Acer palmatum
In Japan has admiring the blazing foliage of the maple in autumn a name of its own: momijigari, the “maple hunt”, a centuries-old tradition on a par with admiring cherry blossoms in spring. The Japanese maple, or palmate maple, owes this fame to its foliage, which passes through the entire colour palette, from tender green to deep purplish red.
Characteristics:
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Graceful silhouette: it can reach 15 metres in the ground, but is equally well suited to being grown as a shrub or bonsai.
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Spectacular foliage: the palmate leaves, borne on long petioles, change from green to golden yellow and then purplish red as the seasons progress.
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Slow growth: patience is required, but its lifespan is measured in decades.
Sowing advice:
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Position: partial shade is essential, sheltered from drying winds and the scorching afternoon sun, which scorches the foliage.
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Soil: moist, well-drained, rich in organic matter and, above all, slightly acidic to neutral — this is the decisive factor. It declines in calcareous soil, where its foliage turns yellow (chlorosis). In calcareous soil, grow it in a pot using a suitable substrate, such as ericaceous compost.
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Method: soak the samaras for 24 to 48 hours in lukewarm water, then apply cold stratification for 2 to 3 months: this two-step process mimics the natural alternation of the seasons and breaks seed dormancy. Then sow in a pot, under cover.
Planting advice:
- Prick out the following spring into deeply worked soil, taking care not to bury the root collar. Mulch generously to keep the shallow roots cool.
Care advice:
- Water regularly during the first few years, never allowing the soil to dry out completely.
- Minimal pruning, only at the end of winter to remove dead wood: the maple does not tolerate severe pruning well. For growing it as a bonsai, see our guide creating a bonsai from a seed.
Benefits for biodiversity:
- The maple’s flowers, inconspicuous but early in spring, provide one of the season’s first sources of nectar and pollen for bees emerging from hibernation.
- Its dense crown shelters nesting birds, while its leaf litter nourishes soil life — see the basics of living soil.
Symbolism:
In Japanese culture, the maple is associated with the passage of time and the impermanence of things (mono no aware): its autumnal splendour, as intense as it is brief, makes it a poetic symbol that features prominently in Japanese art and poetry.
Harvesting your own seeds:
From autumn onwards, collect the samaras from the tree as soon as they turn brown and detach easily. Note that maples readily cross-pollinate: seedlings may produce foliage different from that of the parent plant, which is part of the charm of propagation by seed. See storing your seeds.
Commitment to Quality: at SemiSauvage - Permaculture, we grow and select our seeds with respect for all living things as our guiding principle. Based near the Auvergne Volcanoes, we choose reproducible, non-hybrid varieties, tested for their germination rate, carefully sorted and packaged, without any chemical treatment. Our conviction: to restore gardeners’ ability to resow, year after year, seeds that truly belong to them.
Acquire these Japanese maple seeds for a touch of autumnal splendour, in the ground or as a bonsai.
