Worth knowing:
Due to its delicate shape with semicircular crown, the Red Japanese Maple is a popular small tree for bonsai cultivation. The word palmatum in its botanical name comes from the Latin word palma, which means palm of the hand, and points to the finger-like slotted leaves that change their dark red colour into a bright carmine red during autumn. Close to the winter season the tree will cast the leaves.
Natural Location:
The Red Japanese Maple has its natural habitat in Northeast China, Japan and Korea, where it often grows in shady forests. In Japan it is being cultivated as ornamental tree and as bonsai.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. To increase the germinability, you should initially keep the seeds in the refrigerator for about a week. Then, plant the seeds about 1 cm deep into moist potting compost and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20°C and 25° Celsius and keep the earth moist, but not wet. The first seedlings will come up after ten to twelve weeks.
Place:
The small tree prefers a sunny or half-shaded and wind-protected place. In the full sun, the tip of the leaves might get a brown colouring.
Care:
The Red Japanese Maple is a shallow rooted tree that grows strong roots in the topsoil and develops many smaller fine roots. Therefore, it needs consistently plenty of water, but without waterlogging. From April until October you may give fluid fertilizer for bonsai plants every four weeks.
During the winter:
In the winter time, after casting the leaves, the Red Japanese Maple needs considerably less watering, but see that it doesn't dry out. Since the roots are very limited frost-resistant, the best place for your plant is a sheltered, cool location without frost and preferably wind-protected to prevent the delicate branches from drying out.
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