Lace-leaf Japanese Maples are a beautiful and delicate addition to any garden. They come in a variety of cultivars, each with its own unique characteristics.
The 'Coral Bark' variety, for example, has a striking coral-red bark that's particularly eye-catching in the winter months. Its leaves are also a vibrant green with a delicate lacy pattern.
Another popular variety is 'Seiryu', known for its unique upright growth habit and deep green leaves with a lacy texture. It's a great choice for smaller gardens or containers.
The 'Bloodgood' variety, on the other hand, has deep red leaves that retain their color throughout the growing season. Its growth habit is more traditional, with a broad, rounded shape.
Specific Varieties
Acer palmatum 'Dr. Brown' is a slow-growing laceleaf Japanese maple with light bronze-green leaves and yellow variegation that turn yellow and orange in the fall.
The 'Red Dragon' Japanese maple has a weeping growth habit and beautiful red leaves that turn bright crimson red in the fall, making it a great dwarf maple for small gardens or containers.
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The 'Garnet' Japanese maple tree is a laceleaf variety with stunning red leaves that are deeply cut, long, thin, and pointed, creating a stunning rounded red tree canopy.
Acer palmatum 'Jeddeloh Orange' has foliage that starts with fiery streaks of orange and red, turning green and burgundy in summer, and then red with orange-red margins.
The 'Viridis' Japanese maple has bright green leaves in spring and summer that turn golden yellow or orange in the fall, making it a great choice for adding a pop of color to your garden.
The 'Red Filigree Lace' Japanese maple has leaves that are thin and look like a spider web, making it a delicate and unique addition to any garden.
Acer palmatum 'Crimson Queen' is a small maple that has palmate leaves with 7-9 lobes that emerge red in the spring, become purplish-red in summer, and then turn crimson in the fall.
The 'Orange Dream' Japanese maple has spectacular palmate leaves that are golden yellow with tinges of pink, turning greenish-yellow in summer, and growing between 8 and 10 ft. tall and 6 ft. wide.
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Weeping and Cascading Varieties
The Omurayama Cascading Japanese Maple is a great example of a weeping Japanese maple tree with a cascading habit.
This tree has a unique, ferny, lace-like cut leaf with between seven and 11 incised lobes, making it a standout in any garden.
The 'Waterfall' weeping Japanese maple tree is another popular variety with a vast, spreading canopy that measures up to 12 ft. wide.
Its rounded, umbrella-like crown is perfect for adding a touch of drama to your landscape design.
The 'Waterfall' tree grows to be 6 to 10 ft. high, making it a great choice for smaller gardens or containers.
Its weeping habit creates a beautiful, cascading effect that's sure to impress.
Dwarf Varieties
The 'Crimson Queen' Japanese maple grows between 8 and 10 ft. tall and up to 12 ft. wide, making it a compact option for small gardens.
These dwarf varieties are perfect for adding a pop of color to your yard without overwhelming the space.
The 'Crimson Queen' Japanese maple has burgundy-red lacy leaves that keep their color from spring to summer and turn very bright red in the fall.
The 'Inaba Shidare' dwarf Japanese maple takes ten years to grow between 4 and 6 ft. tall, eventually maturing at 10 ft.
This slower growth rate makes it a great option for those who want a low-maintenance tree that still packs a punch.
The 'Crimson Queen' Japanese maple is tolerant of full sun and keeps its vibrant foliage colors despite strong sunlight.
The 'Inaba Shidare' dwarf Japanese maple performs best in partial shade to full sun, but be aware that it may require more maintenance in full sun conditions.
Japanese maple leaves come in a variety of colors and shapes, from the bright red lacy leaves of the 'Crimson Queen' to the deeply cut and dissected reddish-purple leaves of the 'Inaba Shidare'.
Color Variations
Lace-leaf Japanese maples are known for their stunning color variations, making them a favorite among gardeners and nature enthusiasts alike.
The colors of these maples can range from light bronze-green to vibrant orange, yellow, and red, with some varieties even displaying pink and cream variegation.
In full sun, some lace-leafs like 'Baldsmith' can glow with light green at the core and blushy pink at the edges, while others like 'Otto's Dissectum' develop orange-green spring-colored foliage.
In the fall, many lace-leafs turn brilliant shades of yellow and orange, like 'Dr. Brown' and 'Jeddeloh Orange', which turn yellow and orange respectively.
Some lace-leafs, like 'Toyama Nishiki', require partial shade to prevent burning, but still display beautiful red-green foliage with random pink and cream variegation.
In the spring, lace-leafs like 'Baby Lace' and 'Watnong' emerge with reddish-orange and bright pink-red foliage, respectively, setting the stage for their unique color displays throughout the year.
These color variations make lace-leaf Japanese maples a dynamic and engaging addition to any garden or landscape, offering something new and interesting to see with each passing season.
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Green Laceleafs – Fall Color
Green Laceleafs are a sight to behold in the fall, with their rich golden and yellow colors illuminating the landscape. Acer palmatum 'Viridis' is known for its vibrant fall color, which rivals that of 'Waterfall' and 'Otto's Dissectum' in terms of climate tolerance and presentation.
Acer palmatum 'Waterfall' is a beautiful cultivar with long, flowing locks of dissected green leaves on pendulous branches that mimic a waterfall. Its fall show is stunning, with golden foliage and hues of orange and red.
If you're looking to create a Japanese Garden or complement a uniquely peaceful section of your garden, Acer japonicum 'Green Cascade' is a great choice. Its foliage turns yellow and red in the fall, making it a standout in any landscape.
Acer shirasawanum 'Green Snowflake' is another weeping Full Moon maple with small, sharply dissected snowflake-like green leaves that turn yellow and orange in the fall. Its unique leaf shape and red flowers make it a fascinating addition to any garden.
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Laceleafs with Seasonal Colors
Some laceleaf Japanese maples are more resistant to sunburn than others, such as 'Waterfall', which is more resistant than 'Viridis'.
In late summer, the leaves of 'Baldsmith' essentially glow with light green at the core and blushy pink at the edges, a truly brilliant sight.
The foliage of 'Watnong' turns red in the fall, but it's not the only time of year it displays interesting colors - it also has pink and green leaves in the late summer.
In part shade, 'Toyama Nishiki' has red-green foliage with random pink and cream variegation that differs in color saturation on each leaf.
The new foliage of 'Red Dragon' emerges red in color and then darkens to a purplish-red tone, a color it retains well into the summer.
In the fall, 'Red Dragon' turns a bright, fiery red, matching the striking red leaf stalks.
Acer palmatum 'Atropurpurea' or 'Atropurpureum' is a catch-all name for purplish-red laceleaf maples with poor color retention into the summer, but they still have nice fall color.
The 'Garnet' Japanese maple tree has stunning red leaves that are deeply cut, long, thin, and pointed, making it a beautiful addition to any garden.
The 'Viridis' Japanese maple has bright green leaves in spring and summer that turn yellow or orange in the fall, providing a nice contrast to its winter interest.
General Information
Lace-leaf Japanese maples are a popular choice for gardeners due to their unique, delicate foliage.
These trees are known for their beautiful, lacy leaves that resemble a fern, which is why they're often referred to as 'lace-leaf' maples.
They typically grow between 6 to 15 feet tall, making them a great option for smaller gardens or spaces.
Their growth rate is relatively slow, taking around 20 to 50 years to reach their full height.
Japanese maples are native to Japan, where they can be found growing in the wild in mountainous regions.
They thrive in partial shade and well-draining soil, which is essential for their survival.
Lace-leaf Japanese maples are often used as a specimen tree or in a shrub border, adding a touch of elegance to any garden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do green laceleaf Japanese maples like sun or shade?
Green laceleaf Japanese maples prefer partial shade, especially in hot summers, but can thrive in full sun with proper care. They need a balance of sunlight and shade to stay healthy.
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