• Dramatic purple-red leaves
• Brilliant scarlet autumnm foliage
• Beautiful small tree

Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’ is an elegant shrubby tree that makes a beautiful specimen plant. Its deeply lobed purple-red leaves look striking in spring and summer, and even more dramatic in autumn when they turn brilliant scarlet before falling.

Plant in a moist, well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil, with shelter from hot afternoon sun and drying winds which could scorch the leaves. The leaves will turn deeper purple with more light, and will be greener in shade.

Water regularly during dry periods in the first year after planting, using rain water rather than tap water if possible.

If necessary, prune from November to March to remove dead, damaged or crossing branches. Pruning at other times of year will cause the tree to bleed sap, which weakens it. Avoid pruning unless necessary, as Japanese maples produce their best shape naturally.

When to plant and what to expect at different times of the year

You can plant hardy shrubs, trees and perennials at any time of the year avoiding the two extremes of heat and cold. During the summer months when it is hot and dry the need for watering becomes crucial to aid successful establishment and in the winter when the soil is frozen the plants will not be in active growth either above or below ground and risk getting cold damage. The same is true on the stage or growth you can expect your plants to be delivered in and this will be directly related to the time of year and the season.

When ordering through the year, here’s a summary of what to expect when receiving your plants:

Spring Months: Plants supplied in spring will be starting to show signs of active growth above and below ground.

Summer Months: Plants supplied in the late summer will be more advanced in size and flower stage

Autumn Months: In the autumn plants will be changing colour, showing signs of leaf colour breakdown and be preparing to shut down for winter.

Winter Months: Plants ordered and supplied during the winter months will be dormant and therefore may not be showing growth above the soil level or consist of bare branches with no leaves or bare roots with no soil.

These are all perfectly normal and natural for these types of plants growing in the northern hemisphere. All will still have a very healthy root system that can be planted when the weather is favourable by keeping the new soil level equal to the pot level and therefore not covering the crown of the plant at all. Planting during the autumn and winter months will allow for early establishment in the season and a bigger and better display throughout the main growing season. For more information on our plant sizes click here.