Japanese maples (Acer palmatum and cultivars) are extraordinarily beautiful garden trees. Grow them for the wonderful foliage color and winter branching structure. These trees are a wonderful smaller scale answer to our limited sized Southern California gardens.

Japanese maples can be grown almost anywhere in the West, except in the deserts. They thrive in the Pacific Northwest and coastal Northern California. In warmer areas of inland Northern California and in Southern California, a sheltered location - such as in a courtyard or on the north side of the house - is crucial for success. Any combination of strong sunlight, alkaline or salty soil, and dry winds can result in scorched leaf edges by midsummer. And that scorching usually ruins the fall color.

There are hundreds and hundreds of cultivars of Japanese maples. Of course, you won't find all of them here at our garden center, but you will find those varieties that will do well here. Still, you will have many to choose from. So how do you make your final selection(s)? Consider tree form, foliage shape and color, cultivar needs and the desired effect or look that you are trying to achieve.

Japanese maples will be most happy planted in front of north and east walls, in entryways and as small lawn trees. Exceptions to the rule would be if you have a shady area of your yard that is not north or east, but it is protected by larger plants or a towering building (that offers shade much of the day). They are attractive in groves (like birches) or singly in woodland plantings including ferns, azaleas, columbine, and hosta.

There are upright forms and weeping forms, coral-colored bark that just 'pops' in winter. All leaf shapes are palmate or the classic maple shape, like the palm of your hand. Some are classically cut, others are deeply cut-leaves, giving the tree a lacy look. Spring color in most varieties is reddish-pink to pink. Summer colors range from burgundy to green to variegations of green, pink and white or cream. Fall colors can be yellow to orange to deep red-orange to red; again, depending on variety.

But fall color is only one of the only reasons to plant a Japanese maple. Few other trees are so well behaved. Their roots are noninvasive; their fallen leaves break down quickly or blow away in the wind, making autumn cleanup easy; and even the taller varieties can usually be pruned from a stepladder. The Japanese maple is an excellent choice for the smaller garden or use as a patio tree.

Japanese maples also deliver four seasons of garden interest. In winter, their bare branches (they are deciduous) have a rare structural beauty--some highly colorful, others with graceful weeping silhouettes. The branch pattern can be strongly upright on trees over 20 feet tall, or weeping and dome-shaped on shrub-like trees less than 4 feet. Some varieties have green, red, or variegated bark.

Unfortunately, many homeowners purchase a beautiful Japanese maple in spring only to watch the leaves get burned in summer. We get panicked calls from customers fearing that they have killed their beautiful young tree. The tree isn't dying - it's just suffering from heat stress, incorrect watering, or maybe even incorrect placement in the yard. Ideal conditions include filtered or partial shade, well-drained soil slightly on the acidic side, and consistent moisture. A 3- to 4-inch layer of Nurseryman’s Acid Planting Mix helps maintain soil moisture.

This condition can also be caused by salt burn from the use or overuse of strong chemical fertilizers containing high amounts of nitrogen. Even if the soil is moist around the trees, the tree can burn because the moist soil actually activates the fertilizer, and the tree cannot control the amount of fertilizer it draws up. So take care to not over-fertilize.

"So," you ask, "What do we do to minimize the leaf burn?" Japanese maples do need a consistently moist, well-drained environment and, preferably, the use of Dr. Earth #4 Azalea & Camellia Fertilizer. Use this fertilizer before the new growth appears in the spring. When planting your new Japanese maple, make sure that you mix acid planting mix with the native soil of your garden before planting. And always be sure to top off your soil with mulch to keep the soil cool and moist. Remember: never plant a Japanese maple in a low spot or near an area that may have standing water, or your new tree will succumb to root rot.

Japanese maples are the spotlight of any garden as they pose with complete elegance any time of year. Surrounded by woodland plants such as ferns or azaleas, or under-planted with Chinese fringe (Loropetalum), Pittosporum 'Crème de Mint' and day lilies, this tree will bring beauty to your garden forever. Welcome one into your garden; you'll see just what we truly mean.