Plants: Species

Maple: Japanese Maple Acer palmatum

FAMILY: ACERACEAE (Maple Family)

Japanese maple Acer palmatum is such a popular ornamental that nurseries are continually cultivating new varieties of the tree. You can buy Japanese maples ranging from 8 feet to 35 feet (2.4 to 10.6 meters) tall, with "bamboo-like" or "regular" leaves that range from red to gold to purple. Even the bark color and texture comes in different varieties!

The San Diego Zoo's Terrace Lagoon has a Japanese maple with leaves that turn a beautiful shade of auburn in the fall.