Red Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum (and other cultivars of Acer palmatum)

Aceraceae (Maple Family)

▲ young tree at Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield, MO

▲ mature tree on Missouri State University Campus

▲▼ mature trees at Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield, MO

▲▼ mature trees at Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield, MO

▲▼ mature trees at Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield, MO

▲ leaves

Can also occur in green-leaved forms:

▲▼ two trees at Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield, MO

▲ leaves from above tree

▲▼ tree above, with leaves, below in Japanese Garden at Missouri Botanical Garden

▲▼ tree above, with leaves, below in Japanese Garden at Missouri Botanical Garden

▲ trunk of above tree

Also are golden-leaved Japanese Maples:

▲▼ tree above, and leaves below, of tree at Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield, MO

Below is the Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum 'Sangku Kaku')

▲▼ tree at Botanical Center in Springfield, MO

▲▼ coral-red stems on tree

▲▼ coral-red stems on tree

▲ several cultivars of Japanese Maple at Japanese Stroll Garden in Springfield, MO

Location on Missouri State University campus:  at all four corners of Craig Hall

Acer palmatum: Japanese Maple

·         leaves opposite, deciduous, simple, palmately 5-9-lobed; lobes very deep and serrate on margins; leaves 2-5" long and wide; species foliage color is dark green and glabrous above and below, but many cultivars have reddish leaves; may turn yellow, orange, red or purple in fall

·         stems slender, glabrous, green to red when young; gray with age

·         bark is light to dark gray and smooth

·         prefers partial shade, but can tolerate full sun (if sufficiently mulched) or deeper shade (if green color leaves); prefers moist, well-drained, high organic matter soil

·         generally grows 15-25' tall and possibly wider in open, tiered canopy; may grow 40-50' in wild and some ‘Dissectum’ cultivars may only reach 4-5' tall

·         slow to medium growth rate; faster when young

·         many cultivars/varieties exist: common ones in trade include:

o   var. atropurpureum—  has reddish leaves and stems

o   ‘Dissectum’ – has finely divided leaves almost to leaflets with more deeper serrations on lobes

·         Similar species

§  Acer japonicum:  Full-Moon Maple

·         Has similar growth habit as Japanese maples, but more and more shallow lobes than Japanese maple

§  Acer circinnatum:  Vine Maple

·         U.S. native to Pacific Northwest—similar to full-moon maple, but larger growing