Acer palmatumvar.dissectum‘Red Dragon’
Japanese maples are among the most versatile small trees for the garden and ‘ Red Dragon ’ is a midget , fuss - innocent beauty with elegant branch model and fantastically colorful , kickshaw foliation .
extremely cosmetic , ‘ Red Dragon ’ plants have a compact size and a relatively slow growth charge per unit that makes them idealistic for smaller landscapes , garden nooks , and container .
But there ’s nothing low about the impact of their beautiful , filigree farewell !
Photo by Lorna Kring.
We link to vender to help you find relevant products . If you bribe from one of our contact , we may realise a mission .
The upright , rounded growth habit with weeping branch consecrate a graceful profile that make a outstanding focal degree for creation , islands , mixed bush beds , or terrace planters , and this cultivar is among the best for keep back its vivacious Burgundy wine shade in full sun .
The lacy , deep dissected leaves give a long - lasting and impressive show .
Photo by Lorna Kring.
They emerge vivid cherry reddish in spring , deepen to a dark , delicious merlot or plum tree color for summer , then brighten to a sensational cherry red for fall ’s foliage finale .
And in winter , the dense frame of handsome , red - stemmed twiggy branch are pure for a string of holiday spark light !
If your garden ’s ready for an infusion of red - toned sophistication , let ’s jump into how to arise ‘ Red Dragon ’ Nipponese maple !
Here ’s what you ’ll find in advance :
What You’ll Learn
What Is ‘Red Dragon’ Japanese Maple?
‘ Red Dragon ’ is a midget cultivar ofAcer palmatumvar.dissectum , also know as laceleaf , cutleaf , threadleaf , orweeping Nipponese maple .
A. palmatumis a pop species that acclaim from Japan and eastern China . And the variety name , dissectum , refers to the shape of the foliage .
The leaf are profoundly burn with a delicate , feathery nature – plainly , they resemble a tartar ’s claw , hence the colorful cultivar name !
These deciduous trees have a fledged pinnacle and spread of six to 10 feet – small when grown in containers , unremarkably three to five feet – with a strong , central drawing card stem turn and multiple branches in an open , rounded mannequin with a weeping use .
Along with the graceful figure , ‘ Red Dragon ’ radiate for its three seasons of coloring material - exchange foliage .
New growth is bright reddened with the leaves deepening to Burgundy wine in summertime , then brightening again once frosty temperature come .
‘ Red Dragon ’ retains its flushed hues in summertime better than most Japanese maple .
In springtime , small-scale , inconspicuous flower corymbs appear , mature into burgundy samaras in late summertime to former gloam .
Samaras are the two - winged , cum - moderate whirligigs that spin as they travel on the wind .
The plant life also provide wintertime pursuit with an attractive , multi - ramose silhouette , and vulgar , greyish bark on the leader and main branches plus red stalk crown .
These compact Tree typically have a clearance of about three feet from the ground and develop at a dull pace . Butthey are long - lived , with a lifespanof up to 80 years .
Their vertical , tears development adds unique beauty to protected sites throughout the landscape painting and ‘ Red Dragon ’ can treat full sun in temperate area , although lightsome afternoon refinement is recommended in part with acute afternoon sunlight .
They have moderate cold-blooded hardiness and are suited for growing in Zones 5 to 8 .
Cultivation and History
The island and territory of Japan are home to 23 known species in theAcergenus , but the many beautiful landscape painting specimen acknowledge as Japanese maples are derived mainly from two metal money , A. palmatumandA. japonicum .
Development of the decorative cultivars started in Japan in the early 1600s , but it was n’t until the death of the 1700s that they were present to Europe , realize their way to North America by the mid-1800s .
Easily cultivate with few problems , today Japanese maple are a welcome addition to small yards or magnanimous landscape alike .
Dwarf Japanese maple varieties like ‘ Red Dragon ’ and‘Crimson Queen’make a spectacular focal point for compact spaces such as city and court gardens , foundation , nooks and islands , or as an impressive trawl line in tumid containers and terrace planters .
‘Red Dragon’ Japanese Maple Propagation
For the house nurseryman , ‘ Red Dragon ’ Japanese maple trees are well propagate from softwood stem turn cut or via grafting .
Starting trees from seedis possible , but because the original stock was most likely grafted , the seedlings they produce wo n’t be true to the parent .
Here ’s how to set out softwood cuttings :
Take softwood cuttings in mid - outpouring , four to eight weeks after new growth emerge .
habituate clean , sharp shear to remove six- to eight - inch tips from softwood stems that have hardened slightly .
Remove leaves from the bottom half of the cut but keep the tip pass on intact .
To improve chances of rooting , dip the baseball swing remnant in a root hormone powder . Shake gently to remove redundant powder .
fill up six - in pots with a rooting soil blend or make your own from adequate persona ofcoconut coirorpeat moss , landscape painting moxie , and perlite .
weewee lightly to wash the soil mix but do n’t oversaturate it .
stick in the cut cease halfway up the stem and firm the soil cautiously around them to keep the stems in place .
Set the cut in a site that receives bright , indirect light . Water daily with a gentle mist stage setting .
root should develop within three to four weeks .
Our guidebook to growing Japanese maples cut across this outgrowth in detail .
In fall , replant your new saplings into 12 - inch great deal to give them another year of growth before implant out into garden layer or a permanent container .
If you ’d like to try your hand at grafting , ourguide to grafting Nipponese mapleshas all the point .
Transplanting
The easiest way to get started is to buy a plant from a garden plaza or nursery and transpose it into the garden .
Fall is the beneficial clip to transpose as it gives the roots time to become established while the rest of the tree diagram is hibernating , but planting saltation works as well .
If you receive a lot of wintertime rain , planting in a raised mound can be a good idea . Elevating the origin in a agglomerate aid to avoid standing water and ameliorate drainage .
hammock should be at least 18 inches above the garden soil level . Loosen the soil in the planting site to a depth of 18 inches .
unify in one part ofcompost , well - rot manure , orworm castingsto enrich the soil – Acerspecies do substantially with restrained total of nutrient rich organic textile .
add up one part landscape sand , pea crushed rock , or Harlan Fiske Stone microchip to give the plant the sandy grain they favour and to better filth drain .
And finally , add in one part of moisture - retentive fabric , like coconut coir , peat moss , perlite , or vermiculite to help keep the soil gently moist .
make a planting maw three times the width and one to one and a half times the depth of the root ball .
take the yap with piddle and then have it drain .
Carefully absent the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree from the greenhouse pot and gently loosen some of the feeder roots from the top of the root ball only , but do n’t sample to diffuse them all out before plant .
Set your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in place with the top of the root ball level with the soil argumentation or up to four column inch above it – the quicker your soil drain , the closer to the soil blood line the top of the stem testicle can be .
After find out that the drawing card body is straight , backfill with stain , firming it gently in place .
Water gently but deeply so that the entire root testis receive a drink .
How to Grow ‘Red Dragon’ Japanese Maple
‘ Red Dragon ’ is best grow in lightly moist , organically - rich , well - draining soil with a sandy loam texture and slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.5 .
It maturate in full sunshine to part shade , but the foliage can lose from sun scorch in expanse with hot summer , especially if the soil is n’t kept consistently damp .
A web site with light afternoon shade is beneficial for surface area that go through intense afternoon sunlight .
Japanese maples are also prone to scorch from other environmental stressors like overly ironical territory and hot , drying wind , and this is particularly true for cultivar with extremely analyze leaves , like ‘ Red Dragon . ’
The abstruse cuts in the foliage produce a gravid surface area for maximum wet preoccupation , but they ’re also fast to dry out out in hot farting , causing the leaves to turn brown and curl .
Choose a sheltered growing website that can leave protection from dry out farting .
After planting , water novel trees on a regular basis to help them become found . Thereafter water weekly in summer , in the absence seizure of rain , to maintain good health .
Once established , keep the soil evenly and lightly moist . A steady provision of wet keeps the thin , delicate go away well - hydrate and avail to forestall burning and drying out .
Container Grown Plants
‘ Red Dragon ’ is ideal for growing in large containers and terrace planter .
It has a compact size to begin with and Japanese maple are “ ego aerobatics , ” which have in mind that the canopy ontogeny decelerate when the root are confined .
The results are that they can stay in the same pot for years without needing to size up or snip the roots . The one in the exposure above has been in the same green goddess for 25 year with no problems !
opt a containerthat ’s two or three times the bulk of the radical ball and assure it has drain holes – these tree diagram are raw to squashy soil and can easily develop root bunk in wet conditions .
I like to summate a two - inch stratum of porous drainage material over the drainage holes to keep the water move and head off issues like wet grunge . material such as broken clayware or pebbles work well for this .
meet the container to three quarters with a good quality potting dirt . Or you’re able to flux your own portmanteau word .
habituate two parts loamy garden territory ; and add one part compost , manure , or worm casting for nutrients ; one part granular cloth for drainage ; and one part wet - retentive stuff to help keep the soil softly moist .
irrigate the dirt in the pot and let it drain away through the hole in the bottom .
Remove the tree from its nursery pot and set into place , ensuring the drawing card automobile trunk is true .
Add more land to overlay the roots leaving the top of the root bollock degree with the dirt personal credit line or about two inches above it . Firm the soil gently in place and water deeply .
Add a stratum of mulch to help oneself keep the soil moist and water deeply when the top of the soil dry out out .
Read our usher tolearn more about growing Nipponese maples in containers .
Growing Tips
Easily cultivated ornamental , the espouse tips will help your ‘ Red Dragon ’ thrive !
Pruning and Maintenance
‘ Red Dragon ’ does an admirable line of work of retain an attractive anatomy and command very little in the way of pruning .
If pruning is required , do so in late fall to mid - winter , but a light summer trim is also acceptable .
However , fend off cut back in temperature above 80 ° F – the antecedently shaded barque may be tender and prone to sun scald .
In winter , it ’s easier to see the branch to make the cut needed to rise the canopy . But in summer , you get a better idea of where the thinning needs to find if you want to bring out more of the interior .
It ’s also of import to not remove more than a stern of the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ’s cap or more than a quarter of the leave on any individual subdivision at any one time .
remove more than these amount of money can do unneeded stress and famish the tree diagram of nutrient .
In late wintertime , use your finger’s breadth or a small hand blood to train the branches and remove any bushed leaves still cling to them .
At the same clip , hit any dead branches using clean , precipitous shears or a small garden byword .
To lift the canopy or branches dragging on the ground , fall out the root ’s tip up to a strong side branch , removing the lower branch just below the junction .
Learn more about pruning Nipponese maple in our guide .
When rise in a full sun location , the canopy usually becomes in full foliated . In fond shade , it remains open and airy , exposing some of the tree ’s “ bones ” in stratum or tiers – a cultured looking often found in botanical or exhibit gardens .
To make a cascading , fan - same visibility , in summer trim the leg lightly into overlaid tiers that arch over the next bed , but do n’t touch .
Use clear , crisp shear to lop away small branches that are touching or crowding the lower layer . But apply a light touch to forbid stress . It ’s good to sculpt your tree over a menses of two or three year than to remove too much in a single season .
To help oneself maintain evenly moist soil , in summer enforce a two- or three - column inch layer of mulch , using cloth such as shredded barque , conifer needles , chop leaves , leaf stamp , pebbles , or straw .
In winter , put on a thicklayer of mulchover the root geographical zone helps to protect the roots from cold exposure and from heaving in freeze / thaw cycle .
‘ Red Dragon ’ has a temperate appetite and should be fecundate slenderly .
In spring as unexampled growth issue , side attire with a two - in layer of compost , manure , or insect molding .
Or you could apply a half - durability resolution of a liquid fertilizer recipe or slow release pellets .
Happy Frog Organic Japanese Maple Fertilizer is develop for the ( slow ) job and has an NPK of 4 - 3 - 4 .
Happy Frog Organic Japanese Maple Fertilizer
you could chance Happy Frogavailable from Maple Ridge Nursery .
show up on how to fertilize Japanese maples in our guide .
Where to Buy
‘ Red Dragon ’ is a pop cultivar and can be found in many garden nerve center and plant nurseries .
‘ Red Dragon ’
If you prefer to patronise online , you may find plantsavailable at Nature Hills Nursery .
Alternatively , Maple Ridgehas ‘ Red Dragon ’ in a variety of nursery pot sizes .
Managing Pests and Disease
Like other Japanese maples , these are easy - care trees but they can explicate fungous problems when grown in less than idealistic environs .
Diseases you may come across include anthracnose , botrytis , fusarium wilt , leafage spot , verticillium wilt disease , and root word canker .
Most are spread by insects , by water splash onto branch and foliage , or to a fault pissed condition .
Provide your trees with good gentle wind circulation on all sides , trim thinly to reach the canopy or to lift the bottom branches off the ground if take .
To avoid wet soil , it must be well - draining . Amend the grunge with gamey material like landscape gumption , pea crushed rock , or stone chips to improve drain or engraft your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in an elevated mound .
Ensure container have drainage holes and head off overwatering .
Also , the use of adrip irrigation systemis helpful to avoid splashing body of water and pathogens onto the leave .
If call for , spray your tree diagram with a natural antimycotic agent like neem oil to control problems .
You canlearn more about mutual Nipponese maple diseases in our templet .
likely pest problems you may total across includeaphids , beetles , andscale .
Ourguide to make out plebeian Nipponese maple pestscan help you resolve any issues .
Best Uses for ‘Red Dragon’ Japanese Maple
The fine , fern - comparable folio of ‘ Red Dragon ’ have a ignitor , delicate look and give a beautiful texture to the landscape painting .
The trees can tolerate partial tincture , and with their compendious sizing and airy form , they ’re the idealistic understory plant for add up color and privacy without crowd in edge and screens .
mass in a quarrel , they provide a colourful border or seasonal hedging .
As a standalone accent , ‘ Red Dragon ’ make a dramatic focal point for foundations , islands , and mixed shrub beds . Add somecompanion plants for add garden interest .
They ’re ideal for containers and plantation owner on balcony , decks , and patios or throughout the garden , adding people of colour , summit , and texture . And ‘ Red Dragon ’ can evenbe trained as bonsai .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Airy and Elegant Dwarf Trees
With an elegant appearance and airy , delicate leave of absence that exchange colors with the time of year , ‘ Red Dragon ’ is a beautiful dwarf cultivar with all the skillful quality of Japanese maples .
A striking selection as an accent for foundations and island and a brilliant plus to containers , give them the conditions they like , and they ’re humiliated fuss ornamentals .
Maintain lightly damp stain for strong , vivacious roots and provide a sheltered spot out of spicy , drying winds for healthy , happy farewell – then sit back and watch the beautiful shadiness of red change from spring to summertime and summer to fall !
And formore information about growing Japanese maples , be sure to add these guides to your reading list next :
pic by Lorna Kring © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Cartesian product photos via Maple Ridge Nursery and Nature Hills Nursery . Uncredited exposure : Shutterstock .
About
Lorna Kring
