Some have doubly serrated margins where the teeth have teeth of their own. They can be finely serrated with small, closely spaced teeth, or they can be coarsely serrated with large or small teeth that are farther apart.Īll Acer palmatum, dissectum, atropurpureum, and Acer shirasawanum cultivars tend to have serrated margins. Serrated margins are jagged-toothed with sharp and usually forward-pointing teeth, like a saw. Most Japanese Maples have leaves (lobes) that have serrated margins. Identifying Japanese Maple Trees by Their Leaf Margins They are not deeply dissected like dissectum cultivars but may be cut ½ to ¾ of their length.Īcer palmatum ‘dissectum’ leaves vary from the type species in being 7 – 11-lobed with very deeply cut lobes that typically cut almost to the petiole, coming close to becoming a compound leaf with separate leaflets.Īcer japonicum leaves are pale green to yellow-green, almost round in outline, and palmately 9 – 11-lobed with deeply cut lobes.Īcer pictum has palmately 3 – 9-lobed leaves that are very shallowly cut, leaving most of the leaf whole its leaves are often wider than they are long.Īcer shirasawanum has very round, palmately 9 – 13 (rarely 7)-lobed leaves with very shallowly cut lobes (typically less than ⅓ of the way to the midvein). The Number of Lobes on Some Different Japanese Maple TreesĪcer palmatum leaves are palmately 5 – 7-lobed and are typically divided about to the middle, but they could be divided as much as ¾ of the way to the base.Īcer palmatum ‘atropurpureum’ cultivars are known for their leaves that resemble the type species but are always in vibrant reds, burgundy, or purple that retain their color throughout the growing season. Therefore, large teeth in a palmately lobed leaf will also never have a main midvein running to its tip. Large teeth are on the sides of the lobes because a lobe tip is never defined as a tooth. If it cuts less than ¼ of the distance to the midvein, then it is a large tooth. If the distance it cuts is more than ¼ of the distance to the midvein, it is a lobule. The distinction between a large tooth and a lobule follows the 25% or ¼ rule. In palmately lobed leaves, a lobe typically has a main vein running to it, while a lobule typically does not. So how do you know it is a lobe and not a lobule or large tooth?Ī lobule is a projection from a lobe rather than a stand-alone feature of its own. Often, the lowermost lobes are quite small, and it can be difficult to differentiate between a lobe and a lobule or a large tooth. What is the Difference Between a Lobe and a Lobule? You can use the number of lobes a leaf has and how deeply cut (also called incised or dissected) those lobes are to the leaf base to help identify the different types of Japanese Maples. 'Keep calm and keep them on an even keel,' is Neil’s best advice for successfully growing Japanese maples in containers.Identifying Japanese Maples by The Number of Lobes on Their Leaves 'You will need to water container-grown Japanese maples on a regular basis, about a litre every other day in the summer, and keep to a regular routine, as the tree will adjust to this,' advises Neil.Īcers need extra watering and mulching in dry spells. Terracotta pots allow the soil to dry out more quickly. 'Tight pots are better, and it’s better to avoid terracotta ones,' he says. He also advises planting the trees in a pot with a snug fit. You can grow some types of Japanese maples successfully in garden planters, but they will need a little more looking after than those grown in the ground, which can mainly be left to their own devices once they are established.Īccording to leading expert Neil Kenney, author of An Illustrated Guide to Japanese Maples for Garden Planting and Patio Pots (Larchfield Publications), available on Amazon, the red varieties are best suited to container gardening ideas. What types of Japanese maples can be grown in pots? They are very slow growers, taking up to 50 years to attain their full height. Grow them in neutral to acid soil types, with good drainage. The striking, architectural shape looks good in a large container, and these trees lend themselves to a modern Zen garden. Small, finely divided leaves are dark green in summer, developing into a soft, marmalade orange in the fall. With an upright habit, the close packed, crinkly leaves and bushy habit create the distinctively mop-headed effect. This tree is also known as the ‘lions head’ maple, which gives a good indication of its shape. (Image credit: Deborah Vernon/Alamy Stock Photo)
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