Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' (Red Japanese maple)
- Regular price
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€49,95 - Regular price
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- Sale price
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€49,95
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Frequently asked questions
Why are the leaves of my Japanese maple turning brown around the edges? It is almost always due to wind or direct afternoon sun, rarely a lack of watering.
Can you prune a Japanese maple? It is best to avoid it: it heals poorly, develops its shape on its own, and pruning while the sap is flowing makes it bleed profusely.
Shipping & packaging
Shipped within 24/48 hours via DPD
- Delivery in 2 to 5 working days
- Eco-friendly packaging: recyclable boxes and biodegradable materials
- Special protection so your plant arrives in perfect condition
- Tracking link sent by email as soon as your parcel ships
- Shipping costs and the free-shipping threshold depend on your country — see our delivery page
ZEN ARRIVAL GUARANTEE
We guarantee that your plants will arrive in perfect condition. If your plant arrives damaged or in poor condition:
- Contact us promptly at hello@verdeia.eu with photos
- We will find the right solution for your situation
- No return needed — we trust you
The guarantee covers: damage in transit, plants severely weakened on arrival, and order preparation errors.
CARE TIPS ON ARRIVAL
To help your plant settle in for the long term:
- Unpack your plant immediately and inspect it
- Let it acclimatize for 24-48h in a bright spot out of direct sunlight
- Check the soil moisture before watering (dry surface = light watering)
- Wait 2-3 weeks before repotting, if needed
- Keep it away from heat sources and drafts
- Gently wipe the leaves to remove dust
Need help? Contact our team at hello@verdeia.eu or via chat.
🍁 Purplish red foliage all season • 🔥 Fiery scarlet in autumn • 🌿 Seven-lobed palmate leaves • ⛅ Partial shade to gentle sun • ❄️ Hardy down to -20 °C
Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' is the best-known Japanese maple with red foliage. Its seven-lobed palmate leaves emerge purplish red in spring and retain this color throughout summer, whereas most red cultivars turn green from July. A species native to the forests of Japan and Korea, it is the largest size of the Japanese maples in the catalog.
Its distinctive feature is its color retention: selected for its resistance to summer fading, 'Bloodgood' stays purple from May to September before turning scarlet in October. Available either as H70 cm in a Ø19 cm pot or as H90 cm in a Ø26 cm pot — in this larger size, it is an already formed specimen, not a young plant.
Which Japanese maple should you choose?
Four cultivars in the catalog, with different colors and sizes:
- 'Bloodgood' (this plant) — purplish red lasting all summer (2 sizes). The largest size and the most stable red.
- 'Garnet' — finely cut garnet-red foliage, weeping habit (H40 cm | Pot Ø19 cm). The finest foliage.
- 'Orange Dream' — orange shoots followed by soft green foliage, turning golden in autumn (3 sizes). The most changeable.
- 'Going Green' — bright green turning orange-red in autumn (2 sizes). The brightest.
Light & location
Japanese maple is just as sensitive to scorching sun as it is to dry wind. Its delicate leaves dry out at the edges as soon as the exposure is too harsh, causing irreversible damage for the season.
- Exposure: partial shade or morning sun — avoid full afternoon sun in summer.
- Location: terrace, patio, garden corner, sheltered balcony — must be protected from the wind.
- Hardiness in a pot: down to -20 °C — no protection needed in most regions.
- Soil type: moist, well-drained and acidic — ericaceous soil mixed with potting soil, never calcareous.
Brown, dry leaf edges in midsummer almost always indicate wind or direct sun, rarely a lack of water.
Watering & care
Japanese maple roots are shallow and are equally sensitive to drought and waterlogging. A moist but well-draining substrate is the right combination, and browning tips show up very early.
- Watering: regular — the substrate should remain moist from April to September, without ever becoming waterlogged.
- Water: strictly non-calcareous — hard water alkalizes the substrate and causes chlorosis within two or three seasons.
- Mulching: essential in a pot — a layer of pine bark keeps the substrate cool and gently acidifies it.
- Pruning: avoid it — the Japanese maple develops its shape on its own and heals poorly. Remove only dead wood, in winter.
- Fertilizer: fertilizer for ericaceous plants, once at the beginning of spring.
Never prune a Japanese maple when it is in sap: spring and summer cuts bleed heavily and weaken the tree for a long time.
Decor ideas & plant combinations
The rich purple of 'Bloodgood' works as a permanent mass of color, provided you find it the right spot: a shaded balcony suits it better than a south-facing position.
- For a Japanese-inspired garden, place a 'Koujou-no-mai' flowering cherry next to it — its March flowering comes before the maple's bud break, then its zigzag branches take over in winter.
- To fill the bare period, add a 'Etna' cherry laurel — its evergreen foliage fills the space from November to April.
- For a contrast in texture, add an Eucalyptus 'Azura' — the airy blue-gray of its small, round leaves against the dense purple of the palms.
- To enhance the pot, a container made of terracotta or natural fiber keeps the substrate cool and prevents the root overheating caused by a black pot.
- To protect the base, pine bark mulch purchased with your growing accessories helps retain moisture and gradually acidifies the substrate.
Placed against the light, the purple foliage becomes translucent and takes on an intensity that frontal light never provides.
Verdeia tips
- Shelter it from the wind above all: this is the main cause of disappointment with a Japanese maple. Wind dries out the edges of its delicate leaves within a few hours, and the scorch marks remain visible until the autumn leaf fall.
- Water only with non-calcareous water: the Japanese maple is an acid-loving plant. Hard tap water alkalises the substrate and triggers chlorosis, the yellowing between the veins that weakens the tree season after season.
- Do not prune it: its shape develops naturally. Cuts heal poorly, invite disease, and pruning during sap flow causes the tree to bleed heavily. Only dead wood should be removed, in winter.
Technical specifications
- Botanical name: Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood'
- Common name: Red Japanese maple
- Family: Sapindaceae
- Origin: forests of Japan and Korea
- Size on delivery: 2 sizes — H70 cm | Pot Ø19 cm or H90 cm | Pot Ø26 cm
- Habit: rounded and spreading, fine branches
- Mature height: 3 to 4 meters in the ground, 2 meters in a pot
- Exposure: partial shade or morning sun, sheltered from the wind
- Watering: regular, with the substrate kept moist during the season
- Water: non-calcareous water required
- Soil type: moist, well-drained and acidic, never calcareous
- Hardiness: down to -20 °C
- Growth: slow, pruning not recommended
- Foliage: deciduous, seven-lobed palmate leaves, purplish red from May to September, scarlet in October
- Care: easy, provided it is well sited
- Toxicity: 🐾 non-toxic to animals and children
- Decorative style: Japandi / Natural / Terrace
Each plant is unique: branching, crown spread, and the intensity of the purple naturally vary according to growing conditions.
Your plant, delivered with care
Every plant is hand-packed in a box specially designed for plants — secured, protected, ready to travel. It arrives in perfect condition, roots intact and foliage preserved, ready to take its place in your home.
Our Verdeia commitments
FAQ – Everything to know before adopting your Verdeia plant
How are my plants prepared before shipping?
All our plants are selected from our European partner nurseries. Before shipping, they are watered, cleaned, and protected with breathable, secure packaging. Each package is designed to ensure your plant arrives in perfect health, without any transport-related stress.
Will the plant look exactly like the photo?
The photos accurately represent the variety and the stated size. Since each plant is unique, slight differences in shape, foliage, or color may occur — and that’s part of their charm.
What are the delivery times and conditions?
Orders ship within 48 working hours, with tracked delivery in 2 to 5 working days via DPD. Shipping costs and the free-shipping threshold depend on your country — see our delivery page. You receive a tracking link as soon as your parcel leaves.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
Open your package as soon as you receive it and carefully remove the plant from its packaging. Let it acclimate for 24 hours in its new environment before watering. If it has been slightly stressed during transport, it will recover its shape after one or two days in the light.
What should I do if my plant arrives damaged?
Contact us within 48 hours with a photo of the issue. Our team will assess the situation and offer you the best solution: replacement, partial refund, or recovery advice.
Can I return a plant?
Since plants are living beings, standard returns are not possible. However, we guarantee good health upon delivery: if the plant arrives damaged, it will be replaced free of charge. For any other cases (order error, decorative pot, accessory), returns are possible within 14 days.