twombleys red sentinel japanese maple tree grows in a tall columnar habit

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Twombly's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Twombly's Red Sentinel'

$149.95 USD

2 to 3 Feet Tall

3 to 4 Feet Tall

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Twombly's Sentinel Japanese Maple for Sale Online

The Red Sentinel earns its name from its uniquely narrow profile. Twombly's Red Sentinel is the only slim, columnar Japanese maple tree available today. It is related to the Bloodgood Japanese Maple, but this cultivar can be credited to Ken Twombly.

These trees' leaves transition from a bright red in the spring to a deep burgundy in the summer and back to a fiery crimson in the fall. Keep an eye out for the reddish-purple spring blossoms that bloom on fully mature trees. The bark is also a stunning red in winter, making Twombly's Red Sentinel brilliant year-round.

Your tree will mature slowly but grow to be 10 to 15 feet tall and stay between 3 and 6 feet wide. This profile makes Twombly's Red Sentinel perfect for narrow spaces, smaller zen or Japanese-style gardens, or a pop of color against light backdrops.

Twombly's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple prefers partial to full sun and waterings weekly (or biweekly in hotter temperatures).

Growzone: 5-8

Twombly's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple Hardiness Zones 5-8

Hardiness Zone:	5-8
Mature Height:	10 to 15 Feet
Mature Width:	3 to 6 Feet
Classification:	Small tree
Sunlight:	Full sun to part shade
Habit:	Deciduous, densely branched
Foliage:	Burgundy-red foliage that turns brilliant scarlet in fall
Soil Condition:	Any well-drained soil
Water Require:	Water well until established
Uses:	Extremely attractive when used as a focal point or a specimen planting

How to Care for Twombly's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple

Be sure to read our planting instructions to ensure a healthy and happy plant for years to come!

How do you plant Twombley's Red Japanese Maple?

We suggest when planting your newly purchased Twombley's Red Japanese Maple plants that you dig a hole twice as wide as the root system but not deeper. Depending on the quality of your existing soil you may need to add a locally sourced compost or topsoil to the back-fill soil. We do not recommend using straight topsoil or compost as a back-fill soil because more times than not these products will retain entirely to much moisture and will cause the root system to rot. Adding compost or topsoil will help the young feeder roots to spread through the loose, nutrient rich soil, much easier than if you used solely the existing soil which more times than not will be hard and compacted. The most common cause of plant death after transplanting is planting the new plant to deep. That is why we do not recommend planting in a hole any deeper than the soil line of the plant in the pot. A good rule is that you should still be able to see the soil the plant was grown in after back-filling the hole.

How should I water my Twombley's Red Japanese Maple?

After back filling and lightly compacting the 50/50 mix of existing soil and compost give the Twombley's Red Japanese Maple a slow, good deep watering. Most of the water you put on the plant at first will run away from the plant until the soil is soaked. A general rule of thumb is to count to 5 for every one gallon of pot size. For example a one gallon pot would be watered until you count to 5 a three gallon pot would be 15 and so on. Check the plant daily for the first week or so and then every other day there after. Water using the counting method for the first few weeks.

What type of fertilizer should I use for my Twombley's Sentinel Japanese Maple?

Feeding your plants is probably the single most forgotten part of growing healthy long lasting plants. Maintaining a constant low level of fertility will keep your trees healthy throughout the year. Applying high levels of nitrogen (N) is not recommended. Avoid using high N lawn fertilizer on Japanese maples. Japanese maples look best and develop thicker stems when allowed to grow at a slower speed. Applying high amounts of nitrogen will cause excessively fast growth that will weaken the plant. Weak branches can lead to damage if you are located where icing during winter is a problem. Fertilizing your Japanese maple with the proper type of fertilizer should be done either in late winter while the ground is still cold, or after the last freeze in spring. I recommend using a slow or controlled release type fertilizer.

What type of mulch should I use with a Twombley's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple?

We highly recommend that you mulch your Twombley's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. Mulching helps to keep weeds away which will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is sufficient but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. Its better to leave a one inch gap of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the plant.

Frequently Asked questions

How should I prune my Twombley's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple?

Japanese maples such as Twombley's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple are not especially particular as to when they are pruned; however, spring is generally not a good time as new growth and sap are beginning to develop. Winter and summer are commonly accepted as good times to prune. The winter is probably the best time as it is easy to see the branches and growing structure of the tree. Summer, on the other hand, allows for a more accurate gauge of which branches need to be thinned. It is important to be careful of the temperature when pruning in the summer, however. Removing thicker areas of foliage can reveal previously shaded areas and invite scalding by the sun. Pruning the upright Japanese maple such as Bloodgood Japanese Maples involves four main steps. The first is to prune off lower limbs that crowd other low-growing shrubs or possibly impede a walkway. Next, prune off dead wood — that is, any dead twigs or brittle branches that no longer grow foliage. The third step is to separate the tree into layers. Remove branches that intrude into the layers above and below them. The final step is to evenly thin the branches. Remove some small lateral branches and keep others for an overall thinned out look. The ideal appearance is to have fewer branches that fill all the empty spaces. Laceleaf Japanese maples are slightly more complicated than their upright cousins. Gardeners often fall into two camps with these trees. The first camp refuses to prune the trees at all, resulting in a great ball of foliage. Gardeners belonging to the second group tend to prune too much and end up with very little. The truth falls somewhere in between. It is important to preserve this tree’s natural harmony and facilitate a shell-like growth. Start with pruning dead wood and cutting back any dragging or low branches. Avoid pruning thicker branches that are more than half the diameter of the trunk. Remove branches that do not conform to the aesthetic appearance of the tree. Branches that do not curve or divide can be pruned. As with the upright trees, separate the layers and remove branches that do not naturally follow the pattern. Thin the lace leaf trees similarly to the upright trees. The final step is to create a veiled top layer; a curtain that shields the rest of the foliage but has a uniform look is ideal. It is best to prune Bloodgood Japanese Maple in the late spring or early summer when temperatures are below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.