Elegans Japanese Maple

Elegans Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Elegans') is a small deciduous tree grown for one thing above all: the autumn display. It reaches about 4m tall and 3m wide over many years, slowly, with deeply cut green leaves that turn through orange and red before the branches go bare for winter. The roots are fibrous and well behaved, so it can sit close to paving without lifting it.

Why you'll love it

• The autumn colour is the point. Green through spring and summer, then orange and red, strongest where the nights turn genuinely cold.
• Small enough for a suburban block. About 4m tall and 3m wide at maturity, and slow enough that it takes a decade or more to get there.
• Beautiful bare. The layered winter branch structure is a feature in its own right, which few small trees can claim.
• Safe near paths and pipes. Non-invasive fibrous roots mean you can plant it near a courtyard edge or a driveway.
• Not toxic to cats or dogs. A straightforward choice for a garden where pets have the run of the place.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Place it where you will look at it: at the end of a sightline, beside a deck, or framed by a window. It earns its spot four seasons a year.

Small gardens and courtyards. A 3m spread is manageable in a courtyard, and the light canopy casts dappled shade rather than dense shadow, so underplanting still works.

Pots. It grows well in a large container, 600mm or wider, which holds it smaller and lets you move it into a sheltered spot for the hottest weeks.

Growing Elegans Japanese Maple in Australia

Position and climate. Cool temperate and warm temperate gardens only, and it is frost hardy, so cold winters are an advantage rather than a risk. Give it morning sun and afternoon shade. Hot western sun and dry wind both scorch the leaf margins, the most common problem with maples here.

Soil. Free draining, slightly acidic and rich in organic matter. Work compost through the bed, and on clay plant on a raised mound. Keep 75mm of mulch over the root zone and away from the trunk.

Water and feed. Maples are not drought tolerant. Water deeply twice a week through summer, more in a heatwave, and never let a potted one dry out. A light complete fertiliser in early spring is enough.

Pruning. Very little, and only in mid winter while the tree is dormant. Take out crossing or dead branches to open the framework. Cutting in the growing season causes heavy bleeding.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is sold in a single size, a 45L pot, so you are buying an advanced tree rather than a whip. It arrives with a formed trunk and branch framework already in place, and reads as a real tree from day one.

If it ships during the cooler months it may arrive bare, with no leaves at all. That is dormancy, not damage, and buds break again in spring. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and plants are delivered Australia wide with a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Japanese maple care in Australian gardens
• Browse plants grown for autumn colour
• Compare other deciduous trees
• Designing a Japanese inspired garden

Common questions

Why are the leaf edges going brown and crisp?

Almost always sun or wind burn, sometimes dryness at the roots. Move a potted tree to morning sun with afternoon shelter, mulch well, and water deeply rather than often.

Will it colour up in a warm climate?

Colour depends on cold nights in autumn. In cool temperate gardens it is reliable and intense. In warm temperate gardens expect a softer, shorter display, and in subtropical areas it is not the right tree.

Can I keep it in a pot permanently?

Yes. In a container 600mm or wider it settles at around 2 to 2.5m. Root prune and refresh the mix every three or four years, and never let it dry out in summer.