3 minute read
Digging Deeper
Bringing Japanese Maples to Your Garden
Josh Isenhoward | Horticulturist
To the east of China and Korea lie a group of islands known as Japan. The Japanese people call it Nihon (日本), meaning literally the origin of the sun, which gave rise to the popular description of Japan as “the Land of the Rising Sun.” While the Japanese may believe their islands are the origin of the sun, it is well known to gardeners and horticulturalists the world over that Japan is the origin of many of our favorite plants.
One of the most striking plants that these islands gave rise to is the Japanese maple. For three centuries the Japanese have been carefully developing and selecting different maples for their beauty, form and color. Through selection and cross-pollination over 250 different cultivars have been produced that will make a striking addition to any garden.
Japanese maples are some of the most flexible specimens for garden use. They make wonderful accent plants, can be used in shrub borders, groupings, and even bonsai. They bring a certain magic and artistic quality to any landscape.
Caring for them once they are established is relatively easy. Considering the heat and humidity we experience in South Carolina, Japanese maples do considerably well here. Personally, I have five in my front yard, which are all in full sun. Though they prefer at least partial shade I have found that during the hottest months of the summer I will give them a good drink of water early in the morning and another drink in the evening. I tend to avoid watering them during the afternoon when the sun is at its most brutal as this has caused some leaf scorch.
Newly planted maples will require more attention, but once established I have found them quite resilient to stress in later years. A nice mulch is also very helpful to keep the roots moist. Be careful as well that they do not become waterlogged, which can be just as harmful as underwatering. Though this is mostly a concern with container-grown maples, any maples in containers will require good drainage.
Japanese maples are not greedy specimens when it comes to fertilizer. If you have no real issue growing other plants in your garden, then you should have no issue. But if you do have poor soil, a complete garden fertilizer, such as that recommended for roses, is best applied in the early spring.
The only major task that Japanese maples require is pruning. Their branches tend to grow into each other. While this is not a hazard to the tree, it can affect its overall appearance. Unless you have a desire for a large tree and have a large area for it, pruning should be done early in the life of the tree. Any major pruning should be done in the dormant season after the tree has lost its leaves, from late November to January. This allows you to see the entire branching structure without the leaves.
Corrective pruning can be done at any time of the year, which can be helpful once the leaves return, and you can see the tree in its full majesty. A pair of sharp and clean pruning shears will be necessary. The first step is to look at the tree and see where branches are growing into each other. When removing a limb, cut at an angle just above the branch collar (the line or ridge where the branch meets the other branch). This is more of an art than a science, which is why it’s important to have an overall image in your mind of what you want your Japanese maple to look like. After pruning a couple of branches, it is always good to take a step back from the tree to see how it’s going and what you will need to prune next. For their sheer breadth of variety, size and beauty, Japanese maples are one of the most beautiful and elegant plants that can be added to your garden. From Zen gardens in Kyoto to the royal botanical gardens in London and even at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Japanese maples can be found the world over and have been enjoyed for centuries.
