Japanese Maple Varieties: A Selection Guide

A NatureHills.com #ProPlantTips Tree Selection Guide

The unparalleled good looks of Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) trees are truly exquisite. Each variety has their own unique charm!

This short list is by no means complete! We offer a fantastic online catalog filled with lovely choices to custom-fit into your garden designs.

Which One is Right for Your Yard?
Emperor One Japanese Maple
Tamukeyama Japanese Maple
Inaba Shidare Japanese Maple
Coral Bark Japanese Maple
Shirazz Japanese Maple

NatureHills.com Has Gorgeous Types of Japanese Maple Trees for Sale…Which One is Right for Your Yard?

Beyond height and spread, our catalog of varieties of Japanese Maple trees offer a variety of form, leaf shape and color. But that's not all, as even the stems can also be brightly pigmented!

Study your landscape to find just the right spot to feature a lovely Japanese Maple. They'll perform beautifully in well-drained soil and partial shade, with protection from afternoon sun.

Select for color, growth habit and form and consider mixing and matching several different varieties together. Here's a rundown of some of our most popular cultivars:

Versatile Emperor One Japanese Maple

With an upright, spreading profile, compact Emperor One makes a lively accent tree in a courtyard or a lawn planting. Use just one, or plant a series to create a modern landscape feature.

The bold crimson leaves hold their color beautifully all season. Emperor One is a hardy choice that leafs out a bit later to avoid late spring freezing.

Its toothed palmate leaves seem to glow in the summer sunlight. And you'll look forward to fall all year-long when the color intensifies to a truly glorious ruby-red.

Although not a large tree, Emperor One can certainly carry the back layer of a mixed border. Space them 10 feet apart, and encourage the wide-spreading branches to create a gorgeous screen.

Mix Emperor One with the taller, more upright Bloodgood Japanese Maple for a customized partner planting. Think of beautiful Japanese Maples as architectural elements to create the landscape of your dreams!

Emperor One At a Glance

Upright, compact and somewhat spreading
Hardy, resists frost
Five-lobed leaves
Ruby-red foliage
Accent, border, focal point, and foundation for small spaces

Cascading Tamukeyama Japanese Maple

An excellent choice for a smaller yard or container, Tamukeyama boasts a gorgeous weeping habit that spreads wide before drooping. Your guests will do a double take at this showy specimen!

Look closer at the deeply cut red-purple leaves. Called 'lacecut or 'laceleaf'', their fine-texture is a delightful asset of these special trees.

In production for over 300 years, Tamukeyama earns its place in any landscape. Allow it to settle in to soften a curve or moment of transition in your space.

Include one to play the starring role in an island planting bed reclaimed from the lawn. It partners beautifully with Azalea, Hydrangea and Hosta.

Protect the deeply lobed leaves and pigmented bark from full sun for best results. Why not place it behind a bench as a lovely, cool spot to recharge your batteries?

Tamukeyama At A Glance

Mounding habit
Spreads wider than tall
Delicate, lacecut foliage
Deep red bark
Good choice for high heat and humidity

Low-Growing, Spreading Inaba Shidare Japanese Maple

For an unforgettable display, include the stunning form of Inaba Shidare Japanese Maple in your landscape design. These ground-hugging small trees feature an upright trunk and cascading branches that reach wide.

Use them to provide a serene contrast to tall, narrow evergreens. Or plant them in oversized containers raised up high to appreciate the spill of the weeping branches.

Customize the fit of your Inaba Shidare with thoughtful pruning. The goal is to create a one-of-a-kind specimen tree that nestles into its planting site.

You'll adore the bright, finely-dissected leaves of this tree near a water feature with a boulder or two. Consider adding seating nearby, to fully appreciate these "living poems".

At once graceful and organic, Inaba Shidare brings an elegant feel to a courtyard. On larger properties, create a hidden destination getaway and decorate it with this ageless classic.

Inaba Shidare At A Glance

Compact spreading form
Unique classic
Vivid lacecut foliage
Scarlet-red color turns bright red in fall
Excellent specimen and container tree

Vibrant Stems Coral Bark Japanese Maple

An excellent choice for shade in a small yard, Coral Bark has divinely pigmented red bark and leaf stems. It's especially noticeable against the bright grass-green foliage.

The leaves "pop" against the bold trunk and branches. This is especially true in spring, as the red sap rises through the tree.

New branches are especially rich in this electric red color. In winter, they'll add an exceptional amount of interest.

Rely on Coral Bark for a right-sized shade tree that fits well in modern lots. It's a perfect choice to anchor an east or north-facing foundation planting.

The seven-lobed leaves develop a wonderful golden hue in fall. You'll appreciate this stunning tree all year-long!

Coral Bark At A Glance

Gorgeous red stems
Excellent winter interest
Grass-green foliage turns golden in fall
Great size for modern lots
Taller than it is wide

Colorful Shirazz Japanese Maple

For an ever-changing color display, you'll appreciate the beautiful, deeply-lobed leaves of Shirazz. Each spring, you're in for a treat as the new foliage emerges bright pink with white margins.

Over the season, Shirazz leaves age to a blend of green, pink and white. But that's not all…with cooler fall temperatures, the leaves finally burnish to a scarlet red to wrap up the season.

Place this stunning tree in a high-profile area for the biggest return on your investment. Allow their variegated leaves to grace the corner of your foundation, or provide a delightfully dynamic backdrop to your patio seating.

A mature Shirazz Japanese Maple tree is a perfect size for a specimen. It's also a great choice for an odd-numbered grouping on a berm.

With its leaf color, vase-shape and artfully drooping branches, Shirazz develops into a magnificent living artwork. The ever-changing colors of the elongated, lobed leaves will fascinate you and your guests all season-long.

Shirazz At A Glance

Colorful foliage display
Compact and vase-shaped
Lyrical drooping branches
Can be kept in oversized containers for many years
Rarely needs pruning

When you plant these special trees, you are connecting into a long history of esteemed Asian sensibility. Appreciate their incomparable beauty in your landscape this season!

Remember to plant these special trees in rich, well-drained soil. Provide protection from late afternoon sun in warmer climates to avoid leaf scorch.

Many enthusiasts grow a collection of them in huge containers. Japanese Maples are happy in containers for many years with judicious pruning, mulch, proper fertilization and careful attention to watering.

Pair them with other Japanese-native plants, like Yuki Snowflake Deutzia, Hosta Hydrangea and Camellia. Their artful form and incredible foliage provides a respite from modern stresses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Japanese maple variety for small gardens or containers?

Emperor One Japanese Maple is an excellent choice for small gardens and containers due to its compact, upright spreading profile that works beautifully as an accent tree in courtyards or tight spaces. This hardy variety features bold crimson leaves that hold their color all season and leafs out later to avoid late spring frost damage. The manageable size makes it perfect for container growing while still providing dramatic color impact. Plant Emperor One in well-drained soil with partial shade and protection from harsh afternoon sun for best results.

Which Japanese maple varieties have red leaves all summer long?

Emperor One Japanese Maple maintains bold crimson leaves that hold their vibrant red color beautifully throughout the entire growing season. This compact, upright variety leafs out later in spring to avoid frost damage and intensifies to ruby-red in fall. For best color retention, plant Emperor One in well-drained soil with partial shade and protection from harsh afternoon sun.

How much sun or shade do different Japanese maple varieties need?

Most Japanese maple varieties thrive in partial shade with protection from harsh afternoon sun, which can scorch their delicate leaves. They perform best with morning sun and filtered afternoon light, or dappled shade throughout the day. In cooler climates (zones 5-6), they can tolerate more sun exposure, while in hot southern regions (zones 8-9), they need more shade protection. Position your Japanese maple on the east or north side of larger trees or structures to provide the ideal light conditions.

Which Japanese maple types are most drought tolerant or hardy in hot climates?

While the article mentions that Emperor One Japanese Maple is a particularly hardy choice that leafs out later to avoid frost damage, most Japanese maples prefer partial shade with afternoon sun protection rather than hot, dry conditions. For the best drought tolerance, look for established trees in well-drained soil and provide consistent moisture during their first few years. Choose varieties suited to your specific hardiness zone and plant them in locations with morning sun and afternoon shade to maximize their heat tolerance.

What are the differences between upright and weeping Japanese maple varieties?

Upright Japanese maples like Emperor One grow with a spreading, vase-shaped form that reaches 15-20 feet tall, making them excellent for screens or focal points when spaced 10 feet apart. Weeping varieties such as Tamukeyama and Inaba Shidare feature cascading branches that create a graceful, umbrella-like canopy, typically staying under 8 feet tall. Both forms thrive in zones 5-8 with well-drained soil and partial shade protection from afternoon sun. Choose upright varieties for vertical interest and privacy screens, or select weeping types for dramatic specimen plantings near patios and walkways.

Which Japanese maples have the best fall color, and what colors can I expect?

Emperor One Japanese Maple delivers exceptional fall color, intensifying from its summer crimson to a truly glorious ruby-red that glows in autumn light. Most Japanese maple varieties (Acer palmatum) provide outstanding fall displays in zones 5-8, with colors ranging from bright yellow and orange to deep scarlet and burgundy depending on the cultivar. Fall color typically peaks in October and can last 2-3 weeks with proper care. For the most reliable fall show, plant your Japanese maple in well-drained soil with morning sun and afternoon shade protection.

Are there dwarf Japanese maple varieties that stay under 10 feet tall?

Yes, several Japanese maple varieties stay under 10 feet tall, making them perfect for smaller spaces and container growing. Varieties like 'Crimson Queen', 'Red Dragon', and 'Tamukeyama' typically mature at 6-8 feet tall with weeping forms, while compact upright types such as 'Shaina' reach only 4-6 feet. These dwarf cultivars thrive in USDA zones 5-8 with well-drained soil and partial shade protection from hot afternoon sun. Choose based on your desired leaf color and growth habit, then plant in spring for best establishment.

What leaf shapes are available in Japanese maples, like palmate vs. laceleaf?

Japanese maples offer two main leaf forms: palmate leaves with pointed, finger-like lobes (like Emperor One's toothed palmate leaves), and deeply dissected laceleaf varieties with finely cut, feathery foliage (such as Tamukeyama and Inaba Shidare). Palmate types tend to have a more structured, bold appearance while laceleaf varieties create a delicate, cascading texture. Consider your garden's style when selecting - palmate forms work well as focal points in formal settings, while laceleaf varieties excel in naturalistic designs or where you want softer visual impact.

Which Japanese maples work best in full sun without leaf scorch?

Most Japanese maples prefer partial shade with protection from afternoon sun to prevent leaf scorch, but Emperor One Japanese Maple stands out as one of the most sun-tolerant varieties available. This hardy cultivar maintains its brilliant crimson color even in more exposed locations, thanks to its robust constitution and later leaf emergence that avoids late spring damage. Red-leafed varieties like Emperor One and Bloodgood generally tolerate more sun than delicate green or variegated types, which are prone to burning. Position your Japanese maple where it receives morning sun and afternoon shade, or provide dappled light throughout the day for best results.

How do I choose a Japanese maple for my USDA hardiness zone?

Most Japanese maple varieties (Acer palmatum) thrive in USDA zones 5-8, though specific cultivars like Emperor One offer enhanced cold hardiness for northern gardens. Check each variety's individual zone rating in our catalog, as some selections tolerate zone 4 conditions while others prefer the milder climates of zones 6-9. Hardy varieties like Emperor One leaf out later in spring to avoid frost damage, making them ideal for areas with unpredictable late freezes. Select varieties rated for at least one zone colder than yours to ensure reliable winter survival and optimal performance.

Choosing the Right Japanese Maple Varieties