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Trees

Acer elegantulum

elegant maple

A tree which can reach heights of around 15m but generally no higher than 5m in cultivation, with delicate, papery 5-lobed palmate leaves, with the three central lobes much longer than the side lobes. The leaves emerge a light purple, before turning green in summer and then developing orange-red hues in autumn. Best grown in a very sheltered location or against a wall

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Ultimate height

8–12 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Sapindaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Acer can be deciduous trees or large shrubs with paired, often palmately-lobed leaves and small flowers followed by characteristic winged fruits. Many have fine autumn colour, and some have ornamental stems
Name status: Correct
Plant range: China

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a sheltered, fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or part shade. See Japanese maple cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed in mid to late autumn or spring. Take softwood cuttings in early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Patio and container plants

Pruning

Pruning group 1 but prune only from late autumn to midwinter

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and horse chestnut scale

Diseases

May be susceptible to Verticillium wilt, acer leaf scorch and honey fungus

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