An Iowa Garden

If Acer Green Waterfall, shown yesterday, is like a bed of glowing coals, Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' is the whole bonfire: all summer it sits peacefully, cloaked in attractive dark green leaves, then suddenly one day in November it just lights up in Halloween colors of bright orange and yellow. Being a japonicum, it is hardier than the far more common palmatum species of Japanese maple; I've never had so much as a twig die back in winter so far, and it seems fairly tolerant of dry weather, too. However, it apparently doesn't tolerate direct afternoon sun (my tree is in a pretty shady spot). It will reach 10' X 10' eventually, which I am greatly looking forward to: it should be absolutely spectacular in the fall; however it is slow-growing, so my little five foot tall tree has a long ways to go. Aconitifolium refers to the fact that the broad leaves of this maple look like those of aconite (monkshood). I would think it would be an excellent choice for areas of the upper midwest that might be chancy for the more tender palmatum Japanese maples.


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