Japanese Maple (Acer) Growing Guide

The Japanese Maple, as the name suggests, is native to Japan (as well as much of East Asia) and has been cultivated there for centuries. Think of the subdued elegance of a typical oriental garden, or the exquisite plant-life surrounding a Japanese temple and it’s hard not picture the Japanese Maple having pride of place. Although able, over many years, to grow as tall as eight meters, most Japanese Maples range from shrubs to small trees, making them perfectly suitable for gardens of all sizes. With a graceful foliage resembling smaller maple leaves with thinner lobes and almost delicate branches spreading into a graceful crown, it’s little wonder that the Japanese Maple has long been valued for its beauty.

These days, they are grown in temperate climates across the world, adding a dash of oriental colour (which can range through crimson, yellow, violet, faded pink and green) to gardens from Tokyo to Dublin. Adaptable to most soils and with the smaller specimens suitable for container growth, their popularity comes as no surprise. The first specimen of Japanese Maple appeared in British soil in the early nineteenth century and they’ve been a familiar sight across the length of the country ever since. The Japanese Maple comes also in a range of varieties, including those with a drooping habit and shrubs which grow laterally at roughly bush height.

To ensure growth in the spring and summer, it’s best to plant your Japanese Maple in the late autumn or early spring , typically October to March. Helpfully, Japanese Maple will grow in almost any soil and are fairly hardy. However, if you really want to optimise growth, go with a well-drained slightly acidic soil and dig in plenty of organic matter. Generally speaking, however, you do not need to fret much in this area. That said, something which you should consider is space; Japanese Maple do not compete well with other plants so be sure to keep roughly a meter’s radius of soil free from other plants.
A hardy plant, it is nevertheless prudent to shelter your Japanese Maple from strong winds that could damage the young plant or strip the higher branches of leaves. Regarding sun, those plants with red-like hues with require daily sunshine to develop. However, strong sunlight can damage cause damage, so it’s best to select a location with partial shade.

When planting your tree, loosen the soil to the depth of the roots plus an additional inch (2.5cm). Japanese Maple prefer shallow roots so be sure to do this. As mentioned above, dig in some additional space and add a good amount of well-rotted organic matter and mulch to protect the soil from drying out.

Japanese Maple grows well in a container. If you should decide to do so, be sure to apply feed in a spring and early summer. Container grown Japanese Maple will also require protection from frost in winter and repotting every few years.

When it comes to watering, diligence will be required only to aid establishment and in spells of dry and hot weather. In the first year, it’s a good idea to establish a watering schedule which can then be dropped once the tree is established. Simply observe the soil and water often enough to keep it moist. In spells of hot and dry weather, however, a Japanese Maple could require almost daily watering if grown in a container. As mentioned before, the plant – especially the foliage – is particularly susceptible to drying out, producing faded and crinkly leaves.

Feeding is not usually necessary for a Japanese Maple grown in your garden. Only container grown specimens will require feeding and application of slow release fertiliser in spring and early summer should be sufficient. Similarly, only container grown specimens will require any sort of overwintering, and even then simply wrapping the container in bubble wrap should do the trick. Luckily for gardeners, Japanese Maples are impressively hardy!

Pruning is another area in which the Japanese Maple is mercifully hands-off. Famous for its graceful habit, a Japanese Maple will grow into an impressive shape most successfully when simply left to grow naturally. However, at the early and late stages of its growth respectively, a Japanese Maple may require a small amount of pruning.

Generally speaking, Japanese Maples are best pruned when dormant, as cutting in spring or summer can cause them to bleed sap, thereby weakening the plant.

There isn’t much to worry about here. Vine weevil may feed on the roots of a Japanese Maple, and the tree is susceptible to scale insect damage. You can remove the weevil larvae and scale insects manually if they are found to pose any serious problems. However, as this is hardly likely, the best bet is simply not to worry about it!

Japanese Maple are a graceful shrub or tree that is most valued for its adaptability. Even small gardens are suitable for growing these beautiful plants and they are as well suited to the peripheries as the some kind of central display.

Most commonly growing into a spreading tree with rich foliage in shades of red (provided there is enough sunlight) the Japanese Maple is also known for its variety of colour and habit. Green, yellow, lilac and several more are possible shades should this be to your liking, and the tree can grow into several habits, from a drooping willow-like tree to a lateral growing shrub.

Once established, the Japanese Maple is sure to become an integral part of your garden over its many years of life. And simply by keeping a few pointers in mind, it’s not a terribly difficult plant to maintain. Strongly reminiscent of the old orient, it has these days more than earned its place wherever it grows.