Coral Bark Japanese Maple

Coral Bark Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku')
Height: 20 feet Spread: 15 feet Sunlight: Partial shade Hardiness Zone: 5b
 
Description: A very popular tree, the Coral Bark Japanese Maple grows vigorously when young, developing into a lovely vase shape. Its most outstanding feature is the striking coral bark on the younger branches in winter, complemented by colorful foliage throughout the year, transitioning from yellow-green to gold.
 
Ornamental Features:
Form: Ornamental globe-shaped form.
Flowers: Subtle corymbs of red flowers rise above the foliage in mid-spring before the leaves.
Foliage: Attractive lime green deciduous foliage that emerges coral-pink in spring. The palmate leaves are highly ornamental, turning outstanding shades of gold, orange, and red in the fall.
Bark: Rough gray bark and coral-pink branches add significant winter interest.
 
Landscape Attributes:
Open deciduous tree with a rounded form.
Fine texture that sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.
Low-maintenance tree; should be pruned in summer after leaves have fully developed to avoid 'bleeding' sap.
No significant negative characteristics.
 
Recommended Uses:
Accent
Shade
Mass Planting
 
Planting & Growing:
Grows to about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet.
Low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, suitable for planting under power lines.
Grows at a medium rate and can live for 80 years or more under ideal conditions.
Prefers a location that gets morning sunlight but is shaded from the hot afternoon sun. It will also grow in partial shade.
Avoid hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or reflected sunlight from surfaces like white walls.
Thrives in average to moist conditions and should not be allowed to dry out. May require supplemental watering during drought or extended heat.
Not particular about soil pH but grows best in rich soils.
Somewhat tolerant of urban pollution and benefits from being planted in a sheltered location.
Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates.
This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.