How to grow and care for Japanese maples
Find out how to grow Japanese maples, or acers, in our Grow Guide.
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| Prune | yes | yes | yes | yes |
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Japanese maples are well loved for their attractive, filigree leaves and dramatic autumn colour. Easy to grow, they're among the best trees for small gardens and some make excellent trees for pots.
Choosing a Japanese maple
There's a huge range of Japanese maples to choose from, with many differences in shape, form and colour. Some have an upright habit and others having a spreading or weeping habit. The leaves are sometimes very finely divided, and can be green, purple and variegated, fading to orange, yellow, red and even purple, before falling. Nearly all Japanese maples need a well-drained, fertile soil in full sun to partial shade, but some are more tolerant of shade.
Japanese maples grow to different heights, and some are therefore better suited to growing in containers than others. Gauging the eventual height of a Japanese maple can be tricky as they are very slow growing and take many years to reach their maximum height. When choosing your Japanese maple, ask the nursery or check online for its 'mature height details', as this will give you a better picture of how it will look in 20 to 50 years' time. Nurseries will also be able to advise which Japanese maples are best for growing in pots.
Jump to...
- Where to grow Japanese maples
- How to care for Japanese maples
- How to propagate Japanese maples
- Pests and diseases
- Where to buy Japanese maples
- Types of Japanese maple to grow
Where to plant Japanese maples
Although hardy, Japanese maples do best in a sheltered position. In a windy spot, the delicate, finely divided leaves of some types may be damaged, and then blown off the tree in autumn before its display is finished.
Japanese maples grow in nearly any soil apart from a waterlogged one. For best results grow in a sandy, slightly acidic soil.
Full sun to partial shade is ideal for most Japanese maples, but variegated types do best in light shade.
How to plant Japanese maples
As with all trees and shrubs, the best time to plant Japanese maples is autumn or spring. Dig a generous planting hole and incorporate some well-rotted organic matter. Position the plant ensuring it's planted at the same depth it was in the pot, backfill and firm in. Water in well. Stake larger specimens for support.
When growing Japanese maples in pots, choose a tree or shrub compost or a loam-based compost such as John Innes No. 2. Ensure your pot has drainage holes. Firm your Japanese maple in well. Water well and, if planting in spring, feed with a slow-release fertiliser.
Where to buy Japanese maples online
How to care for Japanese maples
Japanese maples are easy to care for. They're shallow rooted so avoid growing plants around the immediate growing area, as these can compete with your acer for water and nutrients.
In borders they require very little care: water newly planted trees and then only during extremely dry periods. Mulch annually with leaf mould.
Potted Japanese maples need additional care: apply a slow-release fertiliser every spring. In winter, in cooler regions, you may need to wrap your pot in fleece or bubble wrap to protect it from frost.
Repot potted maples every two to three years. Find out more on when and how to repot your Japanese maple, in our Quick Tips video:
How to prune Japanese maples
Japanese maples don’t require pruning unless you want to improve their shape or need to remove dead or dying stems. Prune only in the dormant season (after leaf fall), as at any other time of year the plant will bleed sap, which can be unsightly.
How to propagate Japanese maples
Japanese maples can be grown from saved seed but this is a lengthy process and cultivated varieties will not come true from seed. However, it's fun to try: in autumn, sow fresh seed in a pot of moist seed compost and cover with a sprinkling of soil. Place the pot in a cold frame and wait for signs of growth the following spring.
You can also take Japanese maple cuttings but they can take several months to develop roots. Take softwood cuttings in mid- to late-spring and trim to about 3cm in length, beneath a pair of leaves. Dip in rooting hormone powder or gel and push into moist, gritty compost, all the way down so the leaves are sitting on the soil. Cover with a propagator lid or clear plastic bag and keep in a warm, partially shaded spot, ensuring the compost doesn't dry out. Pot on into individual pots after around six months.
Pests and diseases
Japanese maples in pots can be susceptible to vine weevil attack. Repot using loam-based compost, ensuring no grubs remain around the rootball when replanting. Add a thick layer of pebbles over the surface of the compost, to help prevent the female vine weevils from laying their eggs.
Japanese maples may also be susceptible to horse chestnut scale insect, which does very little damage but looks unsightly.
A more common problem is damage to the foliage from wind. Potted Japanese maples have a higher risk of suffering from this. To resolve this, move them to a more sheltered spot. The ideal windbreak is a hedge as it will filter the wind – solid walls and fences can cause gusts of winds to be stronger and more damaging.
Advice on buying Japanese maples
- There's an enormous range of Japanese maples to buy – spend time working out which one is right for you and your garden
- Make sure you can give your Japanese maple the right growing conditions, including good soil and a sheltered, partially sunny spot
- Japanese mapls are available from garden centres but you'll find a much greater variety from nurseries and online
Where to buy Japanese maples online
Japanese maples to grow
Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' – deep maroon foliage with tiny flowers in spring, often followed by winged fruits. Height x Spread: 6m x 5m
- Buy Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' from Thompson & Morgan
Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' – deeply cut foliage that turns crimson in autumn. H x S: 5m x 6m
- Buy Acer palmatum 'Aconitifolium' from Thompson & Morgan
Acer campestre – our native acer and the one most tolerant of damp conditions. Commonly known as the field maple. H x S: 7m x 4m
- Buy Acer campestre from Ornamental Trees
Acer capillipes – attractive bark and deep orange autumn colour. H x S: 5m x 4m
- Buy Acer capillipes from Ornamental Trees
Acer conspicuum 'Red Flamingo' – pink, green and white variegated foliage with deep maroon bark. H x S: 4m x 6m
- Buy Acer conspicuum 'Red Flamingo' from Thompson & Morgan
Acer griseum – chestnut-coloured bark peels away to reveal smooth, orange-red bark. H x S: 5m x 4m
- Buy Acer griseum from Thompson & Morgan
Frequently asked questions
What can I feed to my acer?
Acers in pots require regular feeding, such as a monthly dose of liquid seaweed feed or a feed designed for ericaceous plants. Some proprietry fertilisers are activated by temperature and moisture so release fertiliser only when the growing conditions are just right. Always read the instructions on the label before using.
How do I transplant my Japanese acer?
Wait until autumn to transplant your Japanese acer, when the plant becomes dormant. Water the rootball thoroughly the day before to avoid root damage when you dig it out of the soil or pot. Dig carefully around the rootball and replant immediately, either in the soil or in a larger pot of soil-based peat-free compost such as John Innes Number 3.
What are these black bugs devouring my acer?
Tiny black bugs clustered around the budding leaves of Japanese acers are most likely aphids. These suck the sap from plants and can distort growth if present in large enough numbers. Most of the time birds and other insects will take care of the problem for you – house sparrows feed aphids to their young and ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies all lay eggs around aphid colonies so their larvae have plenty to eat. However, if you're really worried, you can blast them off your acer with a jet of your hose, or pinch them between your fingers.
What can I underplant around my acer?
Try low-growing plants that flower in early spring such as Narcissus Tête-à-Tête, crocuses, Cyclamen coum, epimediums, primulas, pulmonarias, cowslips and oxslips. If you like a greener vista try ferns, hostas and heucheras.
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