Japanese Maple Trees for Sale Online

Japanese Maple trees are one of the most collected and desirable trees sold in nurseries today. They are often used as focal points in every well-designed landscape in the United States. There are more forms and styles of these trees than any other.

Acer palmatums are coveted as bonsai trees and adored the world over for their shape and form. No other family of plants has more leaf shapes than the Japanese maple family.

There are upright in forms, weeping or cascading styles as well as small almost shrub-like varieties. Some have red or green leaves throughout the growing season, but they always provide quite a show in the fall. There are also many varieties with orange leaves, golden yellow leaves and even some with variegated leaves.

Japanese maple trees (Acer palmatum) are both graceful and versatile members of the landscape. Some leaf out in the spring in brilliant shades of red, then change to green by summer and finish the fall in yellows and oranges.

Other Japanese Maples start red and stay red till their leaves drop in autumn, revealing their sculptural forms. Japanese Maple leaves can be palm-shaped or lacy, almost feathery, and their available color palette includes red, green, orange, purple, white, and pink. 

Japanese Maple Trees for Sale Online

The foliage is not always the big attraction as in the case of the Coral bark maple. Its bark turns a bright red which in our opinion is mind-blowing in the winter against a backdrop of white snow.

Japanese Maples have a reputation for being hard to grow. The truth is they are not hard to grow but rather slow to grow. Japanese Maples prefer protection from the hot midday sun whenever possible. They are an "understory" tree.

Hardiness Zone Considerations for Japanese Maples

Usually, when we talk about the hardiness zone, we talk about cold winter temperatures, in the case of Japanese Maples, it's the opposite. In the hotter regions of the country, the main danger to Japanese Maples is heat and sun-scorch.

During the summer months, the outer edges of the leaves can turn brown due to the extreme heat and direct sunlight. This is why we recommend using Japanese maple as an understory tree.

Another trick that can be employed by the savvy gardener is to plant the maple in an area that falls into the shade created by a house or a larger tree when the sun moves through the sky.

When leaf scorch occurs, trees will sprout new leaves the following spring. Growing trees in shadier locations and making sure they have sufficient water usually prevents leaf scorch in summer.

Using Japanese Maples in the Garden

In more urban areas, there is often a need for smaller trees that do not develop into large specimens. Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are the perfect solution to this problem. Growing Japanese Maples in city gardens is highly recommended. The shade offered by the large building or the closely spaced houses creates the perfect environment for Japanese Maples.

Even the most substantial forms of Japanese Maples only develop into smaller tree, often staying less than 20 feet tall. With judicious pruning, they can be kept very small. Due to their ability to be kept small, they make perfect potted specimens for patios. When planted in pots they make an attractive focal point that can be moved around as necessary to create space or to keep them in the desired shade through the changing seasons.

In more extensive rural gardens, they make ideal trees for growing under larger trees and will thrive in the shade of larger deciduous shade trees such as red maples or oaks, for example. In the shadows, of other larger trees, they will receive the perfect amount of sun to grow and thrive but not too much, which would cause leaf scorch.

Some of the larger Red Japanese maple types will tend to do better in the full sun. They only need a little help during their establishment period, but after a few years, supplemental water will not be required. In the full sun, they tend to develop a thicker canopy and therefore will suffer less leaf scorch as a result.

Popular Types of Japanese Maples

We believe we offer an outstanding collection of Japanese Maples. All the varieties we offer have been extensively tested in our trial gardens and have proven themselves to be all-around great trees. Japanese maples grow in any soil type of soil provided it does not always stay wet. Our Customer Service department is happy to answer any questions you may have regarding these trees.

Coral Bark Japanese Maples or Sangu Kaku: Coral Bark Maple is a unique tree that is also one of our favorites. It forms an upright tree with green leaves that turn a warm yellow in fall. The wintertime is when this tree explodes. The bark is a rich coral-pink almost red color and not only stands out in the winter landscape but brings an element of color to the otherwise drab sleeping landscape.

Bloodgood Japanese Maple: Bloodgood Maples are one of the hardiest varieties of all, growing happily with winter temps that can fall into the minus '30s.

Crimson Queen Japnese Maple: Crimson Queen is one of the most heavily dissected forms of Japanese maples They are perfect for use as a specimen or accent around the home, yard or patio. Crimson Queen is an excellent sun-dappled understory plant used to bring color to the otherwise dark shaded areas of the woodland garden. Crimson Queen Japanese Maples are perfect for use in containers on the patio or shaded deck.

Inaba-shidare: Inaba shidare Japanese Maple is one of the best and most visually stunning of any Japanese Maples. Compact enough for any garden, it is covered with gorgeous red, lacy leaves that cascade down from its upright-growing trunk. It's a low-branching, dwarf tree with a delicate weeping effect.

Red Dragon Japanese Maple: The deep dissection of the purple leaves truly makes this tree a standout. Red Dragon developed an attractive lacy appearance. As temperatures cool off in the fall, the foliage changes to a bright, red color. This graceful, small tree creates a stunning specimen or accent for lightly shaded gardens or patios and is ideal for containers.

Waterfall Japanese Maple: This highly improved selection makes an attractive garden or patio tree. The beautiful cascading branches produce large, finely cut green leaves all summer and golden yellow shades in the fall. A perfect choice for a small tree for use as a garden accent or container tree.

Lion’s Head Japanese Maple: Japanese Maple Shishigashira, commonly called the lion’s head maple, is a very popular and highly sought-after cultivar. Lions Head is a slow upright grower with dense tufts of crinkled deep green leaves on each branch, resembling the mane of a lion. The leaves are resistant to burning in full sun and develop an excellent golden yellow fall color brushed with red-orange.

It is usually one of the last of the Acer palmatums to display its fall color. Japanese Maple Shishigashira makes a great container plant. When placed in the garden, it has a sculptural effect that only gets better as it ages.