Oriental Beauties

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Nov 1, 2001

Winter or summer, fall or spring, the Japanese maple offers up her beauty in an array of fascinating shapes, colors and textures. And lest you think trees need long, rolling lawns to grow in, many of the more than 250 cultivars of Acer palmatum will live quite happily and prosper in a container on your balcony or patio. Even the many Japanese maples, which over 50 growing years can reach as high as 30 feet, will still adapt to growing in a container. A. palmatum’s slow growth habit, along with its ease of maintenance, lack of fussiness and adaptability make this group of ornamental trees ideal container plants.

Although Japanese maples have become a common sight over the last 20 years in America’s gardens, they were mentioned in Japanese literature as far back as the 7th century. These trees, long revered and celebrated in Japan, were the focus of maple viewing parties held in the Edo period (1603-1867), as the plant’s popularity soared and new cultivars were discovered. Today, the northwestern United States has become the center of the Japanese maple growing industry, with cultivars from North America, Australia, Europe and, of course, Japan.

With so many different styles of Japanese maple to choose from when you go shopping, you’ll feel like a kid in a candy shop, overwhelmed by the selection, each tree more beautiful than the last. So you’ll want to consider what appeals to you most.

Looking for lacy, delicate foliage? Spectacular fall colors? Variegated leaves? Cascading, weeping form? Dramatic, sculptural branches? The Japanese maple can supply all of these. If you’re a new convert to the charms of Japanese maples, spend some time browsing through a well-stocked nursery or a web site before buying (check out Mountain Maples and Serene Gardens), so you can get a feel for what you like.

Knowing where you’ll position your new tree, what kind of light the site has and how much wind it gets will help you choose the best cultivar for your location. Thinking about how visible the maple will be from your living area, and whether you will incorporate it into a grouping with other containers, or position it alone as a dramatic focal point, will also provide you guidance with your selection.

I hesitate to recommend any one cultivar over another because each is so glorious in its own right. I am partial to the burgundy, plum and purple tones, but here are a variety of especially lovely ones to consider:

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The copyright of the article Oriental Beauties in Container Gardening is owned by Kathy Reiffenstein. Permission to republish Oriental Beauties in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.