Alphabetical Plant Listing

Great Japanese Maples for Containers

Acer palmatum


Native to Japan, Korea, and China, Acer palmatum is a species to which most Japanese Maples belong. It includes a rich variety of deciduous shrubs or small trees with graceful habits, elegantly cut leaves and extraordinarily colorful foliage, particularly in the fall when the leaves turn dazzling shades of golden-yellow, red-purple, and bronze, before shedding to the ground.

  • Easy to grow, Japanese Maples are cold-hardy, remarkably adaptable to soil and climatic conditions, require little maintenance and are worthy of featured positions such as lawn specimens or near patios where their spectacular leaf color changes throughout the year can be admired.
  • There are countless dwarf Japanese Maple varieties that are perfectly suited to container planting. Since many Japanese Maples are slow growers, medium-sized varieties could also be considered for container planting, provided you are aware that they will outgrow their pots after a few years and will need to move to the garden. 

When it comes to selecting the right Japanese Maple, the task may become daunting as there are many varieties to choose from. Below is a selection of the best or most distinctive Japanese Maples that could become the highlight of your containers. Many have been acknowledged by the Royal Horticultural Society as plants of outstanding excellence for garden decoration through its Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Guide Information

Hardiness 5 - 9
Heat Zones 2 - 8
Climate Zones 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Shrubs, Trees
Plant Family Acer - Maples
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Tolerance Rabbit
Landscaping Ideas Patio and Containers
Compare All Acer - Maples Great Plant Combination Ideas with Acer - Maples Guides with Acer - Maples

antoninavincent / 123RF Stock Photo

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 5 - 9
Heat Zones 2 - 8
Climate Zones 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Shrubs, Trees
Plant Family Acer - Maples
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Tolerance Rabbit
Landscaping Ideas Patio and Containers
Compare All Acer - Maples Great Plant Combination Ideas with Acer - Maples Guides with Acer - Maples

Find your Hardiness Zone

Find your Climate Zone

Find your Heat Zone

Join Gardenia.net

Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

Join now and start creating your dream garden!

Create a New Collection

Optional. For your reference.


Move Selected Plants to a Different Collection


Delete Collection

This field is required.

Rename Collection

This field is required.