How Fast Do Japanese Maple Trees Grow and Ways To Enhance It


How fast do Japanese maples grow
 
Japanese Maples are large shrubs or small flowering trees belonging to the genus Acer.  As the name suggests, they are native to Japan. They are also found in southeast Russia and Asia. They are a part of traditional Japanese landscaping and garden design. With an artistic appeal Japanese Maples are featured in classical poetry and art as well in Japan. Not to forget, these trees are used in bonsai also.
 

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Why Are Japanese Maples So Special?

 
Japanese maples are known for their stunning foliage. They are ornamental landscape trees having colorful leaves that offer magical and diminutive beauty to your garden. These trees grow new leaves in spring that are deeply lobed and finely dissected in stunning hues of red, gold, bright green, yellow and orange.
 
Some of the maple varieties have red or purple leaves all growing season. Their leaves come in many textures. Some have wide lobes, while others are finely dissected and lacy. The flowers are small; red or purple in color. Their dry winged fruit called samara is half-inch long.
 
Dwarf Japanese maples are perfect for small, compact gardens or containers or are ideal for the ancient art of bonsai.
 

Japanese Maples – How Fast Do They Grow?

Japanese maples are easy to grow in a garden if they are planted at an appropriate site. They have a moderate rather slow growth rate of 1 to 2 feet every year.
 
They are ideally suitable for full shade, especially in warmer climates, but needs are different for different cultivars. Most of them cannot tolerate afternoon sun. They grow their best in filtered sun or partial shade. When grown in partial shade, their leaf colors are stunningly vibrant. These maples do well in rich, well-drained and moist soil.
 
They require regular watering. Whenever you feel the soil is dry, water these trees. Mulch the soil around the trees to retain the moisture. Once it turns a year old, fertilize your maple in late winter or early spring.
 
Japanese maples need little pruning. Remove the dead leaves, damaged branches. Avoid pruning several low or interior branches. They are susceptible of sunburn on the branches and trunks. Removing lower branches or trunks can expose the tree to sun and kill the tree.
 
With some minimal amount of care and attention, they will thrive and their beauty will grow every year.
 

How To Make A Japanese Maple Grow Faster ?

 

 
Now when it comes to the question – How fast do Japanese maple trees grow, we know that Japanese maples are slow growers. Their average growth rate is 12 – 24 inches per year. They gain average height of 10 to 15 feet when they are 15 years old. The growth rate is not even every year.
 
They gain much of their height in their earlier years. By the time they reach maturity, they top out at 20 feet.
 
So, the only thing you could do to enhance Japanese Maple’s growth rate is to provide the ideal growing conditions to it. Japanese maples should be planted at an appropriate location with average temperature above -10°F and be watered twice a week in normal situations. They need well-drained, acidic and moist soil to do well. They need to be protected from strong winds with lots of sunlight or partial shade.
 
Here are some of the best varieties of Japanese maple trees to fill your garden with stunning beauty. If you are wondering about Japanese maples – how fast do they grow, read further.
 
Related: Maple Tree Lifespan|Laceleaf Japanese Maple Types
 

How Fast Does Bloodgood Japanese Maple Grow?

 
The Bloodgood Japanese Maples or Acer palmatum are deciduous trees ideal for smaller yards. Mostly they are used as specimen trees and also used as bonsai. They are slow growers and can reach a height of 20 feet at maturity. Every year they grow 1 to 2 feet.
 
Although heavy watering and fertilizer might lead to faster growth, however it is not recommended as natural growth will produce the proper branching.
 
The foliage of these trees are red in color and is at its brightest in spring when they bloom. In summer it darkens to burgundy and again vibrant red in the fall. They are known for their rounded crown, palmate leaves with magnificent fall colors. The plant has multiple sub-trunks. These easy-to-care ornamental trees don’t need any pruning.
 
During spring season, this tree gets double-winged samaras that starts to redden as they mature. It adds some ornamental value to the plant.
 
If you want to learn how to make a Japanese maple grow faster of this variety, understand that they grow well in acidic, well-drained, loamy, sandy and clay soil. They should be planted in full sun or partial shade. They should be protected from string winds and should not be planted in hot and arid sites. Extreme heat can harm them.
 
At the beginning of the summer, apply a loose mulch over the soil to help retain moisture. In spring, before the new leaves start coming, add little organic fertilizer to the soil.
 
When there is no rain, water the plant regularly twice or three times a week. Trees that are established only need water once a week unless the weather has been hot and dry for a long period of time.
 
Pruning young plants will encourage maple growth.
 

How Fast Does A Coral Bark Japanese Maple Grow?

 
The Coral Bark Japanese Maple or Acer palmatum‘Sango-Kaku has a moderate growth rate and stands out for its striking beauty. The Coral Japanese Maple matures at a height of 20 feet and width of 5 to 8 feet.

 

Its beautiful winter twig color can turn even the gloomiest winter into an interesting season. Their elegance can lift the beauty of any garden and can be a wonderful addition to a garden shade.

 

Even if you do not have a garden, this tree can look wonderful in balcony or in a large container for your patio or any deck.
 
Its brilliant coral color pink bark is its striking feature. When its spring, the new leaves come out in a yellow-green color with red edges.
 
During summer, they turn neon-green and then golden-yellow in fall. The leaves are around 2 inches long with 5 to 7 narrow lobes. In spring the leaves turn yellow-green with red edges; as they develop they turn bright-green. Before falling, they turn gorgeous golden-yellow.
 
They do not require regular watering. The ideal soil is a well-drained, slightly sandy soil. The best spot to plant them is where they can get the morning sun and is shaded in the summer afternoons.
 

How Fast Do Japanese Maples Grow – Dwarf Variety?

 
Dwarf Japanese Maple are small trees that are perfect for landscaping a small area or for growing in containers. Small varieties of these trees are ideal for containers, miniature lawns and small yards.
 
These trees are ornamental and are slow growers. They take many years to reach maturity. Dwarf trees reach 4 and 8 feet tall with an annual growth of just 12 inches.
 
Maples are easy to care and grow well in well-drained, moist soil. They should be grown in a spot with four hours of direct sunlight. Yearly pruning helps in their growth. Watering is needed regularly to keep the soil moist.

 

How Fast Do Emperor Japanese Maples Grow?

Emperor Japanese Maple or Acer palmatum Wolff is a fast growing small tree known for its beautiful foliage. The leaves appear a rich purple-red color in spring and they hold the color in summer, then turns vibrant scarlet in fall.

 

As it is a quick growing tree, it grows around 24 inches per year and soon matures into a 15 feet tall tree, perfect for smaller garden. It is ideal for terrace garden where it can be planted in a container. The leaves are 2 to 4 inches long with 5 to 7 lobes.

 

This tree grows the best in well-drained soil that is not alkaline. Regular summer watering is needed for this variety as it should not be left to dry completely. In colder regions, it should be grown in full sun and in warmer zones, it should be kept in some shade. These trees do not need any pruning as they will naturally grow into a beauty.

 

How Fast Do Fireglow Japanese Maples Grow?

 
Fireglow Japanese Maple trees are one of the best red Japanese maples. When the sun shines through their leaves, it gives a fiery accent. Hence they got the name ‘Fireglow’.
 
It takes 10 years to grow between 6 and 10 feet tall and 15 feet wide. They typically reach 12 feet and 10 feet wide with its densely branched, rounded crown.
 
They have elegant crimson red leaves that last from spring to fall. Five to seven red lanceolate blades form the palmate leaves. The new leaves are in bright and brilliant red colored. The color turns into a rich burgundy and lasts till fall. These leafy maples can tolerate full sun.
 
The tree produces abundant red maple keys or samaras which hang in bunches for many months. This tree will grow its best in full sun or partial shade. Too much sun can scorch the leaves and too much shade can decrease the intensity of leaf coloring.
 
The ideal soil is well-drained, rich, moist soil. It requires regular watering. That’s all you need to know how to make a Japanese maple grow faster – fireglow variety.
 

How Fast Do Red Japanese Maples Grow?

Red Japanese Maple can be grown as a small tree or multi-stemmed shrub. It produces reddish purple attractive foliage in spring that persists till fall. In summers, the leaves turn green in color. The leaves are 4 to 7 inches long with 5 or 7 lobes.
 
These trees grow at a slow to medium rate; height increases anywhere from 12 to 23 inches per year. It grows to a height of 25 feet and spread of around 20 feet at maturity.
 
This tree grows well in loamy, moist, rich, sandy, well-drained and clay soil. Although it prefers moist and well-drained soil, it has some drought tolerance.
 
It works well in full sun and partial shade. It requires minimum four hours of direct sunlight each day.
 

How Fast Do Weeping Japanese Maples Grow?

Weeping Japanese Maple trees or Acer Palmatum dissectum tamukeyana are one of the most petite trees to add to your garden. They are medium-sized trees with a height of 7-feet and umbrella-like crown, lacy leaves, and colorful branches. Their leaves are purple in color during summers and turn red towards autumn.
 
These trees do well in warmer temperatures. When exposed to frost and cold winds they should wrapped up to preserve their health. They should be planted in indirect sunlight as they may dry out quickly.
 
One of the interesting features of weeping maple is that it is one of the first trees to bloom in spring and the last one to lose out their leaves during colder months.

 

Which Maple Tree Grows The Fastest?

 
How fast do Japanese maple trees grow depends on its species. The fastest growing maple tree variety is the silver maple or Acer Saccharinum. It is a big tree that can gain at least 36 inches per year and can go up to 84 inches. It tops out at 80 feet with 60 feet breadth.
 
The red maple is another fast-growing variety of Japanese maple. Red maples grows 2 feet per year in ideal conditions.

 

FAQs

Q. How long does a Japanese maple take to grow to maturity?

A. Japanese maple trees are slow growers. If we talk about how fast do Japanese maples grow, the average growth of this tree is 12 inches per year. When it is 15 years old, it reaches a height of 10 to 15 feet. The growth is not even year to year. It attains much of its height in the earlier years. At maturity, the tree grows up to 20 feet tall.
 

Q. Where is the best place to plant a Japanese maple?

A. Many people ask – How to make a Japanese maple grow faster? When planted in an ideal location, Japanese maples can attain maximum growth. They thrive well in well-drained, moist soil. They should be planted in full sun or partial shade and should be protected from string winds and frost.
 

Q. Are coffee grounds good for Japanese maple?

A. As coffee contains essential nutrients, it can keep your maple healthy and nourished. Make sure to use good quality coffee grounds. Some of the benefits of using coffee grounds:
 

  • Eliminates bacteria
  • Helps in accelerating the growth rate of your plant
  • Makes your plant healthy

 

Q. How to increase the growth of a Japanese Maple Bonsai?

A. Japanese maple Bonsai requires regular fertilizer and moist soil to grow quick and strong. Keep watering the plant regularly and check if the soil pH is between 5.5 to 6.5. During summers and spring, the plant should be given organic bonsai fertilizer or liquid fertilizer every two weeks. During the fall, a nitrogen free fertilizer should be used and feeding frequency should be reduced.
 
Also, if you have kept them outdoors, bring them in when the weather is harsh.
 

Q. What is the best fertilizer for Japanese Maple?

A. The best fertilizer for Japanese maple is a slow-release granular fertilizer with higher nitrogen content as compared phosphorus & potassium (NPK). Slow-release fertilizer is important as it provides a steady supply of feed to the plant.

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