Coral bark maple how to#

In the winter landscape, the red-pink bark of coral bark maple trees can be a beautiful contrast to deep green or blue-green evergreens. With a mature height of 20 to 25 feet (6-8 m.) and a spread of 15 to 20 feet (5-6 m.), they can make nice ornamental understory trees. However, in warmer climates, they will also benefit from some dappled afternoon shade. Winter bark color will be deeper the more sun the coral bark maple tree receives. As the foliage drops in fall, the tree’s bark begins to turn an attractive, reddish pink, which intensifies with the cold weather. In autumn, the foliage turns golden yellow and orange. As spring turns to summer, these leaves turn a deeper green. In spring, its seven-lobed, simple, palmate leaves open in a bright, lime green or chartreuse color. About Coral Bark Maple TreesĬoral bark maple trees ( Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’) are Japanese maples with four seasons of interest in the landscape. Read on for some coral bark tree information. When you look again, however, the red tree still sticks out brightly from the snowy backdrop. You rub your eyes, thinking winter has finally driven you mad and now you’re hallucinating red trees.

Just when you think you can’t stand this depressing view any longer, your eyes fall upon a leafless tree whose bark seems to glow in a reddish pink color. When winter is here and it seems that all the color has been drained from the earth, it can get pretty depressing for a gardener. Irrigate well.Snow covers the landscape, the sky above stark, with naked trees gray and bleak. Divide the fertilizer between the holes and tuck the pellets into them. Instead, bore holes around 6 inches (15 cm.) deep into the soil around the tree, about halfway between the main trunk and the drip line of the branches. If you want to use slow-release fertilizer pellets, don’t just scatter the Japanese maple fertilizer on the soil surface since this results in sporadic releases. What to use for Japanese maple feeding? Try a controlled release type fertilizer. High amounts of nitrogen results in excessively fast growth that will weaken the plant. Japanese maples look best if they grow at a slower speed. Do not apply high levels of nitrogen to the soil around your maples. This moderate fertilization practice will keep your maples healthy. When you start fertilizing Japanese maples, your goal should be to maintain a constant low level of fertility. Alternatively, start Japanese maple feeding after the last freeze in spring. When you do start feeding Japanese maples, do so in late winter while the ground is still frozen. You’ll want to give the plants ample time to adapt to their new conditions. Once you plant the trees, wait at least until their second growing season before fertilizing Japanese maples.

Don’t think that a newly transplanted tree needs feeding immediately. The first rule to keep in mind is not to start fertilizing Japanese maples too early. It’s important to apply fertilizer to plants at the appropriate time. However, a little Japanese maple fertilizer is enough, so exercise discretion in Japanese maple feeding. Protect your tree at least until it has established a mature root system.įertilizing Japanese maples is an important part of the nurturing process. Maple species are understory plants in the wild, and excess sun can be very wounding to your tree. Both strong winds and hot sun can stress or even kill a maple. Most of the trees thrive in a site that gets some sun in the morning but shade in the afternoon. Japanese maples require well-draining soil and will do poorly in clay or wet soil. The placement of your tree will determine how attractive and lush it will look and even how long it will live. It isn’t as picky as you might think, but it does have some definite preferences.įinding a good site for your Japanese maple is the single best thing you can do to keep that tree healthy. Japanese Maple Feeding and CareĪ Japanese maple brings such beautiful texture and color to your garden that you’ll want to take top care of the tree.

Coral bark maple how to#

If you want to learn when and how to fertilize a Japanese maple tree, read on. To keep your Japanese maple happy, you’ll need to site it correctly and apply fertilizer appropriately. They make eye-catching focal points for any backyard, and many cultivars delight you with fiery fall displays. Japanese maples are garden favorites with their graceful, slender trunks and delicate leaves.