Organic Answers Column – April 19, 2023 – Japanese Maples
Japanese Maples New to Howard’s Garden
As I continue to add Japanese maples to my gardens, thought it would be interesting for you to meet the latest additions before they are added to the Library entry.
‘Oto hime’ is a strong green upright dwarf. Spring leaves are bright, lively yellow-green with reddish edges and tips. Fall colors are a pleasant yellow to orange. The small leaves have five moderately deeply divided lobes which radiate out like a star. Is easy to propagate from stem cuttings.
‘Sango kaku’ is a beautiful large growing coral bark Japanese maple. Spectacular bright red bark stands out in any time of the year. Foliage in the early spring is a vibrant green and often has light flushing of red on the edging. Fall color is a beautiful bright gold-yellow with hints of red. The golden-yellow contrasts magnificently with the coral bark. Grows best in morning sun to filtered light. Heavy shade tends to wash out the bark color. Can reach up to 20-25 ft over time.
‘Wilson’s Pink Dwarf’ is a semi-dwarf upright Japanese maple with a bright coral red to pink spring color. It fades to a green during the summer, turning to orange to red in the fall. Can reach 7-8 ft in height in 10 years with an overall narrow vase-shape. Salmon-pink 5-lobed leaves that retain their unusual color through the season, becoming a deep red in the fall. It is a cultivar of Acer palmatum named for its small size and pink color. There are claims of rodent tolerance, but most Japanese maples are when maintained organically.
‘Hubble’s Super Cork’ is a newly introduced corky pinebark selection by Scott Hubble of Metro Maples in Texas. It was a chance seedling of Arakawa found in Scott’s garden. This selection creates the most corky bark of any of the rough bark Japanese maples to date, at an earlier age giving it an older appearance at an early age. The foliage is green during the summer, turning to orange to red in fall. It’s expected to reach 8-10 ft in 15 years.
‘Red Emperor’ is an improved upright variety that is similar to the classic ‘Bloodgood’. It offers 3 seasons of rich red to purple color. Grows to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. Originally introduced by Dick Wolff at Red Maple Nursery in Pennsylvania as Emperor 1 in 1976 and much later patented under that name by someone in Oregon. It has claimed the title “Better Than Bloodgood” and in some ways it is. It does not burn in full sun as badly. Another advantage is that it usually leafs out a few days later than ‘Bloodgood’ in the spring lessening the chance of frost damage.
‘Fireglow’ is an excellent red upright spreading Japanese maple tree that reaches 10-12 ft in 15 years. It leafs out bright red, before maturing to a deep maroon for the summer. Gets an orange-red glow to the back side of the leaves when grown in the sun, giving the tree a glowing appearance, turning to a brighter fiery red in the fall. It holds its red color in the summer heat. Needs protection from more than 2 hours of hot afternoon sun and also does well in shade. Likes consistent summer moisture and good drainage.
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