <\/span>afternoon <\/span>sun, <\/span>especially <\/span>in <\/span>our <\/span>hot, <\/span>humid <\/span>summers. <\/span>Varieties <\/span>with <\/span>variegated <\/span>leaves\u2014<\/span>those <\/span>showing <\/span>white, <\/span>cream, <\/span>pink, <\/span>or <\/span>gold\u2014<\/span>can <\/span>be <\/span>particularly <\/span>sensitive <\/span>to <\/span>too <\/span>much <\/span>sun <\/span>and <\/span>prone <\/span>to <\/span>leaf <\/span>scorch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Leaf <\/span>color <\/span>is <\/span>another <\/span>key <\/span>decision <\/span>point. <\/span>Many <\/span>red-<\/span>leaf <\/span>maples <\/span>will <\/span>fade <\/span>to <\/span>green <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>summer, <\/span>while <\/span>others <\/span>retain <\/span>their <\/span>color. <\/span>In <\/span>fall, <\/span>nearly <\/span>all <\/span>varieties <\/span>put <\/span>on <\/span>a <\/span>stunning <\/span>display. <\/span>And <\/span>if <\/span>you <\/span>want <\/span>winter <\/span>interestf, <\/span>consider <\/span>Coral <\/span>Bark (<\/span>Sango <\/span>Kaku<\/span><\/em>), <\/span>a <\/span>variety <\/span>known <\/span>for <\/span>its <\/span>vivid <\/span>red <\/span>stems <\/span>that <\/span>brighten <\/span>the <\/span>garden <\/span>when <\/span>leaves <\/span>have <\/span>dropped.<\/span><\/p>\n

Low-Maintenance <\/span>Beauty, <\/span>Year-<\/span>Round <\/span>Appeal<\/span><\/h2>\n

One <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>best <\/span>things <\/span>about <\/span>Japanese <\/span>maples <\/span>is <\/span>how <\/span>little <\/span>pruning <\/span>they <\/span>need. <\/span>In <\/span>fact, <\/span>over-<\/span>pruning <\/span>can <\/span>ruin <\/span>their <\/span>natural <\/span>shape. <\/span>These <\/span>trees <\/span>are <\/span>meant <\/span>to <\/span>grow <\/span>with <\/span>grace <\/span>and <\/span>intention, <\/span>and <\/span>when <\/span>given <\/span>the <\/span>space <\/span>to <\/span>do <\/span>so, <\/span>they <\/span>become <\/span>true <\/span>focal <\/span>points.<\/span><\/p>\n

If <\/span>you <\/span>don\u2019t <\/span>have <\/span>room <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>ground, <\/span>dwarf <\/span>varieties <\/span>work <\/span>beautifully <\/span>in <\/span>containers <\/span>on <\/span>patios <\/span>or <\/span>decks. <\/span>I <\/span>even <\/span>moved <\/span>one <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>container <\/span>when <\/span>I <\/span>changed <\/span>homes\u2014<\/span>it\u2019s <\/span>now <\/span>thriving <\/span>in <\/span>its <\/span>new <\/span>space.<\/span><\/p>\n

Japanese Maple <\/span>Varieties<\/span><\/h2>\n

There\u2019s <\/span>no <\/span>shortage <\/span>of <\/span>incredible <\/span>choices. <\/span>Here <\/span>are <\/span>a <\/span>few <\/span>to <\/span>get <\/span>you <\/span>started:<\/span><\/p>\n