The term Japanese Maples is often used to describe a wide range of Acers but we only include the cultivars of Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum. There are literally hundreds of different cultivars of these two species and at Big Plant Nursery, we have endeavoured to produce and stock the Japanese Maples that we feel are most worthy of a place in your garden.

Growing Japanese Maples

Japanese Maples are easy to grow and there are a lot of misconceptions about how to look after them in the garden environment. Most of the maples will grow well in all garden soils, providing they are not waterlogged or completely bone-dry. It is a common mistake to think that Japanese Maples must be grown in acidic soil, although a more acidic soil can help to contribute to better autumn colour.

The most important thing to remember is that you should not allow your Japanese Maple to dry out after planting and to make sure it receives consistent watering for the first two or three years. This allows the maple to produce a strong, healthy root system, which in turn will keep the maple happy over the years to come.

Practically all of the Japanese Maples are happy in a sunny position to the point that you get much better spring and autumn colour from a maple planted in full sun than you would with a maple planted in the shade. However, it is wise to keep the dissectum maples out of intense, sunny spots because their delicate leaves are more prone to scorch in the height of summer than their larger leaved cousins.

Most Japanese Maples can suffer from wind-burn as a side effect of being blasted by cold, drying winds. To counteract this, make sure you choose a reasonably sheltered site for your maple so that you can appreciate its spring, summer and autumn colour displays to the full.

Japanese Maples are ideal as container plants and with a little pruning now and again along with regular watering and feeding, will be quite happy for many years in the same container. It is imperative to the success of your maple, that you do not allow it to dry out in a container. Remember: it is completely dependant on the rain and YOU for water, so just check it regularly to see that it stays damp, but not soaking!

If you have any further questions regarding Japanese Maples which have not been answered here, please click on the button below for more information or email us at the nursery and we will be very happy to help.

If you just want to see the Japanese Maples we currently have in stock, please click here