Focus on Plants - Coral Bark Japanese Maple

Focus on plants

                                Coral Bark Japanese Maple

 

                Coral bark Japanese Maple or – Acer palmatum ‘Sangokaku’ is one of my favorite small ornamental trees. As with all Japanese Maples, it will need a protected location from wind and the afternoon summer sun.  This small tree has green leaves with blood red twigs – a truly stunning combination. Mature branches will slowly lose the bright red color, but all new twigs will be a bright fire red for at least 3 years.  The fall color varies, but most years the green leaves turn golden orange yellow with some years a combination of yellow with red tips which will really make a statement!! Japanese maples can have a somewhat inconsistent fall color year to year in our Valley. Some years you will get a spectacular display of colors, while other years, we change from Hot to cold, too quickly and the leaves end up just turning brown and stay on the tree all winter until the new spring leaves pus them off! But when the leaves due turn those spectacular colors it is truly worth it! The approximate mature size is 15x12, so if you have a protected space, and looking for something a little different, why not try the Coral Bark Japanese Maple!!