Looking for some spring color? Try a Japanese maple

“Acer palmatumitis: A somewhat contagious mental condition of a gardener who shows extreme addiction to Japanese maples of any kind. Symptoms include having multiple specimens in a landscape, followed by countless pots sited around the garden and home with maples in them. Explanation from the patient always includes the phrase, ‘But I have room for one more.’”

— Trevor Cameron, general manager of Sunnyside Nursery and hopeless Japanese maple addict

There is always a silver lining in whatever nature throws at us, although I have to admit that I had to look pretty hard to find it this year with the never-ending wintery weather. Due to the extended cold, everything in the garden has been delayed, even to the point that the Skagit Valley tulips are still blooming as of the first week of May.

Usually, by this time of the year, my Japanese maples are in full leaf — or, to say it more poetically, they are fully “clothed” — with their covering of delicately shaped leaves, finely divided into multiple leaflets in a palmately compound arrangement. They are an absolutely exquisite creation of nature and should not be overlooked when one is out in the garden mucking about.

Thanks to the cool weather, it’s not too late to see this incredible show. To that end, I reached out to Sunnyside Nursery’s general manager and Japanese maple aficionado, Trevor Cameron, for some advice on maples that have extra special spring foliage. Here are eight that he thought you might find interesting.

First Flame — Iseli Nursery in Boring, Oregon, describes this maple hybrid as follows: “The initial leaves of spring from the First Flame maple explode onto the scene with hot red-orange tones and begin to cool by mid-spring to swirling flames of orange and yellow and then green with hints of red in summer. Small, star-shaped leaves cover the narrow upright tree which broadens with maturity.”

Shin Deshojo — Monrovia Growers has this to say about this variety: “Thrilling, densely-branched, small tree with highly dramatic foliage color. Spring leaves are brilliant salmon-red, green in midsummer, then turn a brilliant orange-scarlet in autumn. New growth continues to emerge red, contrasting beautifully with the mature foliage. The diminutive size fits well in small spaces and containers.”

Taylor — This is a maple whose leaves are either entirely pink or have thick pink margins with green centers. The pink remains throughout the summer and fall. An extremely rare and unusual maple that reaches roughly 7 feet by 4 feet in size. Trevor also told me that this one prefers shade and perhaps does best in a container where you can keep it on the dry side.

Mikazuki — This is a bushy, upright maple with narrowly lobed leaves in a lovely pink-blush color over white with green reticulation. In case you are wondering, reticulation refers to the exposure of the veins, which gives the leaf a netting appearance. The name means crescent moo” in Japanese.

Ikandi — This is another reticulated form for part shade that starts out pink and matures to a variegated green and white. It’s fun to say as it is pronounced “eye candy.”

Beni Hoshi — A compact, dwarf Acer palmatum tree with an upright form, perfect for growing in containers. Small red leaves in spring are very cute, then turn to yellow and orange in fall. The Japanese name means red star. It prefers sun/partial shade in well-drained soil. It reaches roughly 8 feet by 6 feet in size.

Otto’s Dissectum — This is one of the small, shrubby laceleaf varieties that only get 3 to 4 feet tall. The very finely divided foliage starts out greenish, but quickly turns bronze, so you get the best of both worlds: green and red foliage on one plant.

Geisha Gone Wild — Mendocino Maples Nursery describes this one as: “A nice pink variegated form with deeply divided leaves that slowly change to light cream with flecks of green and shades of pink in the summer.”

While I am not addicted to the degree that Trevor is, I do in fact have eight to 10 choice varieties in my garden, and a few that I get to enjoy across the fences in my neighbors’ yards. They are truly magical plants that announce spring in a very elegant manner and continue on throughout the summer with their delicate foliage, finishing up in the fall with a repeat display of warm, rich colors. Some even entertain us in the winter with colorful bark; they really are a plant for all seasons.

Take time this spring to visit the garden center and look closely at the finely crafted foliage of Japanese maples as they once again regale themselves in their finest. You might just find yourself awestruck.

Free class

The next free class will be “Thrillers, Fillers & Spillers” at 10 a.m. on May 20, paired with our annual Free Container Planting Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, go to www.sunnysidenursery.net/classes.

Steve Smith represents Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville. He can be reached at sunnysidenursery@msn.com.