Acer palmatum 'Aka-shigitatsu-sawa' (M) | Japanese maple 'Aka-shigitatsu-sawa'

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Synonyms

Acer palmatum 'Samurai'
Acer palmatum 'Reticulatum Red'
Acer palmatum 'Beni-shigitatsu-sawa'
Acer palmatum 'Samurai Aka Shigitatsu Sawa'

Trees

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Bushy, deciduous tree about 4m tall, with deeply separated 7 lobed leaves 4-6cm long and 6-9cm wide, tapered to a sharp point and with wavy margins. Young leaves open crimson then dark veined, light yellow-green, overlaid with pink and red, holding this distinctive blend of colours into summer, later turning dark green, then red in autumn. Inconspicuous red-purple flowers in spring may be followed by winged, red fruits

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 10–20 years
Max Spread: 2.5-4 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or North–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): H6

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

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

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: Acers in this matsumurae group are deeply divided to around three quarters of the leaf with coarsely-toothed edges and narrow, pointed lobes

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any moisture-retentive, well-drained soil in a sheltered position. Leaf colour is best in partial shade. Leaf scorch can be caused by lack of soil moisture or excessive exposure. Suits container cultivation but attention to watering is needed in dry spells during the growing season. Suitable for bonsai cultivation. See Japanese maples cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by layering in autumn, grafting in late winter or softwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden

Pruning

Pruning group 1 from late autumn to midwinter only

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