Acer palmatum Koto-No-Ito - Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Koto-No-Ito', or "harp strings" in Japanese, is a unique variety with foliage divided into long and pendulous lobes that give this small tree a weeping appearance. In summer, its deciduous leaves are a bright apple green that further highlight its clusters of small coral red flowers before turning bronze and then golden yellow in autumn. When they fall in winter, they reveal dense and delicate branches with light green bark, adorning the garden even in the heart of winter. It is a hardy shrub, but its delicate foliage cannot tolerate cold winds or direct sunlight. Plant it in cool, well-drained, light and acidic soil for the best results. With a small size and an upright habit, it is suitable for planting along a terrace or as a standalone specimen in a small garden with little sun exposure.

Acer palmatum is native to eastern China, Korea, and Japan. Like all maples, it belongs to the Sapindaceae family (formerly Aceraceae). The cultivar 'Koto-No-Ito' stands out with its elegant foliage, divided into long and slender lobes. It is a hardy, slow-growing, small tree with an upright and rounded habit, less spreading than other Japanese maples, developing a thin and short trunk with dense and branching branches. Ultimately, it will reach a height of 2.5m (8ft) with a spread of about 1.5m (5ft), depending on growing conditions. Its deciduous foliage is composed of deeply cut palmate leaves with 5 to 7 distinct, narrow and acuminate lobes, finely serrated along the edges. The flowers, grouped in small clusters in April, are insignificant, but the fruits in late summer with red recurved wings add interest to the garden until they fall in autumn.

Acer palmatum 'Koto-No-Ito' will be perfect in ericaceous beds alongside azaleas, pieris, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, and heathers. It can also make a magnificent bonsai to be cultivated in a shallow pot. In shaded beds, plant early flowering bulbs, hellebores, hostas, and epimediums at its base. Despite its fragile appearance, this small tree is robust, as evidenced by some specimens grown in large pots without much care for many years. It only requires occasional watering during dry spells, and light, neutral to acidic, well-drained soil that is not too poor. Diseases such as Verticillium (caused by a fungus) are more likely to develop in constantly moist substrates than in intermittently dry ones. It is worth noting that this variety performs well in hot climates if the tree is positioned away from scorching sun and sheltered from the wind.