Acer palmatum ‘Phoenix’

Description

Quick Facts

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum ‘Phoenix’
• Common name: Japanese maple (coral-barked form)
• Type: Deciduous small tree or large shrub
• Mature height and spread: Around 3–4m tall and 2–3m wide after 15–20 years. Upright, fairly compact and slow growing.
• Flowering period and colour: Small reddish-purple flowers in spring (April to May). Modest and easy to miss.
• Foliage: Fresh green, finely cut, five- to seven-lobed leaves through spring and summer. They turn golden-yellow, often with orange tones, in autumn.
• Bark: Young stems and twigs are coral-red, most vivid on bare winter branches.
• Hardiness: Fully hardy in Ireland and the UK (RHS H6, to about -20°C). Young spring growth can be damaged by late frosts.
• Soil: Moist but well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral, and rich in organic matter. Dislikes waterlogging and very dry, chalky ground.
• Aspect: Dappled shade or morning sun with afternoon shelter. Needs protection from strong, drying wind.
• Maintenance: Low. It needs very little pruning, but appreciates mulch and steady moisture while it settles in.

Description

A graceful, upright Japanese maple that gives interest in every season. Soft green, delicately cut leaves unfurl in spring and turn warm golden tones in autumn. As the leaves fall, the young stems show their coral-red colour, which lifts the winter garden. Its compact habit suits smaller gardens, courtyards and large containers, and it makes a lovely specimen close to a window or entrance.

Caragh Garden Notebook

Planting Plant in autumn or spring in a sheltered spot with dappled light, away from cold, drying winds. Dig a hole about twice the width of the pot and the same depth, and mix in some well-rotted compost or leaf mould. Keep the top of the rootball level with the soil surface, backfill, firm gently and water in well. On heavy, wet clay, improve the drainage first.

Watering Water regularly through the first two to three summers, keeping the soil evenly moist but never soggy. Dry spells are the most common cause of crisping leaf edges. Container-grown trees need watering more often. Rainwater is ideal, especially on hard-water or chalky sites.

Feeding Apply a slow-release balanced fertiliser or well-rotted compost in early spring. Avoid heavy feeding, which can push soft growth that scorches more easily. Mulch with 5–7cm of leaf mould or bark each spring, keeping it clear of the trunk.

Seasonal Care and Tidy-Up Spring: Protect new growth with horticultural fleece if a hard late frost is forecast. Summer: Keep well watered and mulched. Move containers out of hot afternoon sun. Autumn: Enjoy the colour, then rake the fallen leaves into your leaf mould pile. Winter: Enjoy the bark. Pots benefit from a little shelter and insulation around the container in severe cold.

Division Not applicable, as this is a tree. Pruning is minimal. Remove dead, damaged or crossing branches in midwinter while fully dormant, as spring pruning causes heavy sap bleeding. The brightest bark is on young wood, so occasionally removing a few of the oldest stems can help keep the colour fresh.

Pests and Problems

• Leaf scorch: Brown, crisp leaf edges from wind, hot sun or dry soil. Usually cosmetic, and the tree recovers the following year.
• Verticillium wilt: A soil-borne fungal disease that can cause sudden branch dieback. Remove affected wood and avoid replanting maples in the same spot.
• Coral spot: Small orange-pink pustules on dead wood. Prune out and dispose of affected stems.
• Aphids: Occasionally appear on soft new growth. Usually tolerated, or washed off.

Design Notes A good choice for winter interest. Try it against a dark wall, evergreen hedge or gravel, where the coral stems stand out. It pairs well with ferns, hellebores, snowdrops and spring bulbs, and with ornamental grasses in a contemporary scheme. Its upright habit works well in pots on terraces and in tighter spaces.