Acer palmatum Manyo-No-Sato - Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Manyo-No-Sato' is a recently developed variety, introduced to Japan in 1993 and is known for its irregularly shaped and variegated foliage. In spring, its foliage starts off brownish-purple or even chocolate, marginated, veined, and speckled with lemon-green. In summer, it turns into a vibrant green with yellow-green variegation and then red-purple with orange-yellow variegation in autumn. It is a small-sized tree, with an upright habit and a graceful silhouette that can adapt to small spaces and gardens with limited light. Plant it in moist, well-drained, light, and acidic soil for best results. It is suitable for bordering a terrace or as a standalone tree, where it will be admired throughout the year.

Acer palmatum is native to eastern China, Korea, and Japan. Like all maples, it belongs to the Sapindaceae family (formerly Aceraceae). The 'Manyo-No-Sato' cultivar is distinguished by its irregularly bi-colour foliage with variously shaped lobes. It is a hardy, slow-growing small tree with an upright habit that develops a slender and short trunk with dense and ramified branches. Eventually, it will reach a height of 2m (7ft) 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, 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 curved wings add interest to the garden until they fall in autumn.

Acer palmatum 'Manyo-No-Sato' works well as a standalone tree in a shaded lawn or in ericaceous flower beds alongside azaleas, pieris, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, and heathers. It can also make a beautiful bonsai to be cultivated in a flat dish. In a shaded flower bed, plant early-flowering spring bulbs, hellebores, hostas, and epimediums at its base. Despite its delicate appearance, this small tree is hardy, as evidenced by some specimens cultivated in large pots without much care for many years. It only requires occasional watering during dry periods, and light, neutral to acidic, well-drained soil that is not too poor. Diseases like Verticillium (caused by a fungus) are more likely to develop in constantly moist substrates than in periodically dry ones. Note that this variety performs well in hot climates if the tree is placed away from scorching sun and sheltered from the wind.