Acer palmatum or Japanese maple, a beautiful tree in many leaf shapes and colors

We maples everywhere, in forests, parks and gardens. They are usually large, beautiful trees with dense foliage in the autumn brilliant red, yellow or orange.
Botanical name: Acer palmatum
English: Japanese maple
French: Erable du Japon
German: Fächer-maple, maple Japanischer
Aceraceae – Maple family
Origin
Large trees like maples are native to Europe and North America, as slow-growing shrubs or small trees in East Asia.

Plant Characteristics
The Japanese maples are slow-growing multi-stemmed shrubs or small trees. Acer palmatum fan-shaped crown can be 10 meters high, while Acer palmatum ‘Crimson Queen’ just 3 meters away. Bark and branches are gray to brown and smooth. The leaves are lobed, sometimes deeply cut in the autumn orange or purple. The leaves of some species are purple and stay the whole summer. They are bright red in autumn colors.
The flowers are drooping, stalked, reddish tuile, in April / May appear.
The fruits are winged nuts.
Types
There are approximately 200 species of maples. In Japan, growing more than 20 species in the wild. There are large trees with, but also small, even tiny as bonsai pots and dishes are grown. They are known in Japan as Yatsubusa (dwarf) maples.
Of the many types of Japanese Maples I mention here the well-known cultivars:
Acer palmatum ‘Crimson Queen’ (2-3 m)
Acer palmatum ‘Inaba-shidare’ (2-3 meters)
Acer pamatum “Osakazuki ‘(4-8 m)
Acer japonicum
Acer shirasawanum.
These top three are suitable for not too large gardens.
Acer palmatum cultivars 250 are known.
“Atropurpureum ‘has crimson
‘Aureum’ yellow to yellow-green leaves.
The leaves of ‘Chishio improved’ its crimson.
There is also a variegated cultivar, ‘Orido-Nishiki’.
“Trumpet Burg ‘has glossy purple
the ‘Ukigumo green, white and mottled leaves.
Acer japonicum is the most famous ‘Aconitifolium’ with large, very deeply cut leaves, dark red to orange in autumn color.
Acer shirasawanum to hear the ‘Aureum’. The leaves are golden yellow in full sun, shaded pale green yellow.
Soil
This Japanese cultivars grow best in well drained, humus rich soil that may feel free acid (pH from 4.5 to 6). Thus a peaty soil is ideal.
Plants
The best planting time is October / November or March / April. Today, these small maples in pots in garden centers typically offered. When planting it is important to loosen the root ball so the roots of the tree in good contact with the new floor can get.
Prune
In maples, the sap flow very early in the year started. Why should they be pruned in January.
Diseases and pests
There are sometimes for aphids. Some species are affected by the so verwelkingziekte, but this is rare and is usually associated with poorly drained soils.