{"id":5137,"date":"2025-11-14T09:34:37","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T17:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/14\/11-of-the-best-red-japanese-maples-for-your-garden\/"},"modified":"2025-11-14T09:34:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T17:34:42","slug":"11-of-the-best-red-japanese-maples-for-your-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/14\/11-of-the-best-red-japanese-maples-for-your-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"11 of the Best Red Japanese Maples for Your Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"

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He\u2019s also heat and cold tolerant, and moderately slow growing \u2013 expect a height and spread of about 15 feet at maturity. Plus, this variety is extremely resistant to pests and diseases.<\/p>\n

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Emperor One<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Nature Hills Nursery carries<\/a><\/strong> this perennial favorite. Two- to three-foot tall plants are available in #2 containers.<\/p>\n

4. Fireglow<\/h2>\n

Warn the neighbors when you plant \u2018Fireglow\u2019 because they might want to call the fire department when they see the sun shining through the vibrant leaves of this tree, which sets the landscape ablaze with a glowing three-season display.<\/p>\n

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In the spring, the leaves emerge with a striking, bold, and bright ruby color.<\/p>\n

These transition to maroon in the summer, though they\u2019ll develop an orange hue on the back in direct sun. Come autumn they\u2019ll change again, this time to a fiery red with hints of orange.<\/p>\n

The heavily lobed, palmate leaves may look delicate, but \u2018Fireglow\u2019 is known for being tough enough to withstand direct sun even in hot climates.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Fireglow\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

It won\u2019t outgrow a small space either, topping out at about 10 feet in 15 years.<\/p>\n

Light up your landscape by picking up a tree from Maple Ridge Nursery<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

5. Garnet<\/h2>\n

\u2018Garnet\u2019 is a weeping ruby-colored A. palmatum <\/em>var. dissectum<\/em> \u2013 aka weeping Japanese maple<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 that lives up to its name.<\/p>\n

It starts the season with deep maroon foliage before gradually transitioning to bright, deep garnet in the fall. It stays extremely compact at five feet tall and wide, with a natural umbrella-like form.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Garnet\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The deeply-lobed leaves are heavily serrated, giving the impression of a bunch of jewel-like strips of lace dancing in the wind.<\/p>\n

If this gem\u2019s got your eye, plants are available from Nature Hills<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

6. Oregon Sunset<\/h2>\n

Like the changing colors in the sky just before dusk, A. palmatum<\/em> \u2018Oregon Sunset\u2019 gradually transitions through various colors through the growing season.<\/p>\n

The rounded, palmate leaves start out bright red before changing to plum purple in the summer. When fall arrives, they shift to orange-red.<\/p>\n

This slow grower is perfect in containers or a small garden plot. It only reaches seven feet tall in 20 years, but will eventually reach 10 feet tall and wide in ideal conditions with time.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Oregon Sunset\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you live somewhere with hot summers, plan to give this cultivar a little protection from the afternoon heat.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re ready to sit back and enjoy a three-season sunset in your garden, grab a potted specimen at Maple Ridge Nursery<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

7. P\u00e9v\u00e9 Starfish<\/h2>\n

If you want something a little different to stand out from the laceleafs and the typical palmates of the Japanese maple world, check out \u2018P\u00e9v\u00e9 Starfish.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Photo credit: JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Well-known Dutch breeder Piet Vergeldt introduced this unusual A. palmatum<\/em>, which has backward-cupped leaves that distinctly resemble red starfish.<\/p>\n

The foliage is bright crimson in the spring, maroon in the summer, and even brighter crimson in the fall, and trees stay under eight feet tall.<\/p>\n

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\u2018P\u00e9v\u00e9 Starfish\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pick up \u2018P\u00e9v\u00e9 Starfish\u2019 in one- and three-gallon containers from Maple Ridge Nursery<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

8. Red Dragon<\/h2>\n

A. palmatum <\/em>var. dissectum<\/em> \u2018Red Dragon\u2019 is an elegant weeping tree that stays small, reaching just four feet in height in about 10 years.<\/p>\n

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But while its fernlike, thin, heavily serrated, scarlet leaves are gorgeous, what makes this tree so highly sought after is its ability to hold its color all summer \u2013 even when it\u2019s extremely hot and other maples are fading.<\/p>\n

\u2018Red Dragon\u2019 doesn\u2019t need the heat to look its best, though. It will retain its crimson hue even in partial shade.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Red Dragon\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ready to pick up a dragon of your very own to tame at home? Nature Hills Nursery<\/a><\/strong> has specimens available in #2 and #5 containers.<\/p>\n

Learn more about growing \u2018Red Dragon\u2019 in our full guide<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

9. Red Select<\/h2>\n

They emerge deep purple in the spring, but by fall the leaves turn a bold, vibrant red.<\/p>\n

Combined with a gracefully arching growth habit, \u2018Red Select\u2019 makes for an elegant centerpiece or accent in your outdoor space.<\/p>\n

This plant was cultivated from the ever-popular \u2018Inaba Shidare\u2019 and they look fairly similar, though \u2018Red Select\u2019 features smaller leaves. It reaches 10 feet tall and 15 feet wide at maturity.<\/p>\n

Some Acer<\/em> plants are sensitive to pollution, but not \u2018Red Select.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\u2018Red Select\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

This A. palmatum <\/em>var. dissectum<\/em> cultivar has palm-shaped leaves and the young branches are red, gradually fading to gray as they mature.<\/p>\n

Ready to select this beaut for your garden? Nab one at Fast Growing Trees<\/a><\/strong>. They carry this classic option in a one- to two-foot height.<\/p>\n

10. Tamukeyama<\/h2>\n

Chances are there\u2019s a \u2018Tamukeyama\u2019 growing in a garden near you. That\u2019s because it\u2019s been available to gardeners for over 300 years and it ticks all the right boxes.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s a vigorous grower, tolerant of heat, leafs out later in the spring to avoid late frost damage, and it holds its color well all summer long.<\/p>\n

The cascading, umbrella-like shape requires little pruning to maintain, and the deeply lobed, heavily serrated leaves look like petite crimson ferns.<\/p>\n

The color starts out plum and stays that way throughout the summer before shifting to vibrant crimson in the fall.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Tamukeyama\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

It grows up to 10 feet tall and 12 feet wide.<\/p>\n

Nature Hills Nursery carries<\/a><\/strong> this classic in #2 nursery pots, or in #10 containers so you can get a jump on the growing process.<\/p>\n

11. Twombly\u2019s Red Sentinel<\/h2>\n

Ken Twombly of Twombly\u2019s Nursery in Connecticut spotted an unusual growth on a Japanese maple at a church one day.<\/p>\n

Recognizing a good thing when he saw it, he propagated the cutting and the result is a stunner that is unparalleled in the Japanese maple world.<\/p>\n

This tree is upright and extremely narrow with a three-foot width and a 10-foot height when mature. Position these in a row or as a single bright scarlet sentry in the garden.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Twombly\u2019s Red Sentinel\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The leaves are palmate with seven lobes that feature finely serrated edges. Purplish-red during the summer, they brighten up to a bold, bright vermillion in the fall.<\/p>\n

You can find \u2018Twombly\u2019s Red Sentinel\u2019 available from Maple Ridge Nursery<\/a><\/strong> in one-, three-, and seven-gallon containers.<\/p>\n

Red Means\u2026 Go!<\/h2>\n

When it comes to Japanese maples, red means go! Pop on over to your nearest nursery either online or in person, and scoop one up to add bold, bright color to your outdoor space.<\/p>\n

And if you need to brush up on how to care for these trees, check out our growing guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Which one will you pick? Or did we miss one that you\u2019re particularly fond of? Share with us in the comments!<\/p>\n

Of course, there\u2019s more to these marvelous trees than what we\u2019ve covered here. If you found this article useful, read these Japanese maple guides next<\/a><\/strong>:<\/p>\n