Japanese maple: planting seedlings and care, growing from seeds. Japanese maple (Acer japonicum): description, planting, cultivation and care

Amateur gardeners and landscape designers are sensitive to rare ornamental plants. The Japanese maple can become the pride of every garden. Its natural distribution range is limited to the islands of Japan, the South Korean coast and the Russian island of Kunashir. It grows more often in mountainous areas.

Growing this tree crop requires certain knowledge and precautions. How to properly plant and care for a heat-loving plant.

In natural landscapes - a deciduous tree or shrub up to 10 meters high. The bark and branches are colored reddish-gray and are smooth.

The leaves are like those of our maple - dissected to half the diameter into several segments (from 7 to 11), large (coverage up to 15 centimeters). Depending on the variety, the dissection of the leaves can be different, sometimes they are very feathery. The petioles on which the leaves grow, 3-5 cm long, may be pubescent.

Due to the magnificent color of the leaves, this type of maple has become so popular; the crowns of the Japanese beauty fly like red flames in the middle of the garden. Some of its species have a crimson-red foliage throughout the growing season, others change color from green to yellow and crimson.

The bright, small flowers appear earlier than the leaves in spring. From them lionfish are formed. These are seed fruits up to 3 centimeters long, with the help of which plants of this genus reproduce.

Eastern maples are grown in an environment open ground and in special tubs.

Types and interesting varieties

Japanese maple has several subspecies, and breeders have developed amazing varieties that no one can pass by indifferently. They differ in the shape of the tree and leaves, and their demands on living conditions. There can be both tall and short specimens.

It should be noted that culturally bred varieties are much more picturesque and are found much more often than basic natural varieties. In addition to the main species described above, others are also grown.

Fan-shaped (palm-shaped)

The tree, original in shape, has a spreading crown with beautiful, carved leaves. The long-lobed leaves have a lacy outline and remain golden yellow or red throughout the season. Having shed its foliage, this plant remains a decoration of the garden, thanks to its graceful branches. It blooms red in June; many varieties have been created based on it.

Shirasawa Maple

A rare variety up to 15 meters high, there are shrubs with a low-growing outline. The leaf blade is not very dissected, large. A bright representative This species is Aureum. This shrub grows up to 4 meters high and has a yellow-orange leaf with a border around the edge. The variety is quite winter-hardy, but they also like to cultivate it in tubs.

Aconitofolia

Gorgeous maple, almost completely dissected leaves in summer have green color. In autumn the tree turns purple.

Orange Dream

Yellowish-green leaves with a red border are painted in a red-orange color. Orange Dream grows quickly and is tall.

Bloodgood

Very ornamental shrub with delicate outlines of dark red leaves, almost inky in color. Even in the shade it does not lose the dark color of the foliage.

Mikawa yatsubusa

Height 1.5 meters, bush dense and squat. The leaves are needle-shaped, green in spring, scarlet in autumn.

Shaina

One and a half meters in 10 years - this is the height this tree grows. It is distinguished by a dense bushy crown, its leaves are deeply cut. When it turns blood red in color, it becomes especially attractive. Shaina is planted in containers, decorating terraces and verandas, and the halls of houses.

Kiyohime

The Japanese red maple variety reaches 1.8 meters in adulthood. Green leaves are edged with red and cut. Retains color saturation in partial shade.

Beni Kawa

The leaves are light, the original red bark.

Dissectum Garnet

The finely dissected conifer-like leaves are green in spring, becoming reddish-purple or orange-yellowish in autumn. The huge crown coverage, almost twice the height, gives the tree a very beautiful, attractive appearance. Such drooping varieties of shrubs should be placed near ponds or gazebos.

Aka shigitatsu sawa

The tree is 3 meters or so tall. This plant has peculiar pink or red dissected leaves. Loves partial shade.

Wilson's Pink Dwarf

The fan maple variety is not very winter-hardy. The height of the bush in adult form is 2.5 meters, the coverage is 1 meter less. The leaves grow on red branches and are orange in color.

Shirazz

Deeply dissected green leaves with pink or red borders give a spectacular appearance. Towards the end of the season it changes color to purple.

Where to buy seedlings, where and how to plant

You should not buy Japanese maple seeds online from unknown sellers. It is advisable to come to a nursery or store engaged in certified sales and buy a tree.

It is better to purchase a seedling in spring or autumn; you need to make sure that the bush is not damaged. It must be planted immediately.

Japanese maple varieties love diffused shade and permeable soil. There is no need to choose too alkaline soils and treat the soil with lime.

The soil should be fairly fertile or slightly acidic, and always loose.

Landing

• A hole is dug twice as large as the root system of the plant;
• Pour drainage into the hole, then humus or compost with peat;
• Moisten and straighten the roots, place the tree, sprinkle with soil and water;
• To preserve moisture, mulch the tree trunk area.

Reproduction

Produced by seeds, both in nature and in cultural conditions. Seed material must be fresh.

• Before planting, the seeds are stratified by placing them in sand (it should not be wet) and kept in a cold room all winter;
• In spring they are planted in containers with special soil; they can be treated with growth stimulants;
• In autumn, the strongest shoots are left to overwinter in a cool place in the same container, where the temperature is always above zero;
• Next spring, transplant the shoots into separate pots;
• Seedlings that have reached 30 centimeters are planted on permanent place– in open ground, a tub or pot.

Japanese red maples can be propagated vegetatively - by grafting cuttings onto palm-shaped rootstock. This procedure often ends in failure.

Care

Domestic gardeners are planting low-growing varieties Japanese maple. If it grows in a container, it needs to be fed regularly. mineral compounds. Fertilizers for heather crops are suitable. It will also need more frequent watering.

The roots of the plant do not like stagnation of water, they can rot. Therefore, watering should be abundant but timely.

On old and dense trees it is necessary to carry out anti-aging pruning. It is done in the fall, after the leaves have fallen. Sanitary removal of broken and diseased branches is carried out every year in the spring. It is also necessary for the prevention of fungus.

Preparing for winter

In the summer you need to start preparing the maple tree for winter. Finish fertilizing, watering and loosening. In late autumn, remove all leaves from the bush, and after the first frost, spray the branches with a weak (3%) copper-containing solution.

In the northern regions of Russia, it is still safer to plant this crop in tubs, and winter period bring into a cool room. It is also practiced to overwinter directly in pots laid on their sides in the garden, in a shallow trench.

IN middle lane practice covering for the winter with garden non-woven material. It’s good if the winter is snowy, then the maple can survive it stably.

Spring care

With the arrival of spring, it is necessary to awaken the tub plant so that it quickly adapts and begins to grow. To do this, after the frosts have gone, on warm days the tree is shed with a large amount of water.

Attention! Tender young leaves will inevitably get sunburned in spring. To prevent this, potted plant cleaned in partial shade or covered, just like an open ground plant, with a light covering material.

Japanese maple in landscape design

Its low growth allows it to be successfully grown in containers. The advantage of this method is that the container can be moved from one place to another, saving it from the sun or removed for the winter, and also from time to time placed in different parts of the garden.

Pots are also placed on stands to make them more visible. Need I mention that the slow-growing tree is used to create bonsai. They are formed by special cutting, using wire and other techniques.

The home location of the maple dwarf is favorable for indoor air. It moisturizes, gives oxygen and pleases with flowering.

Red maple is a great partner for others garden plants on garden plot. It is not very powerful root system, and does not oppress nearby crops.

Combines with shrubs, flowering and cereal crops. The garden’s exclusive appearance is given by its proximity in the autumn, when the green leaves of other trees stand next to the purple and orange caps of the “Japanese”.

Rocky gardens in Japanese style, rock garden, rock garden, roof of a building, lawn - everywhere the maple will be the central figure. These beauties can also be planted along walking paths.

The surrounding area and the banks of small artificial reservoirs You can decorate it with a picturesque bush planted nearby.

1. Type of maple for bonsai
2. Execution options
3. Searching for seeds
4. Preparing the soil and container
5. Planting seeds
6. Working with cuttings
7. Escape landing
8. Planting care
9. Crown formation

Bonsai (translated from Japanese as “grown in a tray”) is a small copy of a tree grown at home or dacha conditions. The effect is achieved by regulating the size and shape of the plant's root system. It is not easy to grow a maple bonsai with your own hands; the process requires patience and time. But the end result fully lives up to expectations: a deciduous tree behaves like a full-fledged fellow tree; in the process of blossoming and withering, the leaf changes color and then falls off. Compact size dwarf plant allows you to keep it even in an apartment; taller individuals decorate verandas and garden plots.

Type of maple for bonsai

You can grow a small tree from pine, sakura, bamboo, willow, elm, lilac, lemon, spruce, ficus. Plant growers experiment with different types of plants; the principle of creating any specimen is to work with the root system of layering and special care behind the crown.

Maple bonsai can be grown at home from different types wood:

• Rocky;
• Field;
• Palm-shaped;
• Platanolifolia.

Dwarfs of the above species have small leaves, which looks most organic on bonsai trees.

Colored specimens have been bred for growing these trees at home. These include:

• Maple blue or blue;

• Japanese red;

• Violet.

The art of bonsai is in high demand among flower growers and summer residents, because the industry is constantly developing, breeders are developing new types of maples from various shapes leaf and its shades. The photo shows the most popular types maple compositions.

Execution options

Grow miniature tree from a representative of the maple family can be in several forms:

• Upright appearance;
• Inclined;
• Broom-shaped;
• Grove.

You can grow a composition from seeds or cuttings at home in any form, just follow a clear sequence of actions and not miss important points.

Searching for seeds

Most often, gardeners use a mature tree seed - subsequently, this source can be given any shape without the need to change the already formed system.

The collection is carried out after the “helicopters” ripen and fall from the branches in the autumn. True, such material is not ready for planting: for seeds it is necessary to arrange an imitation winter holiday V artificial conditions. To do this, take a container with a tight-fitting lid, place wet sand in it, into which the seeds are buried, close the container and place it in the refrigerator. The stratification period is 100-120 days; in the spring the collection is ready for planting.

If you want to grow a natural decorative item at home, but don’t have time to collect seeds, you should contact specialized stores that offer ready-made planting material Japanese and other types of maple. Blue, light blue, and red bonsai are obtained only from specially bred plants.

More quick way get decorative tree- planting cuttings.

Preparation of planting material

In order for the seeds to grow faster, their dense shell is cut and placed in warm water or hydrogen peroxide 9% for 2-3 days. In conditions high humidity intensive absorption of liquid occurs and the seed comes to life.

To prevent the development of diseases of the tree embryo, the seeds are initially treated with a dry or liquid fungicide.

Preparing the soil and container

To grow maple bonsai at home, it is important to properly prepare the soil. For maple, take an equal ratio of alumina, humus and sand.

An important stage is soil disinfection. Best ways:

1. Heat treatment high temperatures. To do this, the soil is heated in the oven, microwave or in a water bath, then cooled, dried and sifted through a sieve.

1. Another method is freezing and then thawing the soil.
2. The use of biologically active additives such as “Fitosporin”, “Barrier”, etc. They are sold in specialized flower growing stores.

During processing, pathological fungi, mold, insect eggs and other infections that can harm the plant die. After the procedure, fertilizer is introduced into the soil to restore beneficial microflora.

For the first time, you can take a small bonsai pot - growing a tree is no faster than in natural conditions, so as it grows, it is changed to a larger volume.

The container is thoroughly cleaned with non-aggressive substances, washed and dried. There must be drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. To avoid soil washing out, it is recommended to line the bottom with mesh.

Planting seeds

Soil is poured into the prepared container, leaving 3 cm to the edges of the bonsai. If there are several seeds, they are placed at a distance of at least 1 cm from each other. The resulting layer is pressed with a board, then soil no more than 3 seed diameters thick is poured on top. The planting is lightly watered and the container is covered with glass or polyethylene to allow light to pass freely and retain moisture.

After the first shoots appear, the glass is lifted and several holes are made in the film to supply fresh air.

After the leaves have formed, young shoots are planted in fresh soil at a distance of 2-3 cm.

Working with cuttings

A faster way to create a maple bonsai with your own hands is to take a ready-made tree cutting and transform it.

1. The prepared twig is prepared in early summer: choose the one you like, it should not have a formed bark.
2. At the base of the cutting, a circular cut is made in the skin and rough woody part. This is where the roots will develop. A second similar incision is made 2-3 cm higher than the first.
3. Remove the bark and hard part between the cuts.

1. A root-forming hormone in the form of powder or gel is applied to the cut area.
2. To activate the work of the substance, moistened sphagnum moss is attached to the treated cut, sealed with polyethylene and left in a dark, cool place.
3. After a few weeks, the roots themselves will appear through the applied protection, then the bandage can be removed.

For germination you can use a mixture good compost and sand: the cut part of the cutting is placed in the moistened substance until roots appear.

After the formation of firm roots, the cuttings are separated from the mother branch.

Escape landing

Take a pot of drainage holes, fill it with round pebbles and soil (80% crushed bark and 20% peat) in an amount sufficient to securely fix the tree. The thin bark of the shoot is removed without disturbing the integrity of the roots, and the exposed part is placed in the ground.

You can add a little sphagnum moss to the soil. It serves as a fertilizer and softens hard water, which provides gentle care for the root system.

To strengthen the fixation, a peg is stuck into the pot, to which the young tree is tied.

Growing bonsai with your own hands using cuttings is only possible in cases where the tree is planned to be placed outdoors. Even proper care cannot replace a wild tree’s native elements. During the period when the foliage color changes, the composition can be brought into the house, but for no more than 1-2 hours.

Planting care

Seedlings obtained from seeds are subjected to root pruning at the age of 3 months - the main rod is shortened by 2/3.

Blue and blue red maples develop in the same way as green ones: replanting of each type should be done in the spring with an interval of no more than 2 years. Each time the soil is completely changed, the central and lateral roots are cut by 20%.

The shoots are pinched after 2-4 leaves have formed.

When the plant reaches a height of 10 cm, it is transplanted into a regular pot, preferably a ceramic one.

In late spring and early summer, bonsai are fertilized with special fertilizers.

Maples love shade, so they should not be left in the open sun. It is also impossible to expose the composition large differences temperatures

Crown formation

Maples are given different shapes by pruning the branches and the direction of their growth.

The blue maple in the photo was obtained from seeds. When appears new branch for a grown plant, it is wrapped with thin wire at the base and fixed to the pot in in the right direction. In this way, the most bizarre and exotic forms of dwarf trees are obtained.

You can grow a home bonsai with your own hands in 5-7 years with proper timely care.

if you love unusual trees and want to see them in your garden, consider Japanese red maple as one of the options. The high decorative value of this crop is undeniable, especially in autumn, when the carved leaves acquire a fiery red color. Compact trees are grown like tapeworms, because their crown looks truly luxurious. Japanese red maple can decorate any corner of the garden, terrace, or greenhouse, because these trees, due to their compact size, can be grown in large portable tubs. We invite you to get acquainted with this culture right now. We will give you a story about caring for red maple and planting it in our conditions.

Features of Japanese maple

If you decide to grow Japanese maple in your garden, you should know what some of the features of this culture are. Firstly, the tree, growing in natural conditions in Japan and Korea, loves warmth. In winter, it can withstand temperatures of at least 20 degrees below zero. This means that difficulties may arise when growing if you live in the middle zone, where in winter the thermometer sometimes drops below -25-28 degrees. In this regard, it is worth thinking about how exactly you will grow Japanese maple - in a tub, which can be moved to a cool room for the winter, or in the garden, where you will have to take care of covering the tree for the winter?

The second requirement for successful cultivation culture – fertile soil. If the soil on your site is poor, you will have to artificially enrich it both before planting and later. Japanese red maple needs plenty nutrients. Perhaps these are two requirements that need to be taken into account if you want to plant this luxurious tree. We will consider the remaining features of planting and care further.

This is a red maple (photo)

Planting red maple

So where do you start when planting a Japanese red maple? Of course, with the purchase of a seedling. It is best to purchase it from nurseries. It is advisable that the seedling be in a container with soil, then its roots will not be damaged during transportation and transplantation.

Find a spot on your property that gets the most sunlight. It is desirable that it be protected from the wind as much as possible, and that no other trees or shrubs grow nearby, within a radius of 2-3 meters.

As already mentioned, you need to prepare suitable soil for planting Japanese maple. To do this, dig a hole, the size of which in all respects is twice the size of the root system of the purchased seedling. The soil must be breathable, nutritious, slightly acidic or neutral. Thoroughly mix the soil from the hole with compost and peat, and if necessary, if it is clayey, add sand. Pour a third of the soil mixture into the hole.

Carefully remove the seedling along with a lump of earth from the container and place it in the hole. “Popular about health” draws attention to the fact that you should not push a young maple into the ground more than necessary. Place the seedling at the same level at which it grew in the container. Cover it up soil mixture, trying to fill all the voids. Use your hands to compact the soil well, forming a circle around the trunk. Water it, maybe even in two stages, so that the substrate sinks a little along with the water. Immediately mulch the soil surface with peat. Now it will be useful for readers to learn about the features of caring for Japanese red maple.

More photos of red maple

How to Care for Japanese Red Maple?

This culture does not require special attention. The tree needs watering in dry times, and it is advisable to spray young seedlings warm water, but not at noon, but better in the evening, when the sun is not so aggressive. Fertilizing is very important for Japanese red maple. In the spring, when the snow has completely melted and the soil has warmed up a little, the tree trunk circle is sprinkled with granulated mineral fertilizers, after which they water and loosen the soil near the tree trunk.

Mulching with peat and humus will not only help protect the roots from unfavorable conditions, but will also provide long-lasting nutrition. In the middle zone, trees, especially young ones, need to be protected from the winter cold. You can use, for example, garden fleece, which has a soft structure and retains heat well. In areas where the frosts in winter are not so severe, down to -18 degrees, the tree does not need shelter, but snowfall can pose a threat to the crown. It is advisable to clear snow build-ups from branches after heavy snow falls.

The most dangerous are thaws with rain, alternating with frosts. In such conditions, the crown becomes overgrown with ice, which means there is a risk that the branches will not withstand the load and will break. This crop does not need pruning, unless it makes sense to cut off shoots that have suffered from frost in winter. The formation of the crown of the Japanese red maple occurs naturally, and over time the tree acquires a unique and refined silhouette.

As you can see, there is nothing special or complicated about caring for and planting Japanese maple. The main thing is to provide it with a nutritious environment and protect it from the cold in winter. If you grow this tree in a tub, then simply move it to a cool room for the winter. The rest of the gardener’s actions are standard - watering, loosening the tree trunk, mulching the soil and fertilizing in spring and autumn.

The Land of the Rising Sun gave the world Japanese maples, incredible in their diversity and beauty. Once you see them, you will certainly want to complement the garden picture with a watercolor touch of exquisite oriental beauty. Moreover, planting and caring for maple will not cause much trouble.

Types and varieties

The genus of maples today has more than a hundred species and thousands of varieties. The category of Japanese representatives includes 2 deciduous species:

Attention! Japanese maples are found in natural conditions on the territory of the Sakhalin region, and due to their scarcity they are listed in the Red Book.

The most attractive varieties for the garden are:

• A. japonicum aconitifolium (monkshood) is a tree-like shrub that is decorated with large, deeply dissected leaves in fiery orange, burgundy and yellow shades;

A. japonicum aconitifolium

• A. japonicum vitifolium (grape-leaved) - characterized by slow growth and picturesque rounded fan-shaped foliage, turning bright crimson in autumn;

A. japonicum vitifolium

• A. palmatum sangokaku (maple with coral bark) - in addition to decorative deeply cut leaves with a pink border, it surprises with its spectacular coral-red bark;

A. palmatum sangokaku

• A. palmatum Garnet is a small graceful tree with lacy leaves and low hanging branches. The thin-lobed leaves vary in hue from deep red to dark purple, transitioning to deep crimson;

A. palmatum Garnet

• A. palmatum Katsura – compact variety, releasing in early spring purple-red flowers. Leaves in spring period yellowish with a richer brick edging. At the height of summer, the maple changes color to an unremarkable green, and by autumn it turns orange;

A. palmatum Katsura

• A. palmatum Butterfly - sports 5-lobed silver-green foliage that sometimes curls flirtatiously. In spring you can notice pinkish touches, and in autumn the place of the silvery shade is taken by rich purple.

A. palmatum Butterfly

Growing in open ground

In order for a truly spectacular, handsome maple to grow on your site, you need to choose the right seedling in garden center. It is best if the young plant is in a container with a protected root system. In addition, the chances of the seedling to take root in a new place will increase, because it will be planted together with the “native” soil. The best time The seasons for planting trees are spring and autumn.

The soil in the area where the young maple will be planted must be fertile, without stagnant water. If you are not sure whether there is stagnation of water, then it is better to use drainage when planting.

Advice. In order for all the beauty of the foliage to fully manifest itself, it is better to plant Japanese maple in a sunny place.

When growing, it is necessary to take into account the fact that maple can withstand frosts down to - 20°C. At lower temperatures, the tree will need shelter. In this case, you should choose low-growing maple varieties.

In spring and autumn periods the plant needs mulching. In the spring, before this procedure, you should apply a slow-release fertilizer to the tree trunk. The next one will be a layer of peat, and then the mulch itself (chips or bark). Mulching helps retain moisture and protect roots. young plant from freezing.

Attention! Fast acting strong fertilizers maples do not tolerate it well.

Pests and diseases

At proper care Japanese maples do not get sick and are not afraid of pests. But if the tree is weakened, then the following problems are possible:

1. Infection with gall aphids. Visually, you can notice red swellings on the leaves. Moreover, the aphid colony itself is located with bottom side leaf. The affected areas must be removed, and to combat it, use one of the specific drugs or use folk recipes(soap solution, for example).
2. Maple weevil. This pest prefers Norway maple, but will not disdain Japanese maple. Bugs gnaw leaves and apical shoots, which significantly reduces the decorative value of the plant.
3. Whitefly. Damages young shoots and leaves. The tree not only loses its attractiveness due to the loss of leaf mass and drying out of the shoots, but also generally slows down its growth.
4. Fungal diseases. The most common of this group of diseases occurs powdery mildew. The mycelium of the fungus disrupts the physiological processes of the plant, which leads to drying and falling of the leaves. In general, the crop’s resistance to unfavorable conditions environment. But don't despair - when correct methods treatment, Japanese exotic quickly recovers.

Having given preference to decorate your site Japanese maple, you can't go wrong with your choice. On gloomy autumn days, this spectacular plant will delight you and your guests with its picturesque outfit.

Kingdom: Plants
Department: Flowering
Class: Dicotyledons
Order: Sapindaceae
Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Maple
View: Japanese maple - Acerjaponicum Thunb.

A brief description of.

Maple Japanese - deciduous tree 7-10 m tall, with an openwork crown, dark red annual shoots and almost round 7-11-lobed leaves. Blooms in June.

Spreading.

Japanese maple is a very rare species; in Russia it is known only from two locations in the south of Kunashir Island, South Kuril region, Sakhalin region. Found scattered along the stream. Border and in the district of the river. Dark, gravitating towards the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, warmer and sunny side of the island (1, 2). The main part of its range is located in Japan (Hokkaido and Honshu islands), where the species occurs both in natural conditions and is widely cultivated (3).

Features of ecology and phytocenology.

Japanese maple grows in mixed forests on mountain slopes, often as single small trees.

Number.

The approximate population size is about a dozen individuals. State of local populations. The population is extremely small. Seed regeneration was not observed on Kunashir Island, however, in October 1999, one fruiting plant was discovered.

Limiting factors

.

A small number of individuals in a population. Lack of seed regeneration (4). Taken measures security Was included in (1988). The species is listed in the Red Book of the Sakhalin Region. (2005). Protected in the Kurilsky Nature Reserve.

Necessary security measures.

Search for new locations of the species and counting the size of the island population. Monitoring the state of the species population. Cultivation possibilities. Cultivated in botanical gardens of Russia: Moscow (GBS RAS, MGUDSHA), Samara, St. Petersburg (GLTA), Selivanovo (b). Due to its decorative properties (large purple flowers and beautiful foliage) deserves wider introduction into green building (4), including in the south of the Russian Far East.

Information sources. Red book Russian Federation. 1. Alekseeva, 1983; 2. Data from N.A. Eremenko; 3. Nedoluzhko, 1987; 4. Kharkevich, 1988; 5. Barkalov, Eremenko, 2003; b. Plants of the Red Book..., 2005. Compiled by: V.Yu. Barkalov, N.A. Eremenko. Red Book of the Russian Federation (and mushrooms)

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