Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum Butterfly

• Position: partial shade
• Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained neutral to acid soil
• Rate of growth: slow-growing
• Flowering period: April to May
• Flower colour: purple-red
• Other features: red winged fruit in late summer
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Masses of tiny, red, spring flowers contrasting beautifully against delicate grey-green leaves with slender white and shrimp-pink margins. This compact, upright Japanese maple is an ideal specimen tree for a small garden. It is best grown in partial shade since the exquisite, variegated foliage scorches in full sun.
  
  
• Garden care: Add a top dressing of a multi-purpose fertiliser around the base of the plant in late spring. No routine pruning is required. Remove any dead, damaged or crossing branches in April when the plant is in full growth.
  
  
• Goes well with: Acer shirawasanum 'Aureum', Pulmonaria officinalis 'Sissinghurst White', Epimedium x rubrum, Dryopteris filix-mas, Brunnera macrophylla, Galanthus nivalis