Acer palmatum 'Volubile' (P)

RHS Plant Profile
Japanese maple 'Volubile'

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A delicately upright, deciduous tree about 6m tall at maturity, with small, palmate, 7-lobed leaves to 6cm wide with prominently toothed margins, the leaves bright yellow-green in spring, darkening in summer then brilliant yellow, rust red and crimson in autumn

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
2.5-4 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or West–facing or North–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 palmatum group have small, palm-shaped leaves with coarsely-toothed edges

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any moisture-retentive, well-drained soil in a sheltered position. Leaf colour is best in partial shade, although full sun can be tolerated if soil is reliably moist. Leaf scorch can be caused by lack of soil moisture or excessive exposure. See Japanese maples cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings, layering or by grafting. Plants grown from seed are unlikely to come true, but may still be garden worthy

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden

Pruning

Pruning group 1, only from late autumn to mid-winter

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and scale insects, including horse chestnut scale

Diseases

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