Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum
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*This map shows the current US range, not the native range.
Japanese maple is native to southeast Japan and central to south Japan. It's planted in the United States but isn't considered invasive. It thrives in dappled shade and evenly moist, well-drained soils.
Fruit: A reddish double samara with wings that curve to form an arch. They appear in the fall.
Flowers: A small, red to purple flower. They appear in the spring.
Uses: It's commonly planted as an ornamental for its and attractive fall foliage and shape.
Importance to wildlife: Japanese maple supports the Imperial Moth. The tree attracts songbirds.
The full Japanese maple tree. This one is young and was planted in a spot too close to other plants, leading to the leaning visible in the picture as it seeks out more sun. Japanese maple grows as a short tree up to 25 feet tall.
A single leaf on a Japanese maple. Leaves 2-5", serrate, and 5-9 deeply lobed. They are green in the summer, but this picture shows their attractive fall color, which can be yellow, bronze, purple, or red depending on cultivar.
The petiole of a Japanese maple. The petiole adopts the same fall coloring as the lead blade. Buds are hidden by the petiole.
The branching/leaf arrangement of Japanese maple. Leaves are opposite and simple.
The bark of a Japanese maple. Young stems are green to reddish brown and polished. Older stems have a gray cast. This stem shows both types.
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