Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Crimson Dragon’
Japanese maples are among the many most versatile small timber for the backyard and panorama, and ‘Crimson Dragon’ is a dwarf, fuss-free magnificence with elegant department patterning and wonderfully colourful, dainty foliage.
Extremely decorative, ‘Crimson Dragon’ vegetation have a compact dimension and a comparatively gradual progress fee that makes them perfect for smaller landscapes, backyard nooks, and containers. However there’s nothing small concerning the affect of their stunning, filigree leaves!
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The upright, rounded behavior with weeping branches provides a sleek profile that makes a hanging focus for foundations, islands, combined shrub beds, or patio planters, and it’s among the many finest for retaining its vibrant burgundy shading in full solar.
The lacy, deeply dissected leaves give a long-lasting and spectacular present.
They emerge vibrant cherry crimson in spring, deepen to a darkish, scrumptious merlot or plum coloration for summer season, then brighten to a shocking cerise for fall’s foliage finale.
And in winter, the dense body of good-looking, red-stemmed twiggy branches are made for a string of vacation twinkle lights!
In case your backyard’s prepared for an infusion of red-toned sophistication, let’s bounce into find out how to develop ‘Crimson Dragon’ Japanese maple!
Right here’s what you’ll discover forward:
What Is ‘Crimson Dragon’ Japanese Maple?
‘Crimson Dragon’ is a dwarf cultivar of Acer palmatum var. dissectum, often known as laceleaf, cutleaf, threadleaf, or weeping Japanese maples.
A. palmatum is a well-liked species that hails from Japan and jap China. And the variability identify, dissectum, refers back to the form of the foliage.
The leaves are deeply reduce with a fragile, feathery nature – apparently, they resemble a dragon’s claws, therefore the colourful cultivar identify!
These deciduous timber have a mature top and unfold of six to 10 ft – smaller when grown in containers, often three to 5 ft – with a powerful, central chief stem and a number of branches in an open, rounded kind with a weeping behavior.
Together with the sleek kind, ‘Crimson Dragon’ shines for its three seasons of color-changing foliage.
New progress is vibrant crimson with the leaves deepening to burgundy in summer season, then brightening once more as soon as frosty temperatures arrive.
‘Crimson Dragon’ retains its crimson hues in summer season higher than most Japanese maples.
In spring, small, inconspicuous flower corymbs seem, maturing into burgundy samaras in late summer season to early fall.
Samaras are the two-winged, seed-containing whirligigs that spin as they journey on the wind.
The vegetation additionally present winter curiosity with a sexy, multi-branched silhouette, and coarse, grayish bark on the chief and primary branches plus crimson stem suggestions.
These compact timber sometimes have a clearance of about three ft from the bottom and develop at a gradual fee. However they’re long-lived, with a lifespan of as much as 80 years.
Their upright and weeping progress provides distinctive magnificence to protected websites all through the panorama and ‘Crimson Dragon’ can deal with full solar in temperate areas, though mild afternoon shade is beneficial in areas with intense afternoon sunshine.
They’ve reasonable chilly hardiness and are appropriate for rising in Zones 5 to eight.
Cultivation and Historical past
The islands and territories of Japan are house to 23 recognized species within the Acer genus, however the many stunning panorama specimens generally known as Japanese maples come primarily from two species, A. palmatum and A. japonicum.
Growth of the decorative cultivars began in Japan within the early 1600s, but it surely wasn’t till the top of the 1700s that they have been launched to Europe, making their solution to North America by the mid-1800s.
Simply cultivated with few issues, as we speak Japanese maples are a welcome addition to small yards or massive landscapes.
Dwarf Japanese maple varieties like ‘Crimson Dragon’ and ‘Crimson Queen’ make a hanging focus for compact areas akin to metropolis and courtyard gardens, foundations, nooks and islands, or as a powerful spiller in massive containers and patio planters.
‘Crimson Dragon’ Japanese Maple Propagation
For the house gardener, ‘Crimson Dragon’ Japanese maple timber are finest propagated from softwood stem cuttings or through grafting.
Beginning timber from seed is feasible, however as a result of the unique inventory was probably grafted, the seedlings they produce gained’t be true to the dad or mum.
Right here’s find out how to begin softwood cuttings:
Take softwood cuttings in mid-spring, 4 to eight weeks after new progress emerges.
Use clear, sharp shears to take away six- to eight-inch suggestions from softwood stems which have hardened barely.
Take away leaves from the underside half of the cuttings however maintain the tip leaves intact.
To enhance probabilities of rooting, dip the reduce finish in a rooting hormone powder. Shake gently to take away extra powder.
Fill six-inch pots with a rooting soil mix or make your personal from equal elements of coir or peat moss, panorama sand, and perlite.
Water calmly to moisten the soil combine however don’t saturate it.
Insert the reduce ends midway up the stem and agency the soil rigorously round them to maintain them in place.
Set the cuttings in a web site that receives vibrant, oblique mild. Water each day with a mild mist setting.
Roots ought to develop inside three to 4 weeks.
Our information to rising Japanese maples covers this course of intimately.
In fall, plant your new saplings into 12-inch pots to provide them one other yr of progress earlier than planting out into backyard beds or a everlasting container.
When you’d wish to attempt your hand at grafting, our information to grafting Japanese maples has all the main points.
Transplanting
The simplest solution to get began is to buy a plant from a backyard middle or nursery and transplant it into the backyard.
Fall is the most effective time to plant because it provides the roots time to get established whereas the remainder of the tree is dormant, however spring works as properly.
And in the event you obtain lots of winter rain, planting in a raised mound will be a good suggestion. Elevating the roots in a mound helps to keep away from standing water and improves drainage. Mounds ought to be at the very least 18 inches above the backyard soil stage.
Loosen the soil within the planting web site to a depth of 18 inches.
To your backyard soil, combine in a single a part of compost, well-rotted manure, or worm castings to counterpoint the soil – Acer species do finest with reasonable quantities of nutrient wealthy natural supplies.
Combine in a single half panorama sand, pea gravel, or stone chips to provide the vegetation the sandy texture they like and to enhance soil drainage.
Add in a single a part of moisture-retentive materials, like coconut coir, peat moss, perlite, or vermiculite to assist maintain the soil calmly moist.
Create a planting gap thrice the width and one to at least one and a half occasions the depth of the foundation ball.
Fill the opening with water after which let it drain.
Fastidiously take away the tree from the nursery pot and gently loosen a few of the feeder roots from the highest of the foundation ball solely, however don’t attempt to unfold all of them out earlier than planting.
Set your tree in place with the highest of the foundation ball stage with the soil line or as much as 4 inches above it – the sooner your soil drains, the nearer to the soil line the highest of the foundation ball will be.
After checking that the chief trunk is straight, backfill with soil, firming it gently in place.
Water gently however deeply in order that your entire root ball will get a drink.
Learn how to Develop ‘Crimson Dragon’ Japanese Maple
‘Crimson Dragon’ is finest grown in calmly moist, organically wealthy, well-draining soil with a sandy loam texture and barely acidic pH of 6.0 to six.5.
It grows in full solar to half shade, however the foliage can endure from scorch in areas with sizzling summers, particularly if the soil isn’t saved constantly moist.
A web site with mild afternoon shade is helpful for areas that have intense afternoon daylight.
Japanese maples are additionally vulnerable to scorch from different environmental stressors like overly dry soil and sizzling, drying winds, and that is significantly true for cultivars with extremely dissected leaves, like ‘Crimson Dragon.’
The deep cuts within the foliage create a big floor space for optimum moisture absorption, however they’re additionally quick to dry out in sizzling winds, inflicting the leaves to brown and curl.
Select a sheltered rising web site that may present safety from drying winds.
After planting, water new timber often to assist them develop into established, and water weekly in summer season, within the absence of rain to take care of good well being.
As soon as established, maintain the soil evenly and calmly moist. A gentle provide of moisture retains the skinny, delicate leaves well-hydrated and helps to forestall burning and drying out.
Container Grown Crops
‘Crimson Dragon’ is right for rising in massive containers and patio planters.
It has a compact dimension to start out with and Japanese maples are “self stunting,” which implies that the cover progress slows when the roots are confined.
The outcomes are that they’ll keep in the identical pot for years with out sizing up or pruning the roots. The one within the photograph above has been in the identical pot for 25 years with no issues!
Select a container that’s two or thrice the amount of the foundation ball and guarantee it has drainage holes – these timber are delicate to soggy soil and might simply develop root rot in moist situations.
I like so as to add a two-inch layer of porous drainage materials over the drainage holes to maintain the water transferring and keep away from points like moist soil. Supplies akin to damaged pottery or pebbles work properly for this.
Fill the container to a few quarters with a great high quality potting soil. Or you possibly can combine your personal mix.
Use two elements loamy backyard soil; and add one half compost, manure, or worm castings for vitamins; one half gritty materials for drainage; and one half moisture retentive supplies to assist maintain the soil calmly moist.
Water the soil within the pot and let it drain away by way of the holes within the backside.
Take away the tree from its nursery pot and set into place, making certain the chief trunk is straight.
Add extra soil to cowl the roots leaving the highest of the foundation ball stage with the soil line or about two inches above it. Agency the soil gently in place and water deeply.
Add a layer of mulch to assist maintain the soil calmly moist and water when the highest of the soil dries out, watering deeply.
Learn our information to study extra about rising Japanese maples in containers.
Rising Suggestions
Simply cultivated ornamentals, the next suggestions will assist your ‘Crimson Dragon’ to thrive!
- Plant in a web site with at the very least six hours of daylight per day for the most effective leaf coloration.
- For essentially the most enticing leaves, present them with a web site sheltered from sturdy winds.
- Water often to maintain the soil evenly moist.
Pruning and Upkeep
‘Crimson Dragon’ does an admirable job of retaining a sexy form and requires little or no in the best way of pruning.
If pruning is required, accomplish that in late fall to mid-winter, however a lightweight summer season trim can be acceptable. Nonetheless, keep away from pruning in temperatures above 80°F – the beforehand shaded bark could also be tender and vulnerable to solar scald.
In winter, it’s simpler to see the branches to make the cuts wanted to carry the cover. However in summer season, you get a greater concept of the place the thinning must occur if you wish to expose extra of the inside.
It’s additionally necessary to not take away greater than 1 / 4 of the tree’s crown or greater than 1 / 4 of the leaves on any particular person department at anybody time.
Eradicating greater than these quantities could cause pointless stress and starve the tree of vitamins.
In late winter, use your fingers or a small hand rake to groom the branches and take away any useless leaves nonetheless clinging to them.
On the identical time, take away any useless branches utilizing clear, sharp shears or a small backyard noticed.
To carry the cover or branches dragging on the bottom, observe the stem’s tip as much as a powerful aspect department, eradicating the decrease department slightly below the junction.
Study extra about pruning Japanese maples in our information.
When grown in a full solar location, the cover often turns into totally foliated. In partial shade, it stays open and ethereal, exposing a few of the tree’s “bones” in layers or tiers – a cultured look typically present in botanical or show gardens.
To create a cascading, fan-like profile, in summer season, trim the branches calmly into overlaid tiers that arch over the following layer, however don’t contact.
Use clear, sharp shears to trim away small branches which can be touching or crowding the following lowest layer. However use a lightweight contact to forestall stress. It’s higher to sculpt your tree over a interval of two or three years than to take away an excessive amount of in a single season.
To assist keep evenly moist soil, in summer season apply a two or three inch layer of mulch, utilizing supplies akin to shredded bark, conifer needles, chopped leaves, leaf mildew, pebbles, or straw.
In winter, making use of a thick layer of mulch over the foundation zone helps to guard the roots from chilly publicity and from heaving in freeze/thaw cycles.
‘Crimson Dragon’ has a reasonable urge for food and ought to be fertilized sparingly.
In spring as new progress emerges, aspect costume with a two-inch layer of compost, manure, or worm castings.
Or you possibly can apply a half-strength answer of a liquid fertilizer system or gradual launch pellets.
Joyful Frog Natural Japanese Maple Fertilizer
Joyful Frog Natural Japanese Maple Fertilizer is formulated for the (gradual) job and has an NPK of 4-3-4.
You’ll find Joyful Frog obtainable from Maple Ridge Nursery.
Learn up on find out how to fertilize Japanese maples in our information.
The place to Purchase
‘Crimson Dragon’ is a well-liked cultivar and will be discovered in lots of backyard facilities and plant nurseries.
‘Crimson Dragon’
When you want to buy on-line, you’ll find vegetation obtainable at Nature Hills Nursery.
Alternatively, Maple Ridge has ‘Crimson Dragon’ in a wide range of nursery pot sizes.
Managing Pests and Illness
Like different Japanese maples, these are easy-care timber however they’ll develop fungal issues when grown in lower than perfect environments.
Ailments chances are you’ll come throughout embody anthracnose, botrytis, fusarium wilt, leaf spot, verticillium wilt, and stem canker. Most are unfold by bugs, or water splashing onto branches and foliage, or overly moist situations.
Present your timber with good air circulation on all sides, trimming calmly to open the cover or to carry the underside branches off the bottom if wanted.
To keep away from moist soil, it should be well-draining. Amend the soil with gritty materials like panorama sand, pea gravel, or stone chips to enhance drainage or plant timber in an elevated mound.
Guarantee containers have drainage holes and keep away from overwatering.
Additionally, using a drip irrigation system is useful to keep away from splashing water and pathogens onto the leaves.
If wanted, spray your tree with a pure fungicide like neem oil to manage issues.
You’ll be able to study extra about frequent Japanese maple illnesses in our information.
Potential pest issues chances are you’ll come throughout embody aphids, beetles, and scale. Our information to managing frequent Japanese maple pests may help you resolve any points.
Greatest Makes use of for ‘Crimson Dragon’ Japanese Maple
The effective, fern-like leaves of ‘Crimson Dragon’ have a lightweight, delicate look and provides a lovely texture to the panorama.
The timber can tolerate partial shade, and with their compact dimension and ethereal kind, they’re the perfect understory plant for including coloration and privateness with out crowding in borders and screens.
Massed in a row, they supply a colourful border or seasonal hedge.
And as a standalone accent, ‘Crimson Dragon’ makes a hanging focus for foundations, islands, and combined shrub beds. Add some companion vegetation for added backyard curiosity.
They’re perfect for containers and planters on balconies, decks, and patios or all through the backyard, including coloration, top, and texture. And might even be skilled as bonsai.
Fast Reference Rising Information
| Plant Kind: | Dwarf deciduous tree | Foliage Coloration: | Burgundy (summer season), cerise (fall) |
| Native to: | China, Japan, Korea | Upkeep: | Low |
| Hardiness (USDA Zone): | 5-8 | Tolerance: | Half shade |
| Season: | Spring, fall | Soil Kind: | Humus wealthy |
| Publicity: | Full to half solar | Soil pH: | 6.0-6.5 |
| Time to Maturity: | 10 years | Soil Drainage: | Nicely-draining |
| Planting Depth: | Crown at soil stage or a bit above | Makes use of: | Accents, borders, bonsai, containers, foundations, islands, seasonal screens, and combined shrub beds |
| Spacing | 3-6 ft | Household: | Sapindaceae |
| Peak: | 6-10 ft, smaller in containers | Genus: | Acer |
| Unfold: | 6-10 ft, smaller in containers | Species: | Palmatum |
| Water Wants: | Reasonable | Selection: | var. dissectum |
| Widespread Pests and Illness: | Aphids, beetles, caterpillars, mealybugs, and scale bugs; Anthracnose, canker, leaf scorch, leaf spot, root rot, powdery mildew, tip blight, verticillium wilt | Cultivar: | Crimson Dragon |
Ethereal and Elegant Dwarf Bushes
With a chic look and ethereal, delicate leaves that change colours with the seasons, ‘Crimson Dragon’ is a lovely dwarf cultivar with all the most effective qualities of Japanese maples.
A hanging alternative as an accent for foundations and islands and an outstanding addition to containers, give them the situations they like, they usually’re low fuss ornamentals.
Preserve calmly moist soil for sturdy, vibrant roots and supply a sheltered spot out of sizzling, drying winds for wholesome, pleased leaves – then sit again and watch the gorgeous shades of crimson change from spring to summer season and summer season to fall!
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And for extra details about rising Japanese maples, be sure you add these guides to your studying checklist subsequent: