Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Trees

Acer palmatum 'Sharp's Pygmy' (P)

Japanese maple 'Sharp's Pygmy'

A dwarf cultivar forming a low, spreading tree up to 1.2m tall. The small, five-lobed leaves are deeply-divided and toothed and turn shades of orange and red in the autumn

Save to My plants

Buy this plant

Plant nurseries
2 suppliers

Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or East–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Sapindaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Acer can be deciduous trees or large shrubs with paired, often palmately-lobed leaves and small flowers followed by characteristic winged fruits. Many have fine autumn colour, and some have ornamental stems
Name status: Accepted
Horticultural Group: Acers in this palmatum group have small, palm-shaped leaves with coarsely-toothed edges

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a moist but well-drained, acidic to neutral soil. Leaf scorch can be caused by lack of soil moisture or excessive exposure. See Japanese maple cultivation for further information

Propagation

Propagate by grafting or by softwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Rock garden
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to Acer gall mite, aphids, caterpillars and horse chestnut scale

Diseases

May be susceptible to Verticillium wilt, Acer leaf scorch and honey fungus

Get involved

The RHS is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow - nurturing a healthier, happier world, one person and one plant at a time.