Japanese Maples and Conifers

Acer palmatum 'Rite of Spring' has a thinner deeply divided leaf than the majority of broad leaf Japanese maples. These leaves emerge in the spring with a bright red color. The color of the leaves darkens to a deeper burgundy red in the summer. The leaves change back to a bright red in the fall. 'Rite of Spring' is a shorter growing tree for an upright Japanese maple and has a real full habit. The picture is green because of heavy shade. 10 Year Size: Height: 8-10 feet   Width: 4-6 feet 

This little plant has deeply divided leaves that are clustered tightly along the branches. With short internodal lengths 'Yuri hime can be quite difficult to propagate therefore it is rarely seen in nurseries. Spring color is pale green growing darker in summer even more so in heavy shade. While sun tolerant in many areas, it should be placed in partial shade in hotter climates. Fall color is orange to yellow and usually not spectacular.  10 year size: Height: 2-3 feet   Width: 2-3 feet  

Acer palmatum 'Ryoku ryu' is a dwarf Japanese maple with small, irregular shaped leaves. This dwarf Japanese maple grows with a compact habit and the leaves grow close together. The leaves emerge in spring with a pinkish hue but are mostly green in the spring in summer. The fall color is a nice orange to red.  10 Year Size: Height: 2-4 feet   Width: 2-4 feet

Acer palmatum 'Ariake nomura' is a broad leaf, upright growing Japanese maple with red leaves in the spring. The red leaves mature to a dark burgundy color in late spring and into the summer. Fall color is a bright red. 'Ariake nomura' is one of the better red Japanese maples at staying red in the shade.  10 Year Size: Height: 10-12 feet   Width: 4-6 feet

Acer palmatum ‘Hana fubuki’ is a brilliantly variegated Japanese maple similar to the popular ‘Butterfly’. The leaves emerge in the spring with pink and white variegation lining the edges of all the green leaves. This variegation changes to a creamy white layer around each leaf by summer. Fall color is orange. 10 Year Size: Height: 8-10 feet Width: 4-6 feet

Acer palmatum ‘Zig Zag’ is a low, spreading lace leaf Japanese maple. ‘Zig Zag’ has green, dissected leaves throughout the summer that turn to a bright red in the fall. ‘Zig Zag’ stays very short and would be perfect for anyone that wants a Japanese maple with the traditional weeping form but needs a tree to stay short.

Acer palmatum ‘O jishi’ is one of the famous lions head maples. 'O jishi' is the male lion and 'Meijishi' is the female lion. Shishigashira means lions head, and while this term can be used to describe either cultivar it is generally used to describe 'Meijishi'. The leaves of 'Ojishi' are heavily crinkled but lighter in color and not quite as tightly crinkled as 'Meijishi'. 'O jishi' is also a much slower growing smaller tree. In full sun new growth has a red tinge to the tips of the foliage. Fall color is red and glorious. The leaves appear very crowded on the stem giving the tree a compact and congested look, with the short internodal length making it hard to propagate and contributing to the fact that it is rarely seen in nurseries. 'O jishi' is excellent for containers and makes a wonderful patio tree.10 Year size:  Height:  4-5  Feet    Width: 3-4 FeetSpring Color: GreenSummer Color: GreenFall Color: OrangeSun Tolerance: PartialPlanting: Elevated, Well Drained Soil

Acer palmatum 'Ki hachijo' starts out in spring with bright green foliage that darkens in summer. Forming a beautiful round topped tree with age, usually wider than tall older specimens of 15 feet or more are not rare but this tree is slow growing when young. Fall color is orange, gold and wonderful. The Japanese name means from Hachijo island, a small subtropical island 175 miles south of Tokyo.10 Year size:  Height: 8-10 Feet Width: 8-10 Feet

Acer palmatum ‘Hana Tsukasa’ is a heavily variegated Japanese maple with uniquely thin leaves. Whites and pinks cover the leaves of ‘Hana Tsukasa’ in the spring while the variegation transitions to white and green by summer. ‘Hana Tsukasa’ develops into a small tree and should be kept in mostly shade to maintain variegation and prevent leaf burning.10 Year Size: Height: 4-6 feet Width: 3-4 feet

The large leaves on ‘Vitifolium’ are what give it its name as they resemble the leaves of a grape vine. These large leaves emerge green with a bronze hue before maturing to a darker green in late spring and into the summer. This tree also has more prominent flowers in the spring than most Japanese Maples. These small red flowers really stand out on the light green spring foliage. However, the fall is when ‘Vitifolium’ really shows out with a display of yellows and oranges and reds all over the tree. ‘Vitifolium’ is a strong and fast grower that will reach 10-15 feet tall in about 10 years. The sturdy branching and round topped form give this tree a wonderful look for the garden. While ‘Vitifolium’ can handle full sun in cooler areas, it prefers filtered light or partial shade in warmer climates. ‘Vitifolium’ has also received the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 10 Year Size: 10-15 ft tall 8-10 ft wideSpring Color: Light green with bronze hueSummer Color: GreenFall Color: Array of yellows, oranges, and redsSun Tolerance: Partial ShadePlanting: Elevated, Well Drained Soil

Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’ is a variegated false holly with exceptional yellow variegation. The yellow color of this false holly bush really stands out in the garden and its compact size makes it a good companion plant for anywhere in the landscape. ‘Goshiki’ is an excellent plant that received the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit.10 Year Size: Height: 4-6 feet Width: 4-6 feet

Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Dainty Doll’ is a dwarf form of hinoki cypress with dark green color. ‘Dainty Doll’ grows at an extremely slow rate of just a few inches per year. ‘Dainty Doll’ grows into an irregular shaped, small pyramid with sprays of upward growth. 10 Year Size: Height: 2-4 feet Width: 2-4 feet

Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Rashahiba variegata’ is a short, shrublike hinoki cypress with golden yellow color. The foliage of ‘Rashahiba variegata’ is small and slightly fasciated. ‘Rashahiba variegata’ should be planted in partial to full sun to maintain the golden color of the foliage.10 Year Size: Height: 2-4 feet Width: 2-4 feet

Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’ is one of the classic bird’s nest spruces. ‘Nidiformis’ grows much more laterally than it does vertically achieving 4 feet or so in width but only a foot or two in height. Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’ bird’s nest spruce has dark green foliage that grows into a dense shrub. ‘Nidiformis’ is a perfect plant for small landscapes and rock gardens or as a small companion plant in a larger landscape. 10 year Size: Height: 1-2 feet Width: 4-6 feet