These attractive ornamental trees/shrubs deserve a place in almost any garden! With their fresh new spring growth, their beautiful delicate leaves, their stunning autumn colours, and their architectural winter shapes, these plants provide interest all year-round.

Available in a wide range of shapes, colours and sizes, some with finely dissected leaves, others with larger palmate leaves - each plant is unique and full of character.

Requirements: Japanese Acers are tougher than they look! They are frost hardy plants but do benefit from some shade and shelter to avoid the leaves getting scorched by either the sun or the wind. They also benefit from a humus-rich soil. Contrary to some opinions, they thrive in both acid and alkaline soil.

Maintenance: Acers can sometimes suffer from some of the stems dying back. If this occurs, prune the dead stems back to healthy wood. If leaves become scorched, a second set of leaves often forms — to improve the appearance, the dead leaves can be carefully removed.

Pruning: Japanese Acers should be pruned in winter when they are dormant — if pruned in spring they will bleed badly and become prone to fungal infection. Young trees should be pruned so that a central leader is allowed to form. Once the plant is more mature, pruning need consist only of pruning back any branches which are growing in an undesired direction. Pruning should be kept to a minimum to maintain the graceful unique shape of these trees.