Coralbark Japanese Maple                A-ser pal-MAY-tum

• Deciduous tree, 20-25 ft (6-7.5 m), upright, twiggy, numerous stems.   Bark on young stems a brilliant coral in the fall and winter.   As branches mature, color is lost, only the 1st and 2nd year growth shows the rich coloration.  Leaves simple, opposite, 4-5 cm long, 5-7 lobes, doubly serrate, new leaves reddish, becoming light green in summer, and yellow and light red in fall.
• Sun to part shade, well-drained soil; protect from winds.  Highly susceptible to bacterial blight (Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae).
• Hardy to USDA Zone 5   Introduced into Europe by Daisy Hill Nurseries, Ireland (van Geldren and van Geldren, 1999)
• Sango Kaku: Japanese, "coral pillars" (Jacobson, 1996).