Orangeola Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Orangeola'View more from Japanese Maple Trees
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Botanical Name
Acer palmatum 'Orangeola'
Outdoor Growing zone
5-9
Mature Height
3-5
Mature Width
6-8
Sun needs
Partial Sun, Shade
The Orangeola Japanese Maple is the crème-de-la-crème of the many varieties of these coveted trees. It truly lives up to its name in fall with a stunning display of orange-red leaves, but from the orange tones of its emerging leaves, through the purplish shades of summer, the continuing orange of its new growth, right into the fall climax, this tree will always amaze you. Not only that, this is perhaps the best Japanese maple to grow in hotter areas, as it is much more heat-resistant than many other varieties. It has a beautiful cascading growth form, becoming a mound of leaves up to 5 feet tall, but as much as 8 feet across. With staking it can be grown taller if needed. It is also one of the fastest growing forms of the dissected-leaf maples, so you will not be waiting long to see the full beauty of a mature tree in your garden.
The Orangeola Japanese Maple is hardy from zone 5 to zone 9, and this special tree will grow in any garden soil that does not become too dry in summer. Place it so that it receives some sun – more in cooler states and less in hotter ones. Afternoon shade is very beneficial in hot areas. No pruning is required, it has no significant pests and diseases, and as long as it does not become too dry, this tree will be beautiful all season long – a great plant for any garden of any size and style.
Some gardeners do not plant Japanese maples because they think they are too slow growing. This can be true, but certainly not with the Orangeola Japanese Maple. This is one of the fastest-growing cut-leaf Japanese maples you can find, quickly developing into a magnificent specimen. It has an unusual form, growing upright but also weeping, so that over time it becomes a broad mound of cascading branches. This makes it especially useful on sloping sites, or at the top of a wall, or to plant in a tall pot, where the full waterfall of its branches can be appreciated best. Its form is only just the beginning of its beauty. The foliage is of the ‘dissectum’ type – deeply divided into 7 to 9 very narrow lobes, each lobe with an irregular edge, giving a beautiful lacy appearance to the leaves.
In spring the freshly emerged leaves are a blend of orange and green shades. As they develop they turn to a rich purple. Then, over several weeks of early summer the leaves change in waves of color, gradually becoming green by the middle or later part of summer. Because of the vigor and rapid growth of this tree, just as the leaves turn green, new orange and purple growth emerges, covering the older leaves in a veil of brightly-colored new foliage. But wait, the party is not over yet. Just as it seems nothing else new could happen, the first cool nights of fall arrive and the Orangeola Japanese Maple begins to really live up to its name. Every leaf turns into a glowing torch of orange-red that will have you, your family and friends and even passers-by stopped in their tracks by this fiery beauty.
While all this is going on, your Orangeola Japanese Maple will be growing into a beautiful mound, 3 to 5 feet tall and as much as 8 feet across. This stunning plant will grow best and color best in locations that receive some sun, but are shaded in summer from the midday and afternoon heat. However when it comes to growing well in hot states, where Japanese maples may not do so well, this is widely known to be the most reliable and best performing tree for hotter areas. That makes it the ideal choice if you live in a hotter state and crave the multi-dimensional beauty of a Japanese maple.
Your Orangeola Japanese Maple will grow best in a rich soil, so add plenty of organic material when planting and as mulch each spring. Keep your young tree well-watered, especially during hot weather, but do not keep it constantly flooded – good drainage is needed too. A well-established tree will survive some dryness during summer better than any other dissected-leaf Japanese maple variety.
Because of its smaller size, this tree is ideal for planting in a smaller garden, or in a pot. Cascading from a tall, oriental jar, this could become the central feature in an Asian-inspired courtyard, or grace your terrace or patio. It will also look beautiful cascading down a bank, across gravel or small stones, or growing among azaleas in a woodland garden too. There is no garden that could not find a place for such a beautiful plant.
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is a small tree native to the woodlands of Japan and Korea. It has been collected for hundreds of years and there are many different kinds. Dissected-leaf forms, like the Orangeola Japanese Maple, are prized for the delicate, lacy beauty of their leaves, and when that is combined with a cascading form, rapid growth, and heat-resistance, as it is in this award-winning tree, then it is the ideal choice for anyone looking for something special and different that is also simple to grow with a little basic care. Just make sure it receives enough sun to develop its rainbow of colors effectively and to their maximum extent.
Our specialized growers take selected pieces from properly identified mature trees and attached them to the roots of seedling trees. With all the varieties of Japanese Maple Trees available, some other nurseries sell cheaper seedling forms that may be pretty enough, but cannot match the quality of named varieties, which after all have been selected from among literally thousands of seedlings for their outstanding qualities. This technical growing takes skill, care and experience, but it is worth paying for, because for you only the best is good enough. Our stocks can be limited, because of the demand for quality trees like the Orangeola Japanese Maple, so order your tree now to avoid being disappointed and missing out on the brightly-colored wonders of this remarkable tree.