Japanese Maples – All Aglow in the Fall

Nothing signals fall more than Japanese maple trees (botanic name acer palmatum) blazing with fall color!  They come in glorious shades of red, orange and yellow.  If you want to incorporate a Japanese maple tree into your garden, now is the best time for selection and planting.

Each tree may vary when it comes to the intensity of fall color.  By hand selecting your tree during its peak fall color, you’ll know you are getting the best and brightest one.

Japanese maples have hundreds of varieties to choose from.  Select the variables you want for:

• height, spread, leaf form (cutleaf, regular, etc.)
• branching form (upright, spreader, weeping, etc.)
• fall color (red, orange, yellow, etc.)
• and exposure (most prefer filtered sun)

Make a list of your variables and then research and create a list of Japanese maples that deliver what you want.  Your local nursery or garden center can help you find the right match.

Make sure you plant the tree as soon as you bring it home, so it can more quickly adjust to its new setting.  Dig a hole that is twice the width of the container and only deep enough to cover the root ball. Mix nutrient rich soil into the native soil that comes from the planting hole.  Carefully remove the tree from the container, place it in the planting hole, backfill with soil and water it well.  It also helps to toss in some healthy, organic fertilizer.

Enjoy your new Japanese maples as they show off their fall colors!