Acer Palmatum Katsura

Acer Palmatum Katsura is a stand up Japanese Maple with a short trunk with long branches, it has small to medium sized palmatum leaves with beautiful coloured branches. An ideal Japanese Maple for compact spaces like courtyards, Japanese gardens and patio's.

I would like to call the Katsura a tall bush, with the small trunk and a multitude of long branches stemming up in a "v shape". An adult Katsura will reach 12 to 15 feet in height, the stubby trunk will get very girthy and the old bark loses its colouration and goes grey brown with age. With these characteristics the Katsura is a favourite amongst Bonsai lovers.

The Katsura is ideal for any sized garden, courtyard or patio, It is very happy to remain potted or in a container. Like most Japanese Acers it likes full sun but prefers half sun, best position is up against a wall facing East or West so it gets full sun in the morning or afternoon. Keeping it in a pot will reduce its height if you require.

The Acer Palmatum Katsura has been recognised and received the prestigious "Award of Garden Merit" by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Acer Palmatum Katsura Spring Leaf

Acer Palmatum Katsura Leaf Cluster

The 5 - 7 lobed leaves are a darkish lime green colour with red tips and edges in the spring, this fades throughout the summer to make a full lime green coloured leaf. It maintains a lime coloured vein throughout the first two seasons. Towards the Autumn time the leaves turn a pale yellow throughout and in late Autumn, before the fall the red tips and edges return to make it striking in the autumn.

Personally what makes this maple for me is the colour of the upper branches. The trunk bark is what i call snake bark, it resembles snake skin in colouring, the main trunk is lime green with a mosaic of off white coloured vertical veins, these are like sectioned off with a horizontal off white coloured ring every 2 inches up the trunk.

The lower branches are lime green, and gradually as the branches reach the leaves they change to a sunburnt red colour, this gives a striking shading effect. The young stems to the leaves are a pinky brown colour, making a superb contrast of colours throughout.