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Their widespread following prefers the red-leafed varieties, and the delicate “dissectum” species, with their intricate leaves and cascading growth habit. Nowadays, numerous Japanese maple tree cultivars are intensely popular throughout Europe and Northern America. Since then, Japanese horticulturalists have spent years developing different maple cultivars from Korea and China. The first specimen tree reached Britain in around 1820. Thunberg named the species “palmatum”, with reference to its hand-shaped, palm-like leaves. He recorded his findings through a set of drawings, which he secretly sent out of the country. In the late 18 th Century, Swedish botanist Carl Thunberg came across this unusual tree whilst travelling in the far East. The Acer palmatum is native to Japan, and has been cultivated in its homeland for centuries. History of the Acer palmatum species Photo credit: Pinterest However, most are smaller in size, making them the ideal choice for smaller gardens and container planting. In fact, some species have the potential to reach up to 8 meters tall in 50 years. Generally, Acers are known to be slow-growing. There are simply hundreds of cultivars to choose from, all bringing a highly sought-after, individual quality to the garden.īoth species above offer the enthusiast a variety of growth habits, including upright, mound-forming, and weeping. These species are also fully frost-hardy with deeply lobed, palmate leaves. In contrast, the Acer palmatum species is comprised of deciduous, bushy-headed trees or shrubs, often broader than they are tall. These are fully frost hardy with rounded, lobed palmate leaves. The Acer japonicum species consists of a selection of deciduous, small bushy trees or shrubs. To start, let’s take a look at the two most common types available, and their distinguishable characteristics.
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Today I’m looking at the different growth forms of the Acer genus, and finding out how to pick the right type of Japanese maple tree for your own garden. They’re deeply lobed color chameleons throughout the seasons, creating a remarkable, ever-changing focal point in any garden. The palmate leaves of the Japanese maple tree are among its most renowned features. Best of all, they integrate easily into both new and mature gardens in almost any decent well-drained soil.
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Their elegant form and vivid color combinations embody their Far Eastern roots. You’ll see dwarfed and weeping varieties as well as full-sized, wide-branching marvels. Read on to learn more about this magnificent species, and how to cultivate your own.Īll About the Japanese Maple Tree angelsover / PixabayĪlso known as “Acer palmatum”, this species contains a wide range of ornamental, deciduous trees. With an extensive variety of growth forms, distinctive leaf shapes, and striking autumn color, the Japanese Maple is the must-have specimen tree.
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