Japanese Acers are perfect for growing in patio containers or planters.There are over 1,000 different cultivars, so you'll have plenty of leaf colours, shapes and sizes to choose from. Even when the leaves fall in the autumn, the silhouette of the intricate branches leaves plenty to marvel at over the winter. Their clever shape means they descend slowly and can be carried aloft by the wind, allowing them to be dispersed over greater distances. Small twirling seeds or 'keys' spin down to the ground like miniature helicopters in the autumn. As well as producing small flowers in spring, many trees also boast remarkable spring foliage colours when the leaves start to clothe the tree again in March-April.

Their natural habitat is out of strong winds, with some light shade and normally a neutral to acidic, moist but free-draining soil.ĭespite being deciduous, Japanese maples add beauty and interest to the garden all year round. Japanese Acers are native to the hills and forest fringes of Japan, Korea and Mongolia where they grow in the shade of larger trees on woodland fringes, which makes them more shade-tolerant than other deciduous trees. However, the leaves are smaller than traditional maples and many varieties have deeply dissected, almost feathery leaves that might not be immediately recognised as a maple tree. Like all maple trees, Japanese Acers have lobed foliage with veins spreading out like the fingers of a hand. They are generally slow growing and come in varying forms such as weeping, upright and spreading. Japanese Maples are small, deciduous trees best known for their elegant, architectural form and stunning autumn foliage colours.

Different types of japanese maple trees