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Trees

Acer japonicum 'Fairy Lights'

downy Japanese maple 'Fairy Lights'

A low-growing, deciduous shrub or small tree to around 1.8m tall with spreading branches. Highly dissected leaves emerge green in spring before turning brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow in autumn. Small, red spring flowers may be followed by winged fruits in autumn

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or East–facing or North–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: Spreading branched
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: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a place sheltered from cold drying winds and from late frosts, in full sun where its colours will develop best or in light dappled shade, in moist but well-drained neutral or acidic soil that does not dry out in summer or become waterlogged in winter, and protect roots with an open-textured organic mulch such as coarse bark; for more advice, see Japanese maple cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by grafting or softwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 1 (little or no pruning of trees and shrubs) and prune if necessary only from late autumn to midwinter

Pests

May be susceptible to Acer gall mite, aphids, caterpillars and horse chestnut scale

Diseases

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

Get involved

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