Coral Bark Japanese Maple

If you’re looking for a tree that will add color and interest to your yard year round, the coral bark Japanese maple is the one for you. Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’ is a slow-growing Japanese maple that provides interest 365 days a year. In the spring and summer, its foliage is light yellow to almost neon green. The leaves will transform into a brilliant yellow or salmon-red color once autumn rolls around. And even after it drops its last leaves for the season, the tree’s bark will start intensifying in color, flaunting a beautiful dark pink hue. 

Native to Japan, Korea, China, Eastern Mongolia and Southeast Russia, this tree will bring continuous beauty to your landscape. Moreover, this deciduous tree is adaptable and slow growing. While it’s generally disease resistant, it may suffer from horse chestnut scale, aphids, and verticillium wilt. It’s also drought tolerant and low maintenance. If you’re looking for protection from winter winds, this tree is for you.

Coral Bark Japanese Maple Plant Care

Japanese maples prefer well-drained but moist soil that is neutral to slightly acidic and nutrient rich. However, they are adaptable to a variety of soils. Your tree will benefit from a thick mulching. Provide it with about 2-3 inches of mulch when you plant it, but don’t let the mulch touch the trunk because this increases the chances of pests and diseases. This tree should be watered enough to keep the soil moist. Never let the soil dry out completely and don’t oversaturate the soil either. Your tree will do well in full sun to part shade. Your tree may experience some leaf scorch when young, especially if it is not receiving enough water. However, this will not affect the health of your tree. Fertilize your tree in the early spring or when planting it. It’s best to use a slow-release fertilizer or a well-balanced tree and shrub fertilizer. Mix the fertilizer into the soil before placing your tree in the hole—this will help you avoid burning the young roots. 

This plant doesn’t need a lot of pruning, but if you do choose to prune, make sure to do it when it is dormant. You can remove any dead, dying or crowded branches. You can also use pruning to maintain your desired shape. After the first year, cut off branches to establish a dominant leader. Every year thereafter, work to establish form by cutting off intersecting branches that point inward or intersections that are too sharply angled. 

Coral Bark Japanese Maple Plant Spacing

This tree grows up to 20-25 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide, so make sure to keep this in mind when planting, giving it plenty of space. These can make good ornamental understory trees.