Nippon Maple (Acer nipponicum)

Also known as: Nippon Maple

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Acer nipponicum is a medium-sized deciduous tree, growing to between 15 to 20 m and averaging 18 m tall. The branches and trunk have a smooth grey bark, while young twigs are a smooth, slightly lustrous dark green. 

I. Appearance and Characteristics 

Acer nipponicum, occasionally called the Nippon maple, is a species of maple native to Japan. It belongs to the Acer section Parviflora.

The species was first described by Adrien René Franchet and Paul Amedée Ludovic Savatier as Acer parviflorum in 1877. This name was already taken, having been used in the earlier description of Acer parviflorum by Jakob Friedrich Ehrhart, which in turn is a synonym of Acer spicatum. Noting this situation, in 1938 Hermann Albrecht Hesse renamed the species to Acer brevilobum, but because this renaming was published thirteen days after Hiroshi Hara published his renaming of the species to Acer nipponicum, the A. nipponicum name has priority.

Nippon Maple (Acer nipponicum)
Lycopodium clavatum 100911 BerndH CC BY-SA 3.0

Acer nipponicum is a medium-sized deciduous tree, growing to between 15–20 metres (49–66 ft) and averaging 18 metres (59 ft) tall. The branches and trunk have a smooth grey bark, while young twigs are a smooth, slightly lustrous dark green. The flowers of A. nipponicum are generally andromonoecious, but some trees in groves occasionally are androecious, having only male flowers.

Wild specimens flower from about Late June and continue through late July depending on elevation, with trees growing at lower elevation starting to bloom in mid June, and some trees flowering through to early August. The species is found in mountainous regions on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu in Japan at elevations ranging from 500 to 2,000 metres (1,600 to 6,600 ft). 

The northernmost groves are near Mount Hachimantai and Mount Iwate in Iwate Prefecture on Honshu. The southernmost groves are in the southeast corner of Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

The nippon maple has a certain requirement for sunlight and prefers a partially shaded area. In cases of exposure to direct sunlight in the summer, the leaves of most varieties will wither, so shading is required. As the plants get older and their root system grows, this condition will be less of a problem. A few varieties will tolerate exposure to direct sunlight, such as ‘Beni Maiko’ and ‘De Shojo’. Some weeping varieties can also tolerate exposure to direct sunlight, such as ‘Ao Shidare’.

Nippon Maple (Acer nipponicum)
Lycopodium clavatum peupleloup CC BY-SA 2.0

Sunlight conditions will directly affect the ornamental appearance of nippon maple leaves. In the spring, sufficient sunlight will make the maple leaves more vivid, while in cases of insufficient sunlight or partial shading the leaf color may fade. During the fall, sunlight can also affect the leaf color. For potted plants, full exposure to sunlight is recommended during the spring and the fall, with partial shading in the summer.

Temperature

The nippon maple has good cold resistance and is able to tolerate low temperatures. The nippon maple is native to the margins of forests in China, Japan, and North Korea, so these trees generally prefer a humid environment. Most nippon maple plants have shallow root systems, so they should be watered frequently during the summer. For some varieties, a sprayed mist should be provided during the summer to increase the humidity of the air around them.

Watering

The nippon maple prefers the soil to be kept moist, especially during the summer, because dry weather can cause its leaves to scorch and even fall off in severe cases. 

  • During the summer, in addition to watering the roots, foliage can be sprayed during the evening to increase the humidity.
  • In the summer, seedlings growing in pots may need watering twice a day, in the morning and the evening.
  • In the spring and fall, watering should be carried out depending on the actual conditions. Watering can be reduced slightly as the temperature drops in the fall, which will help the leaves to change color.
  • In the winter, it is only necessary to ensure that the soil does not dry out.

Attention should be paid to the watering of seedlings grown in gardens during the early stages. At later stages, water should be supplied according to the weather, that is if there is no rain for more than two weeks in the summer.

Soil

Nippon Maple (Acer nipponicum)
Lycopodium clavatum 151207 Bernd Haynold CC BY-SA 3.0

The nippon maple does not have many specific requirements for soil. It is a forest native, so it prefers well-drained soil that is rich in humus and slightly acidic. Its main root will extend deep into the soil, but its tiny fibrous roots will be concentrated near the soil surface, so accumulated water in the soil tends to cause root rot.

Fertilizing

Potted seedlings should be given slow-release fertilizer only. For seedlings grown in gardens, fertilizer should be applied three times a year: once in the early spring, once in early summer for the growth period, and once in the fall.

Planting Instructions

The best time for planting or transplanting a nippon maple is following defoliation in the fall. At this time, the leaves will have fallen off so there is little transpiration and water loss can be avoided. In addition, the root system will still be growing at this time, preparing for regrowth the following spring. Transplanting should be avoided on the coldest days because cold wind can kill some of the shoots and branches. During the winter, in areas that cannot be sheltered from the wind, it is recommended to cover the branches.

Pruning

Nippon Maple (Acer nipponicum)
Lycopodium clavatum kz3 Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz CC BY-SA 4.0

Pruning is mainly used to enhance internal ventilation, improve shoot formation, promote growth, and for shaping. The common approach to pruning is to remove any old or weak branches, remove any branches that disrupt the shape of the tree, and remove any branches that cross other branches. Pruning is used to control the plant according to the required height and shape. Generally, this follows the “Y-type” pruning method.

It is possible to prune a nippon maple throughout the year, but the coldest winter months should be avoided to prevent damage to the plant. Major pruning to shape a maple can be performed following defoliation in the fall, or prior to leaf growth in the spring. It is recommended to prune in the fall because withered and full buds can be easily distinguished.

According to the shaping plan, you can prune any withered buds and keep the full ones, thus making your tree healthier. For pruning in the summer, diseased, weak, or dead branches can be removed, mainly to enhance the tree’s ventilation.

If grown as a potted plant, the roots can easily occupy the entire flowerpot due to the limited space. This can make a nippon maple prone to aging if an old flowerpot is not changed. It is recommended that old roots are pruned during the dormancy period, that is, cut off any old, coarse, diseased, and weak roots.

Propagation

Nippon Maple (Acer nipponicum)
Lycopodium clavatum L., 1753 Tenesse85 Public Domain Mark 1.0

Common propagation methods include grafting, taking cuttings, and sowing seeds.

Grafting is the most common propagation method. Seedlings of Acer palmatum or Acer oliverianum are usually selected for the rootstock. Grafted seedlings have strong roots and grow rapidly, but poor affinity is occasionally present in some cases. Seedlings with Acer oliverianum as the rootstock are less hardy.

Cuttings take longer to grow and are mostly used in the production of bonsai.

Sowing seeds is a common way to cultivate new varieties. The hybrid offspring of two different maples are sown and valuable individuals are then selected from the seedlings. The traits of the parents may not be maintained in the selected offspring.

Nippon Maple (Acer nipponicum) Details

Common name

Nippon Maple

Botanical name

Lycopodium clavatum

Family

Lycopodiaceae

Genus

Lycopodium

Species

clavatum

Origin

Alaska, Canada, south to Georgia and west to California.

Life cycle

Plant type

Hardiness zone

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Sunlight

Soil condition

Soil ph

Drainage

Growth rate

Harvest time

Leaf color

Leaf benefit

Garden style

Dimensions
Dimensions 63630675053 × 63630675017 cm
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