How to Grow and Care for Japanese Maple Trees

Japanese maple trees originated in East Asia and are often part of traditional Japanese landscaping and garden design. Japanese maples are commonly used in bonsai and are prized for their ease of care and beautiful fall leaf colors.

The size of the Japanese maple differs by variety and cultivar, ranging from 2 feet to 25 feet tall. These trees have a slow-to-medium growth rate, growing about 1 to 2 feet annually, depending on optimal growing conditions.

Japanese maple tree sizes can range from a miniature dwarf tree to a shrub to a small tree. The shape can be round, mounding, vase-like, cascading, or upright. It may also have a weeping form. Common varieties have descriptive names alluding to their coloration, like ‘Bloodgood,’ ‘Crimson Queen,’ and coral bark Japanese maple trees.

The Japanese maple tree is renowned for its striking leaves. Japanese maple leaves have five to nine palmate lobes that may come in green or red (or both). In the fall, Japanese maple leaves turn to brilliant shades of red, orange, yellow, or purple, varying in texture with wide lobes, finely dissected lobes, and a lacy, wispy appearance.

Plant Japanese maple in the spring or fall. Give these trees extra attention in the first few years while they’re getting established; after that, Japanese maple trees are easy-to-grow, low-maintenance, and hardy.

Common Name Japanese maple
Botanical Name Acer palmatum
Family Sapindaceae
Plant Type Tree
Mature Size 2-25 ft. tall and wide
Sun Exposure Partial
Soil Type Moist, well-drained
Soil pH Acidic
Bloom Time Spring
Flower Color Red, purple
Hardiness Zones 5–9 (USDA)
Native Area Asia
Japanese maple foliage
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Japanese maple
golden foliage on a Japanese maple
Japanese maple
Pros and Cons of Growing Japanese Maple Trees
Pros
Comes in many varieties, shapes, sizes

Features ornamental leaves and colors

Grows at a moderate rate

Easy to care for

Makes maple syrup

Cons
Softwood is susceptible to wind damage and heavy snow

Roots can crack sidewalks or driveways

Shallow roots can make lawn mowing difficult

Vulnerable to various pests and diseases

Planting Japanese Maple Tree
When plWhen to Plant
anting a Japanese maple tree, consider the time of year, sunlight, soil condition, and wind exposure.
Spring and fall are the best planting times for Japanese maple trees. Spring might be slightly more advantageous, allowing the tree more time to develop roots before winter. Fall is trickier since the tree is most fragile in the first few years, especially around bitter winds or frigid temperatures. It will need winter protection in its first few years if you live in a freezing zone. If you get a tree for planting in summer or winter, do not plant it. Keep it contained with moist (not soggy) soil until fall or spring.

Where to Plant
A Japanese maple tree needs a spot where it will get dappled light or at least morning sun with afternoon shade. It will need protection from strong winds, such as the north or east side of a house or building, where it will only get morning sun. Intense sun can cause leaf scorch, which looks like a brown rim around the margins of the leaf. Its soil should be well-draining, acidic, and, compost-enriched.
How to Plant
Once you’ve found the perfect spot, dig a hole three times the width of the root ball. Set the root ball in the center of the hole, slightly above the soil line. Backfill what’s left of the hole with the same soil. Water it thoroughly.

Container Planting
Japanese maple trees make good bonsai specimens because they will “self-stunt” or stop growing taller and wider once their roots have nowhere to go. If you plan on keeping your Japanese maple in a container, it’s best to get a small or dwarf form. A larger variety might be more likely to get stressed if confined indefinitely. Trees with higher stress levels are more vulnerable to disease or insect infestations.1

Japanese Maple Care Requirements
The Japanese maple is a small tree that will fit into almost any yard, and maples make a beautiful addition to any landscape design. While they have a reputation for being fussy, if you plant them in their preferred condition, they are not that difficult to care for, although they are slow-to-moderate in growth rate, so you’ll need a bit of patience.
Light
Grow Japanese maple in filtered sun to part shade. It is a suitable tree for full shade if needed, especially in the warmer zones, but different cultivars have different needs, so do some research before getting one. Afternoon sun is rarely tolerated by any cultivar, often resulting in sunburnt Japanese maple leaves.

Soil
Japanese maple trees like moist, well-drained soil and compost-enriched soil. Loamy and sandy soil will work well, but avoid soil with high alkalinity; Japanese maples thrive in slightly acidic soil. Japanese maple trees can also grow in poor soil, but growth will be slower, and it can lead to the tree getting stressed out.