Acer palmatum ‘Mikawa yatsubusa’ Seedling Japanese Maple

This beautiful dwarf Japanese maple seedling, with its tight, dense growth habit and spectacular color, is a popular choice for small spaces. And since it’s not grafted, it is outstanding as a bonsai. Mikawa yatsubusa Japanese maple was discovered in the Tokai region of Japan in the 1970s and named after the Mikawa province. In 2015, the Maple Society of North America awarded ‘Mikawa yatsubusa’ the Maple of the Year for its exceptional qualities.
The most noticeable characteristic of this tree is its very tight growth on short internodes. The sharply lobed leaves overlap on short, red petioles, giving it a layered, sculptured appearance. The leaves emerge as light green, pink, orange, or reddish in spring, then transition to green in the summer. The spring leaf color varies with each tree since they are grown from seed, and only some germinated seedlings look like their parents. In the spring, small red flowers dangle from the branches, attracting pollinators such as moths. They develop into red samaras (winged seeds) that birds, squirrels, and chipmunks love to eat. In fall, the leaves turn a bright orange-red before they drop.
This maple is a dwarf that grows slowly, at about 4″ to 6″ a year. In 10 years, it only reaches 5′ × 4′, making it a good choice for rock gardens and fairy gardens and as a container tree for patios, balconies, and bonsai.
‘Mikawa yatsubusa’ will grow happily in full sun to partial shade in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9. It can handle full sun in northern zones but will do best with morning sun and afternoon shade in the southern areas of its zones. It needs neutral to slightly acidic soil that is well-draining and rich in organic matter. While Japanese maples need moist soil, they don’t do well rooted in soggy, saturated areas. Water the tree well when planting, then water it weekly until it is established in the first year or two. Remember that container-grown trees need more frequent watering than those grown in the garden.
Companion plants grown around or near ‘Mikawa yatsubusa’ can function as a backdrop to enhance the tree’s beautiful leaf color and complement its sharp, dense texture. Pines, arborvitae, and yews provide a dark green background that contrasts with the maple’s light colors. Flowering shrubs, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, daphne, and trees, like flowering cherry and dogwood, add color and texture near the maple. Ferns, hostas, Japanese forest grass, lilyturf, and ornamental sedges grown beneath and around the tree bring out its light colors.
Finally, flowering perennials, such as coral bells, sedums, hellebores, bunchberry, lily of the valley, and spring bulbs, are attractive growing nearby. Groundcovers like ajuga, wild ginger, periwinkle, and creeping phlox provide a perennial carpet of interest under the tree.