Fresh, new leaves look amazing in early spring, but none more so than Acers! The red, yellow, green and purple leaves are truly a feast for the eyes, especially when planted together. Take a look at just a few below:
This flaming beauty (above) is the aptly named Acer 'Fireglow'. It's setting spring alight with its visual warmth. It's a small and well-behaved tree, growing eventually up to 6m tall, with a spread of up to 4m.
Team Acers with others with contrasting leaf colour and with shrubs that prefer slightly acidic, moist but free-draining soils. They prefer a slightly-shaded site - largely because many are native to forest fringes of Japan where they enjoy the shade of larger trees. They can be happy in a large pot, but ensure they are out of the way of morning sun and strong winds which might scorch the beautiful leaves.
The yellow-leafed Acer above is a Norway maple: Acer platanoides 'Princeton Gold', rather than Japanese Acer. These trees are related but very different in size. The Norway maple will eventually grow to a height of up to 15m, so it can make an ideal planting partner for smaller, red-leafed Japanese Acers.
Above is the ever-popular Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood', with its deep and rich, red leaves, turning bright crimson in the autumn. A small tree that grows to around 5m tall, with a spread of up to 4 metres. Small purple flowers are followed by red fruits.
Above is the delightful Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku', also known as the coral bark maple tree. The red stems gain depth of colour during the year, then they are at their best during winter. The deeply-lobed green leaves turn a soft yellow in autumn before falling. This stunning small tree has something for every season. It's a small tree which could reach an ultimate height of up to 6 metres, with a spread of about 5m. You can see how beautifully these Acers could form a dream team!
Acers are often ideal for smaller gardens and some are even suitable for a large pot. Be sure to provide suitable growing conditions and give them some shelter from wind, or their leaves will suffer.
English Woodlands has a beautiful selection of Acers HERE
