The Land of the Rising Sun gave the world Japanese maples, incredible in their diversity and beauty. Once you see them, you will certainly want to complement the garden picture with a watercolor touch of exquisite oriental beauty. Moreover, planting and caring for maple will not cause much trouble.

Types and varieties

The genus of maples today has more than a hundred species and thousands of varieties. The category of Japanese representatives includes 2 deciduous species:

Attention! Japanese maples are found in natural conditions in the territory Sakhalin region, and due to their scarcity they are listed in the Red Book.

The most attractive varieties for the garden are:

• A. japonicum aconitifolium (monkshood) – tree shrub, which is decorated with large, deeply dissected leaves in fiery orange, burgundy and yellow shades;

• A. japonicum vitifolium (grape leaf) – different slow growth and picturesque rounded fan-shaped foliage, turning bright crimson in autumn;

• A. palmatum sangokaku (maple with coral bark) - in addition to decorative deeply cut leaves with a pink border, it surprises with its spectacular coral-red bark;

• A. palmatum Garnet is a small graceful tree with lacy leaves and low hanging branches. The thin-lobed leaves vary in hue from deep red to dark purple, transitioning to deep crimson;

• A. palmatum Katsura is a compact variety that produces in early spring purple-red flowers. Leaves in spring period yellowish with a richer brick edging. At the height of summer, the maple changes color to an unremarkable green, and by autumn it turns orange;

• A. palmatum Butterfly - sports 5-lobed silver-green foliage that sometimes curls flirtatiously. In spring you can notice pinkish touches, and in autumn the place of the silvery shade is taken by rich purple.

Growing in open ground

In order for a truly spectacular, handsome maple tree to grow on your site, you need to choose the right seedling at the garden center. It is best if the young plant is in a container with a protected root system. In addition, the chances of the seedling to take root in a new place will increase, because it will be planted together with the “native” soil. The best time The seasons for planting trees are spring and autumn.

The soil in the area where the young maple will be planted must be fertile, without stagnant water. If you are not sure whether there is stagnation of water, then it is better to use drainage when planting.

Advice. In order for all the beauty of the foliage to fully manifest itself, it is better to plant Japanese maple in a sunny place.

When growing, it is necessary to take into account the fact that maple can withstand frosts down to -20°C. At lower temperatures, the tree will need shelter. In this case, you should choose low-growing maple varieties.

In spring and autumn periods the plant needs mulching. In the spring, before this procedure, you should apply a slow-release fertilizer to the tree trunk. The next one will be a layer of peat, and then the mulch itself (chips or bark). Mulching helps retain moisture and protect roots. young plant from freezing.

Attention! Maples do not tolerate fast-acting strong fertilizers.

Pests and diseases

At proper care Japanese maples do not get sick and are not afraid of pests. But if the tree is weakened, then the following problems are possible:

1. Infection with gall aphids. Visually, you can notice red swellings on the leaves. Moreover, the aphid colony itself is located on the underside of the leaf. The affected areas must be removed, and to combat it, use one of the specific drugs or use folk recipes(soap solution, for example).
2. Maple weevil. This pest prefers Norway maple, but will not disdain Japanese maple. Bugs gnaw leaves and apical shoots, which significantly reduces the decorative value of the plant.
3. Whitefly. Damages young shoots and leaves. The tree not only loses its attractiveness due to the loss of leaf mass and drying out of the shoots, but also generally slows down its growth.
4. Fungal diseases. The most common of this group of diseases occurs powdery mildew. The mycelium of the fungus disrupts the physiological processes of the plant, which leads to drying and falling of the leaves. In general, the crop’s resistance to unfavorable conditions environment. But don't despair - when correct methods treatment, Japanese exotic quickly recovers.

Having given preference to decorate your site Japanese maple, you can't go wrong with your choice. On gloomy autumn days spectacular plant will delight you and your guests with a picturesque outfit.

How to plant Japanese maple: video

Maples are not only one of the most picturesque, but also the most variable trees. Despite the fact that these filigree beauties are found almost everywhere to the globe, the most famous of the maples today remain the species that symbolize the classic flora of the Land of the Rising Sun. They are united not only by their natural habitat, but also by the unique play of colors, transparency of silhouettes and mesmerizing watercolors.

Japanese maples and their best varieties

Japanese maples are species of maples united by origin: they all come from the alluring and mysterious Land of the Rising Sun. Endemics and their cultivars of this group are very popular and are considered the most sought-after representatives of the genus, distinguished by their extraordinary picturesque silhouette and the beauty of carved foliage. These include:

– actually Japanese maple(Acer japonicum), which, due to its low frost resistance, can only be grown in the south or as a tub - very beautiful plant with deeply dissected graceful leaves and complex colors from green to cherry and burgundy ( decorative forms– large- and small-leaved, golden, aconite-leaved);

- became legendary Fan maple(Acer palmatum) and its many varieties;

– more rare, but no less beautiful Shirasawa Maple(Acer shirasawanum) up to only one and a half meters high, whose leaves with a small cross-section are distinguished by a larger plate width (classic varieties are colored yellow and orange, the ‘Aureum’ form has an original border along the edge of the leaves).

Almost all maples from Japan presented in the assortment of gardening centers are varietal plants, representing the assortment of fan maples and their hybrid and selective forms. Basic types two other eastern plants are found much less frequently and, as a rule, are significantly inferior cultural forms fan maple in the possibility of choosing different colors and forms of cultivation. You can easily understand the names of individual varieties only if you speak Japanese: each name of a fan maple variety means key feature plants, which is sometimes reflected in the English transcript in the catalogs of large companies.

TO the best varieties Japanese maples rightfully include such fan maples as:

– openwork dark red “Bloodgood” with a delightful inky-black hue of leaves and bright fruits, capable of displaying an unusual dark color even in the shade;
– bright scarlet maple “Beni Kava” with light leaves and a very bright scarlet shade of bark;
– the “Orangeola” variety, which also has a beautiful spring outfit of almost yellow young foliage;
– variety “Katsura” with reddish young leaves and bright “curly” green summer decoration, growing well in tubs;
– variety with scarlakha autumn foliage"Osakazuki"
– layered variety “Nicholsonii” from 2 to 3 meters high with an autumn crown showing all shades of brick red;
– multi-stemmed and very picturesque maples with powerful curved branches “Aconitifolium” with a flaming dark red outfit, decorated with rare flashes of speckled and brick;
– three to four-meter “Dissectum” with elongated conifer-like leaves and a bright orange-yellow color with rare splashes of other tones;
– a two-meter tall fan maple of the “Dissectum Garnet” variety with a very wide spreading crown, burgundy main and orange autumn color;
– a compact and denser squat one and a half meter variety “Mikawa yatsubusa” with thin needle-shaped leaf lobes and an outfit that transforms from acrylic green to orange-scarlet;
– a little more than a meter long spreading maple “Shino Buga Oka” with very deeply dissected leaves and a color change from bright green to yellow-orange.

Decorative advantages of Japanese maple species

Associations with created the best masters watercolor landscapes arise in everyone who admires the autumn decoration of a maple tree. It is during the final deciduous season for all that maples turn into real dominants in any design: even the abundance of bright crowns of classic shrubs and trees in the neighborhood cannot overshadow the beauty of these unique plants. It was no coincidence that maples were called the main symbol autumn garden. These not so gigantic trees really seem to have absorbed all the best that autumn nature can offer to an admiring viewer. On cloudy and bad days they illuminate entire compositions around them, and on sunny days they glow from within and shimmer joyfully.

The decorative effect of maples lies in the amazing beauty of the details with the overall nobility and sophistication of silhouettes and shapes. After all, the contours of the maple, its shapes lush crown and the graceful curves of the branches are no less filigree than the carved leaves. The lines of this plant are an impeccable example of picturesqueness, built on the harmony of naturalness and effectiveness. At the maples Japanese species the crown is tiered or translucent, lush and lacy and almost weightless at the same time. And all the beauty of the mass of foliage only emphasizes the decorativeness of each individual leaf, divided into graceful pointed lobes.

The color palette only crowns, emphasizes and extols the beauty of the plants themselves, revealing their nobility and elegance. Incredible and rare tones of yellow, orange, red in autumn and young leaves, and light shades green or rich dark red in summer, maples are bright, picturesque and clean. Each maple, even representatives of the same variety, has a special and inimitable color. It directly depends on the weather conditions in each year, on the conditions of the place of growth and care. Even in seemingly similar neighboring gardens, two identical maples can turn different shades! It will take time for maples to show all their eccentricity: young plants rarely show all their coloristic talents and only in adulthood acquire relative constancy.

Wherein bright shades, with which, as if by magic brush, she painted Maple leaves nature, are distinguished not only by their catchiness, but also by the effect of internal glow: the transparency of the crowns themselves makes each shade of the almost acrylic “maple” palette completely unique. As if they had absorbed sunlight maples in the garden have a real effect magical effect: attracting admiring glances, they invariably become the center of everyone's attention.

Use in garden design and selection of partners

Japanese maples, especially rare varieties, are quite expensive and valuable plants; they always and everywhere play the role of the main accents and important points of attraction. They are placed only in such a way as to maximize the beauty of the plant itself. Maples Japanese varieties They are always planted in the best locations in the garden, near the most advantageous and structurally important objects. Most often they can be found near a terrace or pond, in front gardens, rock gardens, rock gardens and rock gardens, near a large recreation area or in a landscape group that enlivens large areas of lawns. Such maples are not afraid of solo parties or the proximity of other plants.

Finding companions for maples is not an easy task. Such stars of any landscape need worthy accompaniment - bright, but still less flashy than the woody ones themselves, corresponding to the “level” of maples in texture, palette, and luxury of details.

One of the typical landscapes of the Land of the Rising Sun is a quiet and secluded corner for relaxation under the canopy of a maple tree, the beauty of which is “supported” by cushions of blooming chrysanthemums. Laconic, restrained, but surprisingly picturesque duo remains today perfect example selection of classic companions to decorate any garden. Also looking very good under Japanese maples is a rootstock made from epimedium or hakonechloa, ferns, Volzhanka, shady sedge and (especially deciduous varieties, which also explode in the fall with bright fireworks of leaf transformation). You can always limit yourself to a minimalist design: decorative stone chips in the tree trunk area and balancing the crown with one or two plants or large boulders around the perimeter. Of the large – equal – partners, maples are best combined with representatives of the conifer family.

Key features of cultivation and care

The undoubted advantage of maples native to Japan is their ability to grow even in modest conditions. They will take root without much difficulty in poor and poor-quality soils, provided that the lack of nutrients is compensated for at least by occasional fertilizing. mineral mixtures with prolonged exposure. This fertilizing is carried out in early spring as an adaptation and growth-enhancing measure. If maples are grown in a tub, the soil should be rich in organic matter and of very high quality. It is no coincidence that Japanese maples are often used to decorate ponds: they grow well in moist, but not soggy soils and fresh garden soils.

All Japanese maples are able to adapt to any lighting without losing color: dark red ones - including shade, and the rest - within partial shade and diffuse bright light. All maples of Japanese origin are not afraid of drafts.

Picturesque plants have become famous precisely for their natural silhouettes, so pruning will not burden the care of the maples growing on the site. Only in the first four years of cultivation in the spring can you slightly adjust the crown, but otherwise pruning comes down to breaking out dry branches at a time when the maple is already dormant.

During the dry season, it is better to water Japanese maples additionally. It is enough to carry out maintenance procedures once a month, using about 15 liters of water per plant. For tub maples, maintain constant light moisture in the substrate. Another mandatory component of care is mulching. trunk circle any available materials (layer – from 3 to 5 cm).

Many types of maples look very decorative in the garden, especially in the fall, when their foliage turns bright red, yellow-orange, and carmine tones. Perhaps, Japanese maples look the most impressive; they immediately attract the eye with their color and carved foliage and the intricately curved shape of the crown.

Japanese maples are a common collective name for several species of maples, which are native to the forests of Japan and Korea. These include: actually Japanese maple, fan maple(palm-shaped) and Shirasawa maple .

Acer japonicum Aconitifolium in autumn Japanese maple Aconitifolium summer color

Japanese maple (Acer japonicum) has insufficient frost resistance, and therefore it can only be grown in the south or as a tub plant. It is very beautiful, has deeply dissected graceful leaves and complex colors from green to cherry and burgundy.

Very beautiful and looks unusual in our gardens Japanese maple aconitifolia (‘Aconitifolium ‘). Its foliage, cut to the base, is green in summer and changes color to blood red in autumn.

Vine-leaved Japanese maple (‘Vitifolium’) was so named due to the shape of its leaf, it resembles a grape leaf. They are weakly dissected and end with several points. In summer this species is also green, and in autumn it takes on a crimson outfit.

The rarest Shirasawa Maple (Acer shirasawanum)

short, height up to 1.5 meters. Shallowly dissected foliage is characterized by a large plate width. Classic varieties have yellow and orange leaves, the ‘Aureum’ form has an original border along the edge of the leaf blade. The leaves of this variety remain golden all summer, and in the fall they acquire a bright orange hue. Shirasawa maple 'Aureum' is a winter-hardy shrub, reaching a height of up to 4 m. He prefers sunny place or partial shade, and loose, not too moist soils. It is so decorative that it is most often used as a tapeworm in the garden, and the small size of most varieties allows them to be grown as pot plants on a balcony or terrace.

Fan maple (Acer palmatum). To date it has been released a large number of varieties of this maple, they are all different small in size bush, exquisite crown shape and magnificent autumn foliage color.

Almost all Japanese maples that can be purchased from us are varietal, fan maple hybrids by origin. Actually, Japanese maples and Shirasawa maples are much less common and, as a rule, are inferior to cultivated forms of fan maple in the ability to choose different colors and forms of cultivation.

Maple ‘Orange Dream‘ has greenish-yellow leaves with a red edge; in autumn the foliage turns orange-red. This is a tall, fast-growing variety; within ten years it reaches a height of up to 10 meters.

Maple ‘Shaina‘ - this is new dwarf variety, reaching only 1.5 m in height within 10 years, with a dense, bushy crown and deeply dissected leaves. The maple tree looks especially elegant in the fall, when its leaves take on a carmine-red hue. ‘Shaina’ is excellent for planting in containers.

A new variety maple ‘Shirazz‘ , originating from New Zealand, takes its name from Australia's most common grape variety, Shirazz. Its deeply dissected leaves demonstrate a unique play of colors: young green leaves are bordered by a thin pale pink, sometimes blood-red stripe. And in autumn all the foliage turns bright red. The plant, reaching up to 2 meters in height at maturity, forms a beautiful branched crown.

Unusual maple ‘Wilson's Pink Dwarf‘ . In spring, its filigree foliage attracts attention pink flamingo. In autumn, the leaves turn bright colors: from light orange to red. This is a slow growing tree with a dense crown, reaching a height of only 1.40 m after ten years. ‘Wilson's Pink Dwarf‘ Great for planting in containers.

Slow-growing maples with dissected leaves add a special charm to the garden. green(variety Dissectum‘ ) And dark red(variety ‘Dissectum Garnet‘ ) coloring. Their finely dissected leaves turn yellowish-red and dark purple in autumn. In old ornamental trees with hanging shoots, the crown width is sometimes twice as large as the height. Maples with dissected leaves should not be hidden in the garden; they should be given a prominent place, for example, in a sitting area near a bench, near a stream or on the bank of a pond.

Openwork dark red ‘ Bloodgood ‘ is a tree-like shrub with a broadly spherical crown and pinnate leaves, with a delightful inky-black hue of leaves and brightly colored fruits, capable of displaying unusual dark colors even in the shade. Crown height and width up to 4 m.

Variety ‘ Beni Kawa' with light leaves and a very bright red tint to the bark.

Caring for Japanese Maples

In order to successfully grow these beauties in the garden, you need to adhere to several rules:

From my own experience I can only say one thing: the “Japanese” are more unpretentious and winter-hardy than is commonly believed, and in the right place they successfully winter even at the latitude of St. Petersburg!

Japanese maples in garden design

Japanese maples have very wide application and can decorate not only Asian-style gardens. Vigorous varieties with an umbrella-shaped crown reach a height of 4 to 5 meters at maturity, so they can be used in the garden as tapeworms. Old specimens of Japanese maple provide excellent shade on walking paths and recreation areas.

The decorative effect of maples lies in the amazing beauty of the details with the overall nobility and sophistication of silhouettes and shapes. After all, the contours of the maple, the shape of its lush crown and the graceful bends of the branches are no less filigree than the carved leaves. The lines of this plant are an impeccable example of picturesqueness, built on the harmony of naturalness and effectiveness. Japanese maples have a tiered or translucent crown, lush and lacy and almost weightless at the same time. And all the beauty of the mass of foliage only emphasizes the decorativeness of each individual leaf, divided into graceful pointed lobes.

One of the typical landscapes of the land of the rising sun is a quiet and secluded corner for relaxation under the canopy of a maple tree, the beauty of which is “supported” by cushions of blooming chrysanthemums. A laconic, discreet, but surprisingly picturesque duo today remains an ideal example of the selection of classic companions for the design of any garden. Ferns, Volzhanka, shady sedge and rhododendrons also look very good under Japanese maples (especially deciduous varieties, which also explode in the fall with bright fireworks of leaf transformation). Excellent companions of the Japanese maple are bamboo, funkia, azalea and other Asian garden plants. A very interesting combination would be Japanese maple with viburnum bodnantense variety ‘Dawn’ (Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’), or with Chinese dogwood (Cornus kousa var. chinensis). Under maples with a translucent crown, you can plant all not too tall and powerful ornamental perennials and herbs suitable for planting in partial shade. But you can always limit yourself to a minimalist design: decorative stone chips in the tree trunk area and balancing the crown with one or two plants or large boulders around the perimeter.

In the garden you can create fantastic and simply fabulous pictures by combining in small groups fast and slow growing varieties of maples with different autumn foliage colors. Against the background of evergreens, for example, a hedge of cherry laurel or yew, the brightness and richness of the colors is enhanced. Red-leaf maples typically turn a carmine-red hue in the fall, while green-leaf maples range from golden yellow to orange-red.

The root system of Japanese maples, unlike domestic species, is weakly branched, with a small number of thin hair-like roots, so the plants planted under them receive enough water and nutrients.

• Japanese red maple
• Japanese maple planting and care
• Japanese maple seeds
• Japanese maple fan
• Japanese maple photo
• buy Japanese maple

Leaves are perhaps the most underrated feature of plants. But it is the leaves of the Japanese maple that are the keys to the successful design of your garden.

Japanese maple (Acer japonicum) and palm maple (Acer palmatum) - highly decorative and shrubs (in cultivation) native to Japan and Korea. These two types, as well as a variety of the second -fan maple (Acer palmatum Dissectum) - createJapanese maples group. Miniature maple varieties grow well in Japan, but they can be easily grown in our climate. The most resistant is the green-leaved maple and its varieties with red leaves - "Atropurpureum" and "Bloodgood".

Japanese maples grow very slowly and usually reach several meters in height. In Japan, the largest tree at the age of 100 years reaches 10 meters in height and 40 centimeters in trunk diameter. UsuallyJapanese maple And palm maple grow up to 8 m, andfan maple – no more than 2-3 m in height.

When200 years ago These plants began to be imported from Japan, which had been growing there for centuries, and European botanists were stunned by their incredible diversity. Europeans originally dubbed them with the Latin name -Acer polymorphum . And from this group, perhaps the Japanese maple was one of the first to be brought to our region. This type of maple has almostround leaves , most of them are up to 15 cm long and consist of 7-, 9-, 11-, 13 feather-like lobes. They are very reminiscent of a human palm. Due to the shape of the leaves, this maple has another name -hauchiwa-Kaede . Highlight four main varieties Japanese maples: - typical Japanese maple A. japonicum, in which the lobes are connected almost together and the leaf seems solid.Other maples: A. japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’, A. japonicum ‘Dissectum’, A. japonicum ‘Vitifolium’.

Japanese maplelooks very impressive duringflowering in May. His flowers red or yellow-green in color, large, up to 15 mm in diameter. But the most impressive tree is in the fall, whenleaves acquire a charming color. Under straight lines sun rays the leaves turn red and purple, shaded by bright orange and red flowers. They look stunning!

The best varieties: Japanese maple Senkaki (Acer palmatum ‘Senkaki’ or ‘Sango-kaku’), MapleGarnet (Acer Palmatum ‘Garnet’, Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Garnet’), MapleKatsura (Acer Palmatum ‘Katsura’, Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Katsura’), MapleButterfly (Acer Palmatum ‘Butterfly’, Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Butterfly’).

Brief description of the most popular varieties:

Japanese maple Senkaki is an attractive and compact tree, a popular variety that lovers of Japanese maples will definitely appreciate.Tree height - up to two meters, suitable for growing in large pots and containers.Leaves lobed, the leaf usually has five lobes; in autumn the color turns orange and bright.

Japanese maple Senkaki (photo):

Maple Garnet - incredibly beautiful maple, you can look at it endlessly, and especially in autumn time of the year. Averageheight maple - four meters. The main highlight is the unusual spreading crown, as well as the color of the leaves in the autumn months, they become carmine red.

Maple Garnet (photo):

Japanese maple planting and care

Every gardener can grow a very beautiful Japanese maple. All you have to do is choose right place for planting, and also spend a little time caring for it.

Landing.Be sure to choose the right planting location. It would be ideal for themplace sunny or partially shaded, protected from the winds. They tolerate some shade but look best when grown in full sun. Yes, these treesdo not like transfers Once you have planted Japanese maples, they should not be replanted because it is very easy to damage their delicate roots.

Japanese maples frost resistant. Relativelysoil requirements , then they should not be planted in wet soils. Japanese maples are sensitive plants.The soil must contain a high proportion of humus and haveweak acid reaction . If the soil is sandy, then it needs to be enriched with fertile garden soil. Due to the fact that the roots of these plants grow close to the ground, the place where they are planted needs to be well leveled. This way you can createheat insulating layer , which will perform its protective function both in winter and summer. It is also necessary to cover young maple seedlingsin winter , since these plants may suffer from frost. Also, in early spring, shelter will contribute to not too fastthe development of their kidneys.

Japanese maple perfect for . And all thanks to himcompact growth . But for the winter, plants in tubs should be moved to a frost-free room. It grows slowly and is also very picturesque. Besides thatJapanese mapleEasy to grow, it will provide you with a lot of joy in summer and autumn with its beautiful leaves that change color with the onset of cold weather. Expect a fireworks display of fiery red, brown, yellow and orange leaves.

Care.After planting, a young maple mustneeds feeding . The first feeding is a month after planting, then feed once every four weeks. Suitablecomplex fertilizers and compost. After the winter period it is necessaryremove frozen branches. Gardeners do not recommend trimming the crowns of the tree, because the Japanese maple is a joyexactly its natural beauty. Also, don't forgetmulch the soil before the start of the winter season.In hot weather be sure to watch the soil, mapledoesn't like dry soil . Sometimes the leaves of the plant are also sprayed; this is done in hot weather. Maple pest -gall mite . Watch the leaves carefully, if you see something suspicious, it’s better to immediatelyremove the leaf.

Japanese maple seeds

Many varieties of mapleseeds fall in the autumn, but there are varieties whose seeds can be collected in the summer. The seeds are medium in size, most often Brown, people often call them “helicopters”, because they fall to the ground very slowly, and at the same time rotate. There are some difficulties when growing maple from seeds. It all depends on the chosen variety. The easiest to grow maples are those that drop their seeds in the spring or summer.

After youcollected seeds , they need to be placedin the cold. It is best to place the seeds in a sealed bag (Ziploc lunch bags) before doing this. The collected seeds are placed in the refrigerator. Each variety has its owntemperature , best option- 3-5 degrees Celsius. Constantlycheck bag with seeds, there should be no condensation or excess moisture. Seeds are obtained after 120 days. Seeds of some varieties can be planted after 90 days of cold.Sprouted seeds can be planted in small containers only when a second tier of leaves appears on the small sprout. Now you canplant a tree into the ground.

Japanese maple fan

Fan maple is a marvelous decoration of every garden or park. It is an excellent compact tree that impresses with the beauty of its leaves. Fan maple is one of the varieties of Japanese maple, because historicalMotherland tree - Japan, and also grows naturally in China and Korea. The tree is very compact,height - about eight meters.Crown very unusual, thick, spherical. Sometimes it has several trunks.Leaves Fan maple trees are very beautiful and large, the average length is 12 centimeters and the width is four centimeters. The leaf is divided into lobes.Blooms mainly in spring, small flowers collected in inflorescences, appear laterwinged fruits.

Use in garden design.Japanese maple will look very good in a private garden, as well as in city parks. Its interesting and very bright leaves attract attention. You can make itmain focus on its territory, because in autumn it is very difficult not to notice this tree. Japanese maple combines very effectively with large stones or boulders and even with small pebbles, which can be scattered near the root of the tree. The crown provides shade, so you can plant it near a treefern or other shade-tolerant plants. Landscape designers with good taste will be able to create very unusual compositions usingmaple and conifers , as well as combining maples and flowering shrubs . The main thing is not to overshadow this beautiful tree!

Japanese maple photo

Buy Japanese maple

Japanese maple is a perennial ornamental tree grown in the Land of the Rising Sun. Large lobed leaves in summer have green color, and in the fall their color changes to an unusual red. You rarely see it in our latitudes. But, having seen this tree, you will not resist the temptation to have it in your garden or at your summer cottage.

Maple attracts attention with its unique view. In order for it to please you for a long time, you need to carefully study the recommendations for growing and caring for the tree.

Wood appearance

At this time, there are about a hundred species of Japanese maple. The huge variety of this plant will allow you to choose the type you like, ideal for your landscape design. The height of the tree ranges from two to ten meters. The leaves come in different colors: purple, green, pink, yellow, and more unusual colors can be found. Eg, Chinese maple, also known as Bonsai, has blue, white, blue leaves.

The tree has a large, broad crown, a bit like a palm tree. It's amazing beautiful tree. With its bright foliage, it lifts the mood and inspires creativity.

Unfortunately, V northern regions Growing a Japanese maple tree outside will not be easy., but if you plant a tree in large capacity, which can be brought into the house or utility room in winter, you will have the opportunity to grow a gorgeous plant.

When purchasing a seedling, you should remember that planting and caring for it will require careful preparation. This process determines whether the tree will have the desired leaf color.

Planting and care must strictly comply with the growing instructions. Otherwise, you are unlikely to be able to grow a healthy and beautiful plant.

The ideal place for Japanese maple is partial shade, since the leaves can get burned under the bright rays of the sun. The soil for planting must be drained.

The Japanese plant loves slightly acidic soil filled with humus. To make it strong, the ground around it needs to be fertilized once a month in spring and summer; no fertilizing is done in winter.

In the case when the seedling is planted in fertile land- one feeding will be enough for a whole year. If the soil is poor, then the tree needs to be fertilized a second time in the summer and only until August; after this, fertilizers cannot be applied to the soil, since the plant needs to prepare for winter.

Japanese tree loves water very much. A young seedling must not only be watered, but also provided with a large volume of water. In summer it is watered once every seven days, in cold seasons - once a month. After finishing watering, pull out all the weeds and loosen the soil around the tree so that the soil is not too compacted. If watering is poor, the tree grows very slowly.

The method of planting a maple seedling is simple, you just need to remember some rules. For correct landing Japanese wood needs to be prepared in advance:

• healthy seedling;
• peat and compost for fertilizing the soil.

The size of the pit should be twice the size of the roots of the seedling. Before planting the tree, carefully untangle the roots. Dip the peat and compost into the dug hole, then carefully immerse the seedling and cover it with earth on top, lightly compacting it.

Make sides around the seedling, this will retain moisture. Fill well with water to root system I started faster. In hot weather, water maple more often and abundantly. It is very important that the maple roots receive moisture in full, otherwise the leaves will have an unattractive brown color due to its lack. The tree does not like lime: if the roots come into contact with it, the maple will drop its leaves.

Spread a mulching layer of soil on top mixed with rotted leaves. This excellent protection from weeds, and moisture will be well retained in the root circle.

Care and planting are individual for each type of plant. Many of them prefer the sun, but at the same time do not like direct sultry rays. This does not apply to those trees that have double colored leaves - they prefer shade. Please keep in mind:

In the case when the crown of a tree becomes very dense and its appearance is no longer so attractive, pruning is necessary. This is done as soon as the tree sheds its leaves. This will return transparency to the crown and save the plant from fungal infection.

Collecting and planting seeds

Japanese maple reproduces by seeds, which are collected in October. They are stratified in preparation for planting. Then they are laid out in sandy, dry soil and stored in a cool room.

In early spring planting material treated with a growth stimulator and sown in special containers. Over the summer, the seedlings grow well, after which they are sorted, leaving tall and strong shoots. Seedlings grown from seeds should remain indoors in their containers for their first winter. Then they are transplanted into pots, each separately. When the plants grow, they are planted in open ground.