Katsura Japanese Maple

Katsura Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Katsura')
Height: 15 feet Spread: 15 feet Sunlight: Partial shade Hardiness Zone: 5b
 
Description: The Katsura Japanese Maple is a striking small tree admired for its ever-changing foliage. The leaves begin as yellow in spring, transition to chartreuse in summer, and finally turn brilliant orange in the fall. This tree is most attractive when grown in a multi-stemmed form, making it a fantastic accent tree for the front yard.
 
Ornamental Features:
Form: Upright and spreading habit of growth.
Flowers: Subtle corymbs of red flowers rise above the foliage in mid-spring before the leaves.
Foliage: Attractive chartreuse deciduous foliage that emerges yellow in spring. The lobed palmate leaves are highly ornamental and turn an outstanding orange in the fall.
Bark: Rough gray bark and deep purple branches add significant winter interest.
 
Landscape Attributes:
Open deciduous tree with an upright spreading habit.
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 15 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.