Japanese Maples: Momiji and Keade by J. D. Vertrees, Peter Gregory, Peter Gregory

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I admit prejudice, but I feel this group of plants has one of the greatest ranges of use and beauty of any horticultural plants in use today. The diversity of size, color, form, shape, and utility is so great that, when Japanese maples are selected wisely, they will fit almost any need. We do not think of them as flowering shrubs. Even though maples have very interesting blossoms, some quite colorful, they are not a predominant characteristic. Many people do not even realize that they flower. Blossoms of many cultivars, such as Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium', are quite striking, though not large and perhaps of interest only to the more discerning gardener.

However, the lack of bold blossoms is more than offset by the great variation of leaf color and shape which these plants can add to the color of the garden landscape. Spring foliage among the cultivars offers a wide choice in plant selection. In the larger forms, there are the bold greens with rust or tangerine tones in the new foliage. The brilliant reds, orange reds, and maroons of many upright palmatums will lend accent to plantings. Wide choices also are possible with the variegated white-pink-green leaves of such maples as 'Asahi zuru', 'Kasen nishiki', 'Oridono nishiki', and many others. Nothing could look more like flowering shrubs than the extraordinary shell pinks found in 'Corallinum', 'Karasu gawa', and 'Matsugae'. The eye can never pass lightly over the flare of color presented by the brilliant flaming foliage of 'Beni komachi', 'Chishio', 'Seigai', or 'Shin deshôjô', to name only a few. These brilliant fire-reds, crimsons, and tangerine-reds are so intense at times as to be almost fluorescent. All thesecolor combinations occur in the larger, more upright forms. The same choices occur in dwarf cultivars which lend themselves to small companion plantings or container growing.

Unusual types such as 'Higasa yama' have a "flower" quality as the new buds unfold. They open much like popcorn with irregular unfolding leaves colored in yellows and reds. 'Tsuma gaki' has new foliage which approaches a floral display. These stages last for several weeks, thus giving a long "flower" period. All the colored foliage retains its brilliance for at least one or two months, which is longer than the period for which most of our flowering shrubs will perform. The dissectums offer unusual brilliance and delicacy. Combinations of lacelike tracery of form, plus crimson, maroon, green-red, or variegated white-pink-green tones blend in the most pleasing way with the delicate cascading of the plant form. These make breathtaking specimen plants. They are even more striking when planted in groups in the proper setting.

A second color display occurs each fall, which is surely an added bonus when compared to most flowering shrubs. This show of fall foliage color is absolutely spectacular. The bold green 'Ôsakazuki', for example, adds a strong green accent all season. Then in the fall it bursts forth with the most vivid crimson flame display imaginable. Even in early morning light or late evening dusk, the tones carry a fluorescent quality that demands attention. Equally vivid, but of a different crimson tonality, is the display of Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium', the fern-leaf japonicum. I hesitate to list specific cultivars, fearing readers will limit their thinking to just these few, when the possibilities are almost limitless. The several cultivars in the Palmatum Group all present vivid yellow, orange, and orange red foliage. Most of the selections of A. japonicum are outstanding for fall color. The delicate golden fullmoon maple, A. shirasawanum 'Aureum', follows the spring display of chartreuse-yellow-green with a fall display of gold, crimson, and orange, blended at times with purple overtones. One must see to believe.

Photo above: Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' or Fern-leaf maple.