Acer palmatum Summer Gold - Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Summer Gold' is a Japanese maple that catches the eye from spring, with its young yellow foliage mixed with bright orange young shoots. Summer paints this small bushy tree with a vibrant fresh green, while autumn transforms it into an orange bush. Of medium size, with a generally upright but flexible habit, it is perfectly suited to small spaces and performs very well in pots. Japanese maples, although they prefer limestone-poor soils, are actually quite tolerant. Any lightened soil, enriched with compost and well-drained, remaining moist in summer, is likely to suit them.

Originally from eastern China, Korea, and Japan, Acer palmatum is the origin of a multitude of horticultural varieties that compete in beauty. Japanese maple belongs, like all maples, to the Sapindaceae family (formerly Aceraceae). It is relatively hardy but cannot tolerate cold and dry winds.

The slow-growing 'Summer Gold' cultivar grows an average of 10cm (4in) per year. It develops over time into a bushy habit, supported by well-branched, upright main branches. It reaches an average height of 3m (10ft) with a spread of 2.5m (8ft) when planted in the ground. When grown in a pot, it will not exceed 2m (7ft) in height. This small tree has a brown to reddish-brown bark on young branches and develops beautiful deciduous leaves, with palm-shaped and finely cut lobes. In this 'Summer Gold' variety, the foliage keeps changing colour, going from bright orange during bud break to yellow, then green, and finally orange. The leaves are opposite, divided into 7 fairly wide lobes, with toothed edges and pointed tips. The discreet red flowers bloom in May-June. The flowers, grouped in small clusters, sometimes produce winged fruits called samaras, which are 3cm (1in) long. The samaras turn from green to red in summer, then brown when ripe.

Acer palmatum 'Summer Gold' is a compact yet bright and sculptural tree. It is perfect for small gardens in a Japanese, contemporary, or exotic style, for ornamenting terraces and patios, as well as shaded rockeries. Azaleas, pieris, rhododendrons, wild camellias, and heathers will be its most beautiful companions, as well as heucheras with pink or purple foliage. It can form a magnificent bonsai to be cultivated in a flat tray. Combine several varieties of Japanese maples to vary the colours and structures of the foliage; the effect is always stunning at the end of the season. A carpet of creeping bugles, cerastiums, or even Asarum splendens or lungworts will enhance its beauty.