🍁 Species guide
🏙️ Balcony and terrace
🌿 In brief
The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) grows very well in a pot. It needs partial shade, shelter from the wind and the scorching afternoon sun, a slightly acidic, free-draining potting soil, and regular but not excessive watering. It is hardy, loses its leaves in winter and needs very little pruning. Choose the variety according to leaf colour, habit and how much space you have.
Few trees put on such a show in so little space. Delicately cut leaves, colours that change from spring to autumn, a graphic silhouette even in winter: the Japanese maple turns a balcony or terrace into a miniature Japanese garden. Well chosen and well placed, it lives for many years in a pot. Here is everything you need to know to choose it, set it up and care for it, followed by a look at our varieties one by one.
Portrait of the Japanese maple
The Japanese maple, Acer palmatum, is a small tree native to Japan, Korea and China, where it grows in woodland, in the light shade of large trees. Grown for centuries by Japanese gardeners, it now has hundreds of varieties that differ in the shape of their leaves, their colour and the silhouette of the tree.
Its name comes from its leaves shaped like an open hand, “palmatum”, divided into five to seven pointed lobes. In some varieties, known as cut-leaf varieties, each lobe is itself finely cut, like lace. In the ground, the most vigorous varieties reach 4 to 6 metres over several decades; in a pot, their growth is naturally held back, and most stay between 1 and 2.5 metres.
| Your situation | Suitable varieties |
|---|---|
| Small balcony, small pot | 'Shaina', 'Little Princess', 'Beni-maiko' |
| Red foliage all summer | 'Bloodgood', 'Atropurpureum', 'Garnet' |
| Fine, light foliage | 'Garnet', 'Emerald Lace', 'Seiryu' |
| Light in a shady corner | 'Orange Dream', 'Going Green' |
| Winter interest | 'Sangokaku', with coral-red wood |
What makes it unique
Colours that change all year round
Many varieties come into leaf in spring in pink, orange or bright red, turn green, purple or yellow in summer, then blaze red, orange or gold in autumn. Autumn colours are more intense after cool nights and sunny days.
A deciduous tree
It loses all its leaves in autumn. This is normal: it goes dormant until spring. In winter, its fine and often twisting branches remain decorative, and some varieties such as 'Sangokaku' have coloured wood.
Fine, shallow roots
Its root system is dense, fine and shallow. That is what makes it so at home in a pot, but also sensitive to both drying out and overwatering.
Delicate foliage
Its fine leaves cope poorly with wind, scorching sun and dry air. Cut-leaf varieties are the most sensitive.
Named varieties, like all those in our selection, are grafted onto a vigorous rootstock: this guarantees you get exactly the colour and shape of the variety.
Aspect and position
The position determines how beautiful the tree will be. In the wild, the Japanese maple lives in the shelter of taller trees: it likes light, but not scorching sun.
- Ideal: morning sun and light shade in the afternoon, on an east-facing balcony or in dappled shade.
- In southern Europe, avoid south- and west-facing spots: the summer sun scorches the leaves in a few days.
- Red and purple varieties keep a more intense colour with a few hours of sun; green, golden and cut-leaf varieties prefer more shade.
- Sheltered from the wind: on an upper floor, place it against a wall or behind a privacy screen.
- Never indoors: it needs winter cold and outdoor air.
Our guide to plants for shady balconies helps you assess how much sun your balcony gets.
Pot and potting soil
The pot
Choose a pot one and a half times wider than the root ball, and preferably wider than it is tall, since the roots spread near the surface. It must have a drainage hole, be stable in the wind and be frost-resistant. A light-coloured pot heats up less in the sun than a black one. Repot every two to three years, at the end of winter, before the buds break, moving up to a pot only slightly bigger.
The potting soil
The Japanese maple likes slightly acidic, light soil that holds a little moisture without ever staying waterlogged. A good mix: two-thirds ericaceous potting soil and one-third good-quality potting soil, with a handful of pozzolana or fine bark. Add a layer of clay pebbles at the bottom of the pot. Our guide which potting soil for which plant details the mixes.
Mulching
A 3 to 5 cm layer of pine bark or clay pebbles on the surface keeps the soil cool in summer, protects the roots from the cold in winter and gives a nice finish.
Watering and feeding
Water regularly
In a pot, a Japanese maple must never dry out completely. Water as soon as the top two centimetres of potting soil are dry, until water runs out of the drainage hole. In summer, this can mean watering every day or every other day; in spring and autumn, once or twice a week. In winter, water only if the potting soil is dry, and not during frost.
Rainwater is ideal. Very hard water turns the leaves yellow over time. Our guide which water to use for your plants explains how to soften it.
Feed without overdoing it
A slow-release fertiliser for ericaceous shrubs in spring is enough for the whole season. Don't apply any more after July: late young shoots would not have time to harden off before winter. Too much fertiliser makes the leaves fragile and dulls the colours.
The maple in winter
The Japanese maple is very hardy in the ground. In a pot, its roots are more exposed: protect the pot as soon as temperatures drop below -10 °C by wrapping it in horticultural fleece or bubble wrap and raising it on pot feet. Place it against a wall, sheltered from cold winds.
In spring, watch out for late frosts: young leaves that have just opened are fragile. If a cold night is forecast, cover the tree with fleece overnight. Our guide to overwintering your balcony details every step.
Pruning and propagation
Prune very little
The Japanese maple naturally takes on a beautiful shape: it needs only very light pruning. Remove dead wood, branches that cross or grow inwards, and shoots that unbalance the silhouette. The best time is late summer or early winter, when the tree is dormant. Avoid late winter and spring: the sap is rising and the cuts “bleed” heavily. Use clean, sharp secateurs and cut just above a bud or a fork. Our guide to pruning your plants properly shows where to make the cut.
Propagating a maple
Named varieties are propagated by grafting, a nurseryman's technique. Cuttings rarely succeed. You can sow the samaras, the winged seeds that fall in autumn, but the seedlings you get will not resemble the original variety: it's a nice experiment, not a way to get a 'Bloodgood' or a 'Garnet'.
Common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Brown, dry leaf edges in summer | Sun too strong, wind, lack of water | Move to partial shade and shelter, water more regularly |
| Yellow leaves with green veins | Water or potting soil too chalky | Water with rainwater, repot in ericaceous soil |
| Leaves dropping in summer | Prolonged drought or overwatering | Check the moisture of the potting soil and the drainage |
| Young leaves blackened in spring | Late frost | Cover with fleece on cold nights; the tree will recover |
| A whole branch suddenly wilting | Verticillium wilt, a fungus of the wood | Cut the branch back into healthy wood, disinfect the tool |
| Curled, sticky leaves | Aphids | A jet of water, then diluted black soap if needed |
To find out more, our guides on brown leaf tips and edges and plant pests go into these symptoms in detail.
Decorating with a maple
A single Japanese maple in a beautiful pot is enough to create an atmosphere on a balcony. A few ideas to show it off:
- The Japanese garden feel: a round, dark ceramic pot, a gravel mulch, and a non-spreading Fargesia rufa bamboo as a backdrop.
- Colour contrast: a purple maple such as 'Bloodgood' next to a golden 'Orange Dream', or a red 'Garnet' in front of a pale wall.
- The shady corner: a green maple with a skimmia 'Rubella' at its feet, which likes the same acidic soil and the same partial shade.
- The winter scene: 'Sangokaku', whose coral-red wood lights up the balcony once the leaves have fallen.
Our guide to plants for a Japandi style offers more pairing ideas.
Mistakes to avoid
⚠️ Avoid
Placing it in full afternoon sun. Especially in the south, the leaves scorch within a few summer days.
Growing it indoors. Without winter cold or outdoor air, it declines within a season.
Letting it dry out completely. Its fine roots cannot cope with a dry pot in the height of summer.
Drowning it. A pot without drainage or a saucer that is always full makes the roots rot.
Pruning it in spring. Sap flows from the cuts and weakens the tree.
Worrying when the leaves drop in autumn. It's its normal cycle: it will come back into leaf in spring.
Our varieties
You now know how to grow it. Here are our Japanese maples, grouped by colour and habit.
Red and purple maples
Deep purple foliage all summer, turning bright red in autumn. 'Bloodgood' and 'Atropurpureum' form small, elegant trees; 'Shaina', dwarf and very dense, suits small balconies. A few hours of sun intensify their colour.
Japanese maple 'Bloodgood'View →
Japanese maple 'Atropurpureum'View →
Dwarf Japanese maple 'Shaina'View →
View all our Japanese maples →
Cut-leaf maples
Leaves finely cut like lace. 'Garnet', in garnet red, and 'Emerald Lace', in soft green, form cascading domes; 'Seiryu' is one of the few cut-leaf maples with an upright habit. These are the most delicate: partial shade and shelter from the wind are essential.
View all our Japanese maples →
Maples with changing colours
The ones that change the most through the seasons. 'Orange Dream' comes into leaf orange, turns a bright yellowish green and then gold; 'Beni-maiko' opens bright red leaves in spring; 'Sangokaku' offers green foliage, a golden autumn and coral-red wood all winter.
Japanese maple 'Orange Dream'View →
Japanese maple 'Beni-maiko'View →
Japanese maple 'Sangokaku'View →
View all our Japanese maples →
Green and dwarf maples
For a softer look or a very small space. 'Going Green' offers fresh green foliage that blazes in autumn; 'Little Princess', dwarf and compact, fits on a balcony table. The set of three lets you create an orange, green and red trio.
Verdeia — Japanese maples
A Japanese garden on your balcony
Red, purple, green, golden or cut-leaf: discover all our Japanese maples, delivered in pots and ready to place.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, very well: its fine, shallow roots adapt to life in a pot. It needs a wide, free-draining pot, slightly acidic potting soil and regular watering.
Morning sun and light shade in the afternoon, sheltered from the wind. In the south, avoid south- and west-facing spots, which scorch the leaves in summer.
Most often because of sun that is too strong, wind or a lack of water. Move it to partial shade, somewhere sheltered, and water as soon as the surface of the potting soil dries out.
In late summer or early winter, very lightly. Avoid spring, when the sap is rising and flows from the cuts.
Yes, it is very hardy. In a pot, simply protect the pot with horticultural fleece below -10 °C, and cover the young leaves if there is a late frost in spring.
Well planted
Your maple's pot
Wide, stable, frost-resistant pots to give your Japanese maple a lasting home on the balcony.
