Are Japanese Maple Trees Hard Maple or Soft Maple?

According to Clemson University, the Japanese maple grows slowly (10 to 15 feet in 15 years), and slow-growing maples have hard wood.

Description

• Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) comes in hundreds of cultivated varieties (cultivars). Some cultivars grow only 6 to 8 feet tall, while some wild varieties may reach 40 to 50 feet. Some of the trees are broader than they are tall.

Groups

• Japanese maples are divided into two groups: non-dissected (Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum) and dissected (Acer palmatum var. dissectum atropurpureum). Dissected Japanese maples are compact, low-growing shrubs. Examples include Crimson Queen, Waterfall and Inaba Shidare. Non-dissected Japanese maple trees have dark red-purple leaves in spring and fall that fade to bronze-green in the summer heat. Examples include Bloodgood and Burgundy Lace.

Growing

• According to the Royal Horticultural Society, the perfect soil conditions to grow Japanese maples is slightly acidic, sandy, well-drained loam with a lot of organic matter. However, you can grow the trees in other soils, as long as they are not overly wet, too dry or very alkaline.