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Japanese maple
Scientific Name: Acer palmatum
Family: Aceraceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Tree, Shrub
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Japanese maples are celebrated for their graceful form, vibrant autumn colors, and attractive foliage. These small, deciduous trees are a popular choice for gardens, borders, and containers.
Considerations for Pets
- Japanese maples are deciduous trees.
Considerations for Children
- Japanese maples are deciduous trees.
Nomenclature and Taxonomy
- Scientific Name: Acer palmatum
- Common Names: Japanese maple, Smooth Japanese-maple
- Japanese Names: irohamomiji (イロハモミジ), momiji (紅葉)
- The text mentions that "Japanese Maples" can sometimes refer to "acers," which may be confusing.
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to Japan, China, and Korea.
- In the wild, they typically grow on the fringes of woodlands, sheltered from strong winds, with some light shade.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Small, deciduous trees.
- Known for their graceful habit.
- More than 1000 cultivars exist, displaying a wide range of leaf colors, shapes, and sizes.
- Typically reach a height and spread of about 20 feet, but smaller selections are available.
- Have an open habit, with some varieties exhibiting a slender, upright form.
- Leaves are hand-shaped, typically with seven lobes.
- Mature trees in cultivation rarely exceed 6 meters (20 feet) in height.
Ecological Role
- The text notes that Japanese Maples do best in acid to neutral soil.
Quirky Facts
- Westonbirt holds National Collections for both maple species and Japanese maple cultivars.