Acer palmatum ‘Summer Gold’ Japanese Maple

‘Summer Gold’ is a bright, sunny Japanese Maple that is an excellent showpiece for the garden. Its golden leaves, dense, vase-shaped canopy, and small to intermediate size make it perfect for a rock or alpine garden, urban garden, courtyard, or container. This bright new introduction is sure to be a winner among beginners and seasoned gardeners alike.
‘Summer Gold’ Japanese Maple grows at an intermediate rate of 12″-18″ per year, reaching 9′ × 4′ in 10 years. Its distinctive, 7-lobed leaves emerge in the spring as a soft yellow-green or chartreuse outlined in red, hanging on red petioles. As spring moves into summer, the leaves change to golden and are brighter in full sun. Inconspicuous reddish-purple flowers dangle from the branches and are followed by red, winged samaras late in the season. Before they drop in the fall, the yellow summer leaves transform into golden orange or fiery red, making it a colorful accent tree for three seasons out of the year.
‘Summer Gold’ thrives in sun to partial shade in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9. It becomes brighter gold in the heat and sun of summer, and unlike some other light-leaved Japanese maples, it doesn’t burn in the full summer sun. It does best in rich, moist, slightly acidic, well-draining soil. While it tolerates most soil types, it’s best to avoid planting it in a dry location with compacted clay unless the soil is amended with organic matter or compost.
Water the tree at planting, then weekly for a season, and more frequently during dry periods, ensuring the soil doesn’t become waterlogged. Once established, the tree will become drought-tolerant, and you’ll only need to water it during periods of dry weather. Trees grown in containers will dry out quickly and must watered more frequently than those grown in the garden. A layer of mulch at the base of the tree in the fall will help protect it from cold winter temperatures.
‘Summer Gold’ Japanese Maple can live side-by-side companion plants with the same cultural requirements: sun to partial shade and moist, well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Rhododendrons, azaleas, and mountain laurels fit the description, as do dwarf conifers and hydrangeas. Smaller perennials, such as coral bells, ferns, anemones, hellebores, and hostas, add texture and interest around the base of the tree.
In addition to its tolerance to drought, heat, and urban pollution, ‘Summer Gold’ provides a nesting place for birds; the flowers invite pollinating insects, and local wildlife eat the seeds.