If you’re considering purchasing a tree for your garden, regardless of its size, Alan Titchmarsh suggests that a Japanese Maple should be one of your top choices: “At this time of year in particular,” he says, “their autumn colour is stupendous.”
The Gardeners’ World expert believes that this adaptable and vibrant tree is perfect for those with small, urban gardens: “I have never met anybody who doesn’t like Japanese maples…they’re so obliging and they will fit in the smallest of gardens because they don’t grow terribly large.”
While some Japanese Maple varieties can reach heights of up to 30ft, dwarf strains halt their growth at just three feet – making them ideal for placement in a planter in a petite patio garden.
Japanese Maples are at their peak during this season, with leaves bursting into deep, fiery reds and yellows. On his gardening YouTube channel, Alan explains: “The colder weather starts those sugars in the leaf forming and turning them a lovely reddish colour.
“And when you look at the stems, they’re always described as coral red. When the leaves have fallen, as they do on all Japanese maples, the stems are revealed and they provide colour right through the winter.”
The Japanese Maple isn’t particularly a fast-growing tree, expanding in size by approximately six to 12 inches each year on average, with some slower-growing varieties gaining only a few inches annually.
Gardeners working in a tight space will be pleased to know that the tree’s roots are minimally invasive, and shouldn’t cause too much damage with nearby walls or underground pipes.
Japanese Maples are relatively easy to care for, as long as they’re sheltered from scorching sunlight and drying winds, says Alan.
However, he warns that you may occasionally see a branch dying back. “We don’t always know why,” he admits, “but keep your eyes open when you see little stems which have died.
“Snip them off as soon as you see them to avoid that dieback going further down the stem. Then you will usually arrest it.”
You can plant a Japanese Maple at almost any time of year, although it is generally considered best to plant them during the dormant season or in early spring or autumn to allow for the best chance of growth and establishment.
Alan recommends choosing a spot with dappled shade and, while you should give the tree a good soak immediately after planting, avoid overwatering.
Small examples will “happily live four or five years” in a container before they need repotting, he advises, and with care a Japanese Maple trees can live for several decades – some well-maintained specimens have been known to survive for over a century.
