Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Japanese maple is a familiar garden tree in the United States, prized for leaves that can be green, red, or purple. Its hand-shaped leaves turn vivid colors in fall.

Appearance

Growth form: A small deciduous tree, usually 12–25 ft (4–8 m) tall in gardens. may be upright, dwarf, or weeping.
Leaves: About 2–5 in (5–13 cm) long, deeply cut into 5, 7, or 9 sharply pointed lobes like an open hand.
Flowers: Tiny flowers in small clusters, with red or purple sepals and whitish petals.
Fruit: Paired winged fruits, called , spin as they fall.

Look-alikes

Fullmoon MapleAcer japonicum

Fullmoon maple has rounder leaves with 7–11 lobes. Japanese maple usually has narrower, more deeply cut leaves with 5–9 lobes.

Why they get mixed upBoth are ornamental Japanese maples with colorful fall leaves.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: yards and gardens
parks
Range: Native to East Asia and widely planted in U.S. gardens.
Preferred conditions: Best in 5–8. Most cultivars prefer part shade, though some handle full sun.

Growing it

Propagation: Named cultivars are mostly grown by grafting.

Name and classification

About the name: Laceleaf Japanese maple (Acer palmatum dissectum) is a form of this species with finely cut leaves and often drooping branches.
Varieties and forms: Garden cultivars include purple-leaved ‘Bloodgood’ and coral-barked ‘Sango-kaku’.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

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