Japanese Maple + Copper Planter = Elegance

Posted by admin on March 30th, 2010in Charlotte Germane, Garden Planters, Gardening Products | No Comments

By Charlotte Germane, Editor, H. Potter Knowledge blog 2010-2011

Create an elegant focal point in your garden when you pair this dwarf Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Azuma murasaki’) with a copper planter.

‘Azuma murasaki’ changes color with the seasons, always in harmony with copper. The spring foliage is the orange seen in the photo and summer brings deep green leaves with a red tinge. When fall arrives the Japanese maple turns to red before losing its leaves for winter.

The tree develops a cascading habit as it ages, making it a distinctive accent for your garden or deck.

Momiji Nursery of Santa Rosa, California showed this particular specimen at the 2010 San Francisco Flower & Garden Show. Your local garden center can order the tree for you.

Planting Japanese Maples

The tree is suitable for USDA zones 5 to 9 (click here for your zone). Examine the root ball of the tree and cut away any roots that are encircling the plant. Use azalea mix as planting soil in the container to provide slightly acid soil with good drainage. Keep the soil in the container evenly moist.

The maple will thrive in filtered sun, not full sun.

Japanese maples through the seasons

Pruning Japanese Maples in containers

Prune every two years in early spring. Plant expert Rose Marie Nichols McGee of Oregon suggests a pruning program to keep the tree comfortable in its container. The key is to prune the branches to the size desired, and then prune the same percentage from the roots. Replace the old container soil with fresh soil, return the pruned root ball to the container, and enjoy a smaller but healthy tree.

Transplanting ‘Azuma murasaki’

‘Azuma murasaki’ can live its whole life in a container. If you transplant the tree from the container to the ground it will achieve a height of 15 to 18 feet.

Watch a new video of our copper planters.