Japanese maples generally grow in zones 5-9a. They grow reasonably well in areas like northern Florida, but growing can be tricky by the time you reach the central 9b zone. Year-long warm temperatures can cause a lack in the dormancy pattern. Strong sunlight, dry winds, or salty, alkaline soil can make growing difficult. It is necessary to plant on the north and east sides of the house to shade from the scorching afternoon sun. You want to shade your tree from strong sunlight. Partial sun is best for normal growing regions, but a fully shaded area will be fine for growing in the higher zones. To help insulate your tree, cover with 3-4 inches of mulch, but avoid touching the trunk.
Too much sun will cause leaf scorch and in some areas it may be necessary to grow in containers that can be moved out of intense sunshine. Often, people make the mistake of seeing sun burnt leaves and assuming the plant needs more water. Do not over water your maple! If your plant is drying out, you will notice dry leaves evenly spread throughout the plant. When too much sun is the problem, the dry leaves will only be clustered in certain areas. If leaves are severely sunburned, you may need to de-leaf the plant completely (as long as its not too late in the summer). Green varieties seem to be less susceptible to leaf scorch. however there are many varieties can withstand hot temperatures. Here’s a list of few:
Amoenum-(leaves divided up to 2/3 down the base)
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Osakazuki– Has large leaves that are green spring and summer. They are well known for the intense crimson they turn during the fall. They can grow to 20 feet, but will stay smaller in warmer climates.
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Omato– Is very similar to Osakauki, but the color is somewhat less intense. Its a strong grower and resistant to sun damage.
Palmates– (Leaves divided 2/3 – ¾ down the base)
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Bloodgood, Red Emperor, Emperor 1– These very popular varieties are what what most people think of when you say “Japanese maple”. They have that typical red leaf and can reach 20 feet tall.
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Fireglow-This smaller version of a bloodgood, only grows to 12 feet. Its gives off an amazing glow when the sun catches its burgundy leaves. Its size makes it a good container plant.
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Glowing Embers– This will grow to about 10 ft with young red leaves fading into a bronzy gold as the seasons change.
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Sango Kaku– The sango kaku is best known for its coral red bark that turns gray with the season. Green leaves turn to a yellow-gold. Its a fast grower and can reach heights up to 25 feet tall.
- Moonfire– Moonfires look more like a tree than a shrub. Covered in dark, black-red leaves, it will grow 15-18 feet.
Matsumurae-(Leaves divided more than ¾ down the base)
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Oregon Sunset- This compact tree grows well in containers. In ground it will grow to 12 ft. Its red leaves deepen in summer, then turn an intense crimson in the fall.
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Beni Shi En-The name means“red smoke”. It is one of the few variegated varieties that grow in hotter climates. Its purple-red leaves are trimmed with gold highlights. This too, has a compact from that makes it a good container plant.
Dissecums– (Lace Leaf)
- Crimson Queen– This weeping deep red lace leaf grows in a thick, leafy mound to about 5 feet.
- Tamukeyama– A strong, fast growing variety, its thick leaves change from bright red to dark purple. It will grow to about 5 feet.
- Inaba Shidare– This plant will quickly grow to 5 feet. It boasts very dark,(red-black) foliage.
- Red Dragon– This small (4 ft) mounding plant has cascading scarlet-red leaves yearlong.
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Seiryu– The name means “blue-green dragon” It is the only true upright growing dissectum among Japanese maples. Green leaves turn to vivid gold with red highlights. This variety is very different from the cascading forms of other lace leafs. It can grow 12- 18 feet tall.
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Garnet– This unique tree is like a 6 foot upright, but has weeping red leaves flowing from the top.
Linearilobum– (Narrow, strap-like leaf lobes)
- Red Pigmy– This wispy shrub has narrow, twisting lobes- red in the spring and turns green as the temperature rises.
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Koto No Ito– At up to 7 feet tall, it has green foliage that turns orange, peach and red during fall months.
Dwarfs-
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Shaina– This globe shaped bush has beautiful two-toned red, dense foliage. It will grow to 5 feet.
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Sishigashira- Its name means“lions head”. It has glossy dense, curled leaves that are deep green leaves into fall. In late fall, after most other varieties have begun to fade, it bursts into gold, rose and crimson tones. Sishigashira holds color well in heat.
Miscellaneous Varieties–
- Shantung Maple– The Shantung is not a true Japanese maple, but the delicate leaves make it look very similar. Because this tough tree tolerates full sun, Texas A&M University designated it as a Texas Superstar Tree. This 25 foot tall tree has green and gold leafs with red flecks. The leaves turn to a stunning orange in fall. A grower in Texas used it to create the dwarf golden dragon (trademarked)- a smaller, hardy variety.
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I would love to be able to grow Japanese Maples. I live about 40 miles north of Houson, TX where it gets very hot and dry most summers and very little freezing in the winter. I do not have a lot of shade yet but am working on itl What would you suggest about the maples?
Julia, in your climate it could be challenging. I’d start doing some as seed under artificial shade and see how they do for you before you go further. With that said, I love Japanese maples, but I make more money growing and selling simple and easy plants. https://backyardgrowers.com/backyard-income-opportunity/
hey. make sure you have some shade. Good luck
Hello,
I know that this was posted in 2014 and it is 2018 but I have found in zone 10 that if I use lattice covering and sprinklers that are turned up side down mt maples, orchards, and other shade lovers do really well. I water 1 min. in the winter per day and 3 min. twice a day in the hot summer. I use shade cloth in the sides and every plant is happy. I use bark on the floor to hold the water. Happy growing your green babies!
What kind of water apparatus do you use? One or 3 minutes is generally not enough deep water. It teaches the roots to grow very shallow. Not a good thing.
Tamukeyama. The more sun they get the darker red they get.
I have one of these newly planted from its pot ( 6 months now). It is now scorched. I’m learning I could deleaf. But it’s now late summer. Should I releaf or just let autumn to do it’s job. I’m assuming the leaves fall off for autumn? (I’m working on getting it more shade by using a sail.
Btw I’m in dallas Texas
Toni,
Your plant would be much happier in the ground. Containers dry out easily.
Love the maples there so beautiful. Got 1 question about them at what height do you let them start to branch out?? generic jap. red maples??
James,
It is my observation that even a Japanese Red Maple seedling looks better the closer to the ground it starts branching. So for the most part I at least clip the tips in the first season to force more lateral growth. Eventually I’ll go back and selectively prune those low branches removing tiny ones so we can see and appreciate the intricacy of the those lower branches. -Mike McGroarty
Hey Mike,
These are beautiful. Can they grow in Phoenix Arizona? I can plant the shorter varieties under a tree or two that I have and the block wall will give them afternoon shade. But it does get amazingly hot here!
Meg,
Urrrrrrg! I’m not sure I could grow in Phoenix. It would really be a stretch and they need to be dormant. Move up to Sedona, I’ll bet they’d like it up there.
Mike, what about Prescott AZ for growing the Sango Kaku?
I get afternoon shade from about 1 pm on. But I’m having it planted on the NW side of house?
Gayle,
All I can say is give it a try. If it starts burning just create some temporary shade until fall.
The glowing embers is the most heat tolerant variety it will even grow ok in zone 10 so you could grow that variety
Which is a “heat tolerant variety”?
http://www.pacificcoastmaples.com/japanese-maples/heat-tolerant-japanese-maple-trees-for-hot-climates.html
Try a Kamagata for zone 8 if Phoenix is zone 9
Please put me in touch with sources that I can purchase the varities that could grow in south Fl weather.
Thanks
Look for Freund Flowering Trees in the Redlands, SW of Miami. They are way out west at the edge of the Everglades.
My girlfriend and I would really like to plant a Bloodgood or Emperor 1 in Fresno, CA, but we’re worried about the heat. It would be the East side of the house, shaded from afternoon sun. What do you think?
David,
All I can say is give it a try. We have a member who grows hundreds of Japanese maples in Alabama so it’s worth a try.
Hello, i just purchased a japense maple. its probably about 3 years old. I live in Tn and it can get hot in the summer. Should i just leave it inside my apartment or place it outside on the balcony. They seem to would like the inside since its shaded. any comment ?
They need some sunlight, at least 50% and over the winter are much happier in the ground.
Hello I have just come across this thread and was wondering what species would grow well here in Fort Worth TX, I have a purple ghost maple about a foot and half tall and is in a plastic pot, I bought it from a bonsai nursery and it has free draining soil.. my only thing is that it’s been in shade and is still getting wind scorched and I have no idea what to do to stop it from happening. Thanks!
Tyler,
Shade is important and it would be much happier and safer in the ground.
Thanks for all the info above. So many to pick from, which would you recommend to grow in pots (no ground), in Southern Calif (near Disneyland), temps averages 72-78 summertime, heat not as bad as Arizona. Winter 65-75
Caroline
I live in Dayton Nevada. It can get pretty hot mid 90’s to high 90’s. We do get some snow in the winter, usually melts within 2 days but the temps can get pretty low. Can I grow a Osakazuki or Palmates? I like the green ones that turn orange/red in the fall
Lisa,
As long as you can provide some summer shade you should be fine.
I have a red dragon Japanese Maple, I’ve had it for 3 years now. I live just south of Chicago. All of a sudden, in the middle of June this year, it turned fall color and now the leaves are starting to turn brown and wilt. It looked great a month ago, what happened? Its not like I just planted it, no bugs or damaged trunk, no trimming. Lost
Dave,
My Red Dragon Japanese Maple seems to be drying out (tips of leaves drying out all over the tree. It has lots of shade in the morning but is in full sun in the afternoon. Other than giving lots of water, will I need to de-leaf the plant? Thank you
Stef
I planted a Japanese Maple here in Oklahoma and it was doing great….until the floods came. It has lost all it’s leaves….is it dead? What should I do? The spot I planted it is perfect with part shade and I was really looking forward to seeing it mature
What town do you live in Oklahoma my daughter lives in Collinsville Oklahoma near Tulsa and they were wanting a Japanese maple but didn’t know if it grew well in this climate
Cathy,
Japanese maples should be fine in Oklahoma.
I have a Japanese Maple that has always been in full sun, (maybe lucky) for 26 years. In fact I came to this page trying to get a idea on selling price for it, but actually found some interesting info I didn’t know about them. I have been getting seedlings and actually giving them to neighborsfor several years now.
Gary,
For more information on growing and selling Japanese maples be sure to get on our mailing list at http://www.mikesbackyardnursery.com/
Hi,
I live in Central Fl, just north of Orlando. What type of maple would you recommend for this area??
Shawn,
I really can’t say, pick one from the list on this page I guess. Really depends on what you can find available.
Hi Mike,
I have a Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashira’ Japanese maple tree that I purchased in New Jersey, and brought it back with me to south Florida (zone 9). I placed the pot on the east side of my home where I have full sun in the morning and shade in the late afternoon. Months later the leaves turned brown and I loss all of the leaves. Now I have only 2 leaves on the tree and a few buds that now look as if they are drying up. The stems are green at the base of the tree. What can I do to save my tree, it is my favorite tree in my garden? Thanks.
Denese,
First thing it would be happier planted in the ground, but zone 9 is going to be challenging. These plants need to rest over the winter and it won’t be able to do that in zone 9. But it sounds to me like it dried out in the container. Also it’s likely to need a bit more shade. They are pretty tough, but the sun is really hard on the leaves. Most Japanese maples love dappled sunlight.
Mike,
Thanks for your reply, I appreciate your feedback. I really don’t want it in the ground, but I did move it so that it gets more shade than sun. I realized that I made a error, I am actually in zone 10. What about fertilizer? I read that you should fertilize just before spring using Polyon 20-10-5. Also, any recommendations on prunning? Thanks again!
Denese
Denese,
I’ve never heard of that fertilizer so that concerns me deeply. The only kind of fertilizer you can use on a Japanese maples is a slow release like Osmocote. Any other fertilizer will kill the tree in less than 24 hours. That’ goes for all container grown plants.
I live in zone 9a and all my Japanese maples go into dormancy by the beginning of December, regardless of the temperature. I suspect the amount of sun a plant gets vs. night, plays just as much a role into when they go dormant as the temperature does. I am seeing a ton of people posting pictures of their tree’s new flush of leaves, and all of mine are still dormant. I probably won’t see a leaf for another month, even though we have been having highs in the 60’s/70’s for several weeks now.
Renee,
You are right, sunlight changes in the fall will trigger dormancy but I wasn’t sure exactly how dormant they would go or how long they would stay dormant in zone as warm as yours. You taught me something, thank you.
You need to know about channeling in plant pots. This occurs after a plant has established in a container for 3-4 months. the pot contents tend to form channels of least resistance when water is poured from the top. the channeling results in parts of the root ball not receiving enough moisture, even though you may feel that you are watering the tree frequently enough. the longer a plant sets in the same container, the worse off it gets. That doesn’t even speak to root growth becoming circular around the interior of the pot over time(1-2 years). So, prevent channeling by immersing the pot in a dish with s-3″ lip for about one hour. Fill the saucer(dish) to the top. then one hour later, check it and see how much water has been taken up. I imagine that at least one to two inches of water will be absorbed in a pot that is channeling water. Also, take the tree/ plant out of the pot after 2 years maximum and check the root growth. If it is a healthy grower, the roots will encircle the root ball. You should either repot in a bigger pot after cutting through the circling roots, or cut the circling roots and remove some soil and dead roots and repot with new soil. Robert Carrell
Great information Robert, thank you for sharing.
We have been planting seedlings that goes up under our Japanese Maple for several years. Last few years around June they start getting dried looking spots on the leaves. It doesn’t seem to hurt the trees at all. We keep them for couple years before we sell them then repot in larger container. (We start with a one gallon pot then go up adding new potting mix in pot each spring). Every year they get the spots around same time. What are these small dried spots, we have them under a spruce pine tree for shade. They get morning and evening sun. Anything you know we could do to stop sporting, our bigger trees get too but not as badly.
Barbara,
Two things. They could be from watering during the day if the sun is shining on the leaves when there are droplets of water on the leaves it can burn the leaves. Or it could be a fungal thing from too much humidity in the air, around the leaves. Letting the plants go to bed at night with wet leaves is another issue that could cause this. It’s actually pretty common. Sometimes they get powdery mildew which turns the leaves white. Again, too much humidity.
I live in a small town 45 miles north of Orlando FL. Can you tell me about a nursery in central FL that has Acer Palmatum Dissectum for sale ? I want to plant one in my lanai at the head of a waterfall to my koi pond. The area gets afternoon shade and morning and midday sun. I’d like a variety that grows to 6′ tall and about 8′ in diameter. Thank you for your help !
Michael,
I think you’ll have to call around locally and ask or order one online. I don’t know of anyone in that area that sells them. Many of our members, http://backyardgrowers.com/join, sell them, but I can’t keep track of who has what, we have members all over the country.
My brother and I recently bought a red maple bonsai seed kit. We started it yesterday. We live in South Florida where weather can reach the 100s and go down to low forties high thirties. My brother and I plan to keep the tree inside where the temperature is 73-76 with low humidity and constant indirect sunlight. Is this a good plan, or should we move it inside??
Sorry this was a repeat
Hannah,
Your southern Florida weather is probably going to be too hot for it outside, but Japanese maples are a deciduous plant and they need to go dormant for the winter and rest. Not sure how that’s going to work if your tree never experiences cold weather. ????? Sorry, not much help I know.
I have a ton of shade in my yard. I live in central san antonio tx.
I am looking for a yellow color – the weeping variety and maybe even a shantung for in the sunny part by curb??
I was looking up the shantung but what i found was a zone 5 and san antonio is a zone 9b correct?
What varieties would you suggest?
One area that I am thinking of is in front of my windows next to house and I’d like a little mini maple forest…staggering the heights of the plants.
Thanks! I’d appreciate any ideas.
Theresa,
Zone 9b is going to be challenging for Japanese maples, especially in the sun and especially the light colored ones. Right off hand I can’t think of any that would work for you, but if you find a copy of https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Maples-Complete-Selection-Cultivation/dp/0881929328/ref=pd_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=051JDGNE38YSG8R9PRCG
Theresa, please check into Metro Maples, in Fort Worth. I’m sure you can grow a Shantung in your zone, with correct planting and cultivation.
LOVE MetroPlex Maples1
Hi, I’m in Zone 8a (Atlanta) and would like to plant a “Sango Kaku” in the front yard. The spot get about 7 to 8 hours of sun during the summer and mostly afternoon sun. Would the maple do well since it does get pretty hot here? Thanks!
Walter,
Sango Kaku would be a good choice for you, the leaves of this variety do hold up better than most in sun. I say give it a try.
Hello, I live in Lafayette, LA which is southwest LA, zone 9a.
I have two Japanese Maples, a Bloodgood and I believe the other one is crimson queen. They are about 8 or 9 years old. The Bloodgood is now about 12 feet tall. Both were beautiful until the flood happened in August. The backyard had about a foot and a half of bayou water which took about two weeks to recede after the rains stopped. The leaves on the two trees are crispy brown. Apparently bayou water is worse than rain water. My front yard is green but the in the back yard the grass and boxwoods, the maples and several other plants are all brown. I will remove all the boxwoods but don’t know what to do about the maples. Is there any chance they might come back in the spring? Or, do you think they are dead. Thanks for your help.
Rosemary,
Sorry to hear of this. I’m the the Bayou water would have been okay had it receded sooner. Your plants suffered from a lack of oxygen and chances are they are not coming back. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
Hi, I did as you suggested. One branch showed a whitish color and was firm. Another was brown and firm–no green. A couple of months have gone by since the flood; maybe that is why neither branch was mushy. Thank you for your help.
Rosemary Sigur
Hi ,
I am interested in growing some Japanese maples mainly as a source of income not necessarily to grow in my own yard.
I live about 20 miles north of Houston , Texas with plenty of shade , a green house And soon a shade house. My primary target is for customers would be people who live in areas where they grow well.
My concern is, if I purchase a tree to use as ‘cutting’ mother, am I in too hot an Invironment to successfully grow these trees to sell and would I be successful in being able to germinate seeds?
P.R.
Seeds are pretty easy, but Japanese maples from cuttings are difficult but not impossible. Best thing for you to do is keep an eye on our members area, make sure you are on our mailing list, then test drive the members area when it opens. There is a wealth of information shared in there on a daily basis. http://backyardgrowers.com/join
Which species of maple are posssible to grow in hardiness zones 9- 10 of india.
Ankush,
The only ones that I know of are those list in this article.
I have a japanese maple here in SE texas on the South side of the house see’s sun all day, the roots are kinda shaded by the neighbors 6ft fence, it never looks burnt fantastic colors in autumn. Wish I knew the variety i have had it now for at least18 years about12-15ft high. Have a property in the Texas Hill Country 40 miles north of Uvalde, wanted to get some to grow in full sun about the same hight, anything you can recommend
Ken,
The quality of soil at your other property will determine whether or not this is feasible. Maples and other ornamental plants require a soil that drains well and breath. Clay is only going to create a great deal of frustration. Beyond that choose varieties rated for your zone. The one you have sounds awesome, I too wish I knew what the variety is. But thee are over 1,000 different kinds.
Did you ever figure out what would grow well in full sun?
I would love to have a maple tree in Tucson, Arizona. ..is it possible?
Gloria,
All I can say is try. Buy a small one, plant it in a shady spot and hope for the best. Get a variety that does well in hot climates.
Hi there, Great tips by the way and thank you. I did have a question though.
I’m hoping you can answer it for me since you seem to be pretty knowledgeable about gardening.
Can I use treated wood (waterproofing) to build a vegetable garden bed?
If you had some insight I would greatly appreciate it.
Lloyd,
Many online will tell you no, don’t do it. So I can’t tell you that it’s safe because I honestly don’t know. I’d contact the manufacture of treated would to see what they say about it.
Hello, can I plant an Emporer maple in La Mirada, California in full sun?
It can be very intense heat. is there any Japanese maple that has red leaves that can withstand the intense heat?
Also, how can I figure out why my Blood good leaves will not pop out. I planted it in a barrel in the fall. It actually started to bud and then the buds dried up. Thank you.
It could be too hot where you are for an Emporer 1 but if you could give it some shade it might be happy. The Japanese maple in the barrel sounds like it might be too deep in the barrel, too much soil over the roots, or just plain too wet in the barrel. They do not like wet feet.
Mike, I am new to gardening, however, I have NOT had any success in growing red Japanse Maples. I’ve tried bloodgood, laceleaf and all have died! I live in Oklahoma zone 6 or 7 anyway I am trying again. I would love to plant in my front yard which will be faceing the south, yet, It will get the east & mid sun but mot evening. It will also have mature tree shading. My others where planted on the north & west side under a huge oak tree and still passed on! Do you think it could handle the hot mid afternoon sun? Where is the best place to plant any tricks I should know about when planting in ground besides depth, width & mulching (not touching bark)? Is it okay to trim crossing branches? Any tips on pruning them?
Kimberly,
Yes, they should do fine for you, yes trim branches all you want, they need pruning. Three things kill them, a hole that is too wide and allows too much water to enter and no way for the water to get out, planting too deep, root crown should be at least one inch above grade, mounded, over watering will kill them really fast, soil should be cool to the touch, slightly damp, not soaking wet. Fertilizer on a Japanese maple can be lethal. I never fertilize the plants in my landscape.
Hi I live in Lexington SC looking to plant the Emperor Maple where it would get sun all morning and till about 2-3 in the afternoon. is that to much sun
Joe,
I don’t think so as long as it’s not really small when you plant it. A 4′ tree or larger I think would be fine.
I live right up the road in Chapin SC, and have 2 Emperor 1’s that I bought locally from a garden center. They are going on their 3rd year in the ground with full sun almost all day and are doing great. Emperors are one of the most sun and hot climate tolerant varieties. Mulch well and water religiously, especially the first year.
I live in Colombia. My hometown is at 1000 meter above sea level. Temperatures are quite high in two seasons a year. The other two seasons are rainy and temperatures fall a little to bring about a fresh climate. I have planted maples and they did it well if properly(not excedingly) watered and planted and a well drained soil. but I had to “winter” them in the fridge, wrapped in a plastic bag in the fridge for 2 months. This mimic winter let them mature buds and 3 weeks after they are back outside they sprouted well. All potted plants are a little bit vulnerable to the weather conditions so you better move here and there so provide it enough sunlight but not to get tanned at the beach. When watering, it´s better to provide not much water and see. If would need more, you can add it. But above all, avoid root rotting. Rain water also is better. Tap water from city water supply is hard and it´s a long term menace to them. Good luck.
I live in the 9b (33543) part of Florida.
I’m curious to see if I can get a Japanese Blue Maple (supposedly) to grow here from seed. Now, this is my first attempt at growing anything, so I thought a tree might be a good start.
Carl,
Seeds should germinate after cold treatment, see the article on this site about growing from seed, then lots of shade.
We had a lovely Seiryu Japanese maple planted late last October. It’s about 7’ tall. It has leaved out nicely in the spring. It is on a south facing slope but is shaded in the early morning and late afternoon. Lately, a few of the leaves at the tips of some of its branches have turned brown. The soil is moist. We fertilized it lightly in early April. Any suggestions? Needless to say, we are concerned.
One additional detail: We live in a suburb north of Atlanta, GA.
AC,
No more fertilizer and be careful to not over water it. They can’t use much fertilizer, I never fertilize the ones in my landscape. Or any other shrub for that matter. I wouldn’t be overly concerned at this point.
We had a Japanese Maple in California, which we absolutely loved. Could one survive in Tampa, FL with its temperate weather?
Slade,
Zone 8 or 9 with lots of shade maybe. ???
Will a Japanese maple do well as a bonsai indoors in south Florida?
Kevin,
I really have no idea, but if the tree cannot go dormant and rest for the winter, generate new leaves, I don’t think it is going to be happy.
No Japanese maple will survive indoors for long. Potted up as bonsai, they can be brought indoors for 2-3 days, but then must be put back outdoors. And other than Trident maples, they must be able to go dormant in Fall due to gradually dropping temperatures, and remain dormant for a couple of months at a minimum. Tridents also need to remain outdoors but seem to need less of a dormant period.
Hi, I live in Melbourne Australia. Our weather is all over the place. In summer we can get to 40 degrees,104 fahrenheit. I want a smaller one I think it’s an acer, it has quite purple leaves right now at the shop. I’m wondering if it would survive in the hot heat and then be ok for the rest of the year when not in summer ranges from 10 Celsius to 25 Celsius, 50 – 77 fahrenheit.
Jenni,
Here’s the problem, even in the colder states in the US direct sun can be hard on Japanese maple leaves. They love partial sun. They need at least 5 to 6 hours of sunlight daily to maintain the pretty deep redish colors. But even here in a cold state we get into the 90’s, mid to high 90’s really. I say give it a shot but also give it some shade. And even creating artificial shade on those really hot days might be a good idea. Especially for a small tree.
This will probably get a response, but I must ask. When we bought our 1st house we planted a small weeping lace leaf Japanese maple. Now we are retiring, and bought a house in central Florida, the tree is only 3’ tall, and about 5’ in diameter. We want to take it with us. Will it live. We bought in Sebring, FL. Please let us know.
Matt,
It will survive as long as you can dig it now while it is dormant. If you don’t do it now it will not be safe to dig it again until Thanksgiving. Florida is a bit hot for a laceleaf so be sure to put it where it gets some shade. See this; https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/11/moving-a-large-laceleaf-weeping-japanese-maple-tree/
`We live in Northern California (Santa Cruz Mountains) Winters are wet and chilly, summers are hot and dry. I’d like to plant a Sango Kaku in full sun. It’s in a 36” box so I really don’t want waste money if it won’t make it. What do you think?
It should be fine in zone 8.
Zone map for the United States:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
Zone map for Canada:
http://nlwis-snite1.agr.gc.ca/plant00/index.phtml
When I look at the USDA map, I am in 9b.Does that change things?
I’m in zone 6B— I have a 3.5/4 ft tall orange dream Japanese maple. Would this tree survive in a full sun area?
Jose,
I don’t think so. I’ve never had luck with them in full sun.
Thank you for this post! I live in zone 9b and just bought a “pixie” japanese maple, it’s quite young (I think?). I know everyone keeps saying it needs “lots of shade” in this zone, but what is the minimum direct sunlight needed? I have it in a container on my porch, which gets morning sun and afternoon shade. I have it placed where it’s getting probably about 3-4 hours of direct morning sun. I can move it to get slightly more or less, but I’m just wondering if that’s enough direct sunlight or not.
Pamela,
That probably is enough sunlight. If it loses too much color give it more sun. Be sure to keep it watered in that container.
I live in the Northernmost part of Southern California near the coast, zone 9. It rarely gets very hot here, because we live so close to the cold Pacific Ocean, but frost is very rare (usually we get zero days of frost in the Winter). Of course, sunshine is very bright and cloud cover is almost nonexistent from May – Oct. We are at 35 N latitude, so in the Summer, the sun is almost directly overhead at noon.
Can Japanese Maples make it here? Hot is not a problem but I am worried about the amount of sun and lack of cold.
Andy,
I think both of those things are real concerns. I’d visit some full service garden centers and see if they ever carry Japanese maples and what they have to say about it. But here in zone 5 Ohio intense sun is an issue with Japanese maple leaves getting burned.