Japanese maple Sangokaku (Acer palmatum) pulls out all the stops to put itself in the limelight. The coral red bark is its most beautiful adornment. Green leaves with a delicate red border paired with a tightly upright silhouette round off the decorative appearance. Anyone who suspects demanding care behind the capricious appearance will be taught otherwise.

The Japanese maple is a special highlight in the garden

Perfect in the tub - beautiful in the bed - tips for choosing a location

With a growth height and width of 200 to 300 cm, Japanese maple with red bark is in top form in the bucket. If you choose a pot size of 7.5 to 10 liters, this volume is ideal for the flat-rooted plant. In contrast to its European counterparts, Sangokaku favors a slightly acidic substrate with a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. The following site conditions are recommended:

  • The most important criterion: a wind-protected location so that the leaves do not turn brown in summer
  • Sunny to semi-shady location without risk of summer heat build-up
  • Humus rich, loose and well-drained soil

Like all Asian maples, the premium variety Sangokaku is sensitive to frost as a young plant, so spring is the best time to plant.

Modest care requirements - important aspects in a nutshell

At the right location, the amount of work required for a maple with red bark is reduced to a minimum. The simple care program in quick succession:

  • Keep the substrate or bedding soil constantly slightly moist
  • Fertilize liquid monthly in the bucket from March to August
  • Apply leaf compost and horn shavings (32.93€) to the bed in spring or autumn
  • Prune only if necessary in spring just before they sprout

Winter protection is a top priority in the care program for a Japanese maple Sangokaku. Tubs are given a winter coat made of bubble wrap, coconut or garden fleece. A wooden base protects the root ball from frost from below. A thick layer of bark mulch takes over this function in the bed. A hood made of breathable fleece wards off cold wind and winter sun blazing off the red branches in the first few years in beds and tubs.

tips

If the bark turns red in autumn, the maple is suffering from fungal infestation. Typical symptoms of red pustule disease are vermilion fruiting bodies that only burst at the end of the season. The pathogens are resistant to fungicides. So far, cutting back into healthy wood in September is the only known countermeasure with a chance of success.

Category:

Trees