Japanese Red Maple Tree

Japanese Red Maple Tree

The Japanese red maple tree is a favorite for landscapes and gardens because of its shape and beautiful red color that remains in spring, fall, and even summer!  Moreover, this tree is also low maintenance and cold hardy. You can use these not only as accents in your landscape but also as a bonsai and shrub border. 

The Japanese red maple is a beloved tree in Japan where it is native. In fact, the Japanese call this tree “momiji” which means “baby’s hands” and “becomes crimson leaves.” In the 1800’s, Carl Peter Thunberg, a Swedish doctor-botanist and a pupil of Linnaeus, spread the fame of this tree when he brought back from Japan drawings of this beautiful tree.

Growing Characteristics

• Uses: You can use the Japanese red maple as the perfect tree in a garden as the focus of interest because of its unique color and characteristics. Moreover you can use them as a shrub border, grouping or bonsai.
• Size/Shape: This tree grows to about 15–25′ and has a spread of around 20′ at maturity. Additionally it grows in a rounded shape.
• Color: During the spring and fall the leaves become a beautiful reddish purple color. Then in the summer the color can either remain red, fade a little, or turn green. 
• Hardiness Zones: 5-8
• Pests and Diseases
  • Aphids and scales can disturb these trees but won’t cause death. The Japanese red maple is susceptible to verticillium wilt which causes wilting and dieback of branches. Furthermore, the following are more detailed descriptions of the diseases and pests that can disturb the Japanese red maple.
    • Leaf Spot
      • Anthracnose
      • Phyllosticta leaf spot
      • Pseudomonas tip blight. 
    • Pests
      • Japanese beetle, cottony maple, cottony camellia, oleander, and cottony taxus scale. 
      • Aphids often feed on leaves producing honeydew that encourages the growth of black sooty mold fungus on other leaves or on surfaces beneath the tree
    • For more information, see this article 
• Bloom Period: This tree blooms in May and June. 
• Pollination: Japanese red maples can self pollinate but they are also pollinated by insects that visit other trees.
• Cultivation:  With full/partial sun, and protection from late spring frosts and high winds, these maples can grow 12″ to 24″ per year. Moreover, you can grow them as a small tree or multi-stemmed shrub.
• Soil Preference: Although these maples have some drought tolerance, they prefer and grow best in moist, well-drained soils. Additionally, they can grow in acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam, well-drained and clay soils. However, It is important to keep soil moisture consistent so that it doesn’t experience dry and wet periods in succession. 
• Wildlife Value: These trees are loved by many animals. Not only do squirrels and chipmunks eat the seeds, but songbirds and quail also eat the seeds, buds and flowers.

Check out our guides page for information on how to take care of trees.