Japanese maple - Acer palmatum
Acer palmatum - look great at any time of the year. The leaf colour varies from bright lime green through to vivid scarlet. Generally the green leaved varieties turn yellow and orange in the autumn with the purple leaved varieties turning bright red.
They are slow growing, so are an ideal tree for the smaller garden or even a large container on the patio.
They prefer light shade, bright summer sun can scorch the foliage of lighter coloured leaves.
Cultivars and varieties:
Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' - A slow growing acer with dark purple-black foliage through the summer, turning fiery red in the autumn.
Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' - Red leaves in the summer turning reddish-purple in the autumn. The leaves change colour through the year, from bright lime green in the spring through to vivid scarlet in autumn.
Acer palmatum 'Cinnabarinum'
Acer palmatum 'Dissectum' - Recommended for small gardens or spaces. Can also be grown in a large pot, keep the compost moist, but not wet.
Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Atropurpureum'
Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Garnet'
Acer palmatum 'Firecracker' - A slow-growing, small tree with purple, deeply dissected, feathery leaves turning bright red in autumn.
Acer palmatum 'Garnet' [AGM] ((D)) - A medium to large shrub with deeply dissected, reddish purple leaves throughout summer. Good for a large container.
Acer palmatum 'Koto-no-ito' - Thin filigree, green leaves in the spring and summer and red leaves in the autumn.
Acer palmatum 'Linearilobum' - Bright green leaves
Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki' - A good variety for a medium sized garden. Bright red branches and crimson and then bright scarlet red in autumn.
Acer palmatum 'Palmatifidum'
Acer palmatum 'Red Pygmy' [AGM] - A slow-growing, deciduous shrub with narrow, red leaves in spring turning gold in the autumn.
Acer palmatum 'Seiryu' - Green leaves turning orange in autumn.
Acer palmatum 'Shin-deshojo' - Pale pink leaves in the spring, turning pinky-green in the summer.
Acer palmatum 'Taylor' - A compact, medium-sized, slow growing acer. Pale-pink foliage in the spring, turning a variegated green, pink and cream through the summer before the leaves turn bright green in the autumn. Prefers partial shade.
Seeds to sow now:
Indoors or in a greenhouse
Antwerp hollyhock, Fig-leaved hollyhock, Hollyhock
Bristly hollyhock
Outside
What else to plant now:
Apple & pear trees (bare rooted)
Roses (bare rooted)
Cyclamen
Outside under cover
Onion
Pea
Potato Onion
