Acer palmatum ‘Twombly’s Red Sentinel’ Japanese Maple

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Description

A columnar Japanese maple is quite uncommon, and the burgundy-red color of ‘Twombly’s Red Sentinel’ makes it especially unique. Its slender, stately habit and dense branching selection are a fitting choice for almost any landscape. Don’t forget to check out the wide selection of other Acer palmatum species.

 

 

USDA Hardiness Map

Plant Form


Twombly’s Red Sentinel is a stunning columnar variety of Japanese maple that stands tall and slender with a red color that lasts through the season. It is low-maintenance and an excellent choice for brightening narrow spaces like corners, entryways, or patios.
The native species of Japanese maples come from Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and parts of Russia. Twombly’s Red Sentinel was developed from a witches’ broom found growing on the popular ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese red maple by nurseryman Ken Twombly in Connecticut. When it was propagated, it naturally grew in a tight, columnar form and is one of the very few columnar Japanese maples. In 10 years, it will grow to 8′ high and 2.5′ wide and expand somewhat with age. Its dense branching habit, narrow shape, and moderate growth rate of 9″-12″ per year make it an excellent choice for containers on a porch, patio, balcony, or gardens with limited space, such as city gardens or rock gardens. Ken Twombly, who originally discovered the tree, recommended that they could be used as a stately hedge when planted together.
In spring, its 5-7 lobed, deeply cut leaves emerge bright red, along with small red flowers that become winged samaras, fluttering between the leaves. In summer, the foliage darkens to a beautiful burgundy. In fall, the leaves blaze with a vivid fire engine red before dropping, leaving the dark red, bare branches of the current year’s growth to provide interest through the winter.
Twombly’s Red Sentinel needs moist, well-draining, slightly acidic soil with plenty of rich organic matter. It will grow in either full sun or partial shade, although its foliage is brighter in the sun. If it has plenty of moisture, it can tolerate the heat and hot sun of the warmer areas of its 5-9 hardiness zone. Water the tree regularly for the first one or two years while it is establishing and then during dry periods. Spreading mulch around the base will help retain moisture and keep the roots cool. Remember to water container-grown trees more often than those grown in the ground since they will dry out more quickly.
Plants that complement the shape and color of Red Sentinel and show it off at its best are azaleas, rhododendrons, mountain laurels, hemlocks, hostas, ferns, coral bells, and astilbes. Japanese forest grass (Hakenochloa) is a graceful, cascading plant that is lovely in its own right and acts as a foil against the red column of the maple.
Japanese maple flowers are mainly wind-pollinated but are attractive to bees and other beneficial insects. They provide cover for birds, but deer and rabbits leave them alone.

Additional information

Weight N/A
Latin Name

Acer palmatum 'Twombly's Red Sentinel'

Plant Size

#1 Container, #3 Container, #5 Container, #7, 3-4', #7, 30-36", BP, BP-1, Specimen

Common name

Twombly's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple

Sun Exposure

Sun/Part Shade

ANNUAL GROWTH

9-12"

HxW@10 Years

8'x2.5'

Color

red, purple & burgundy

LEAF TYPE

Broadleaf

Growth Rate

Intermediate

Hardiness Zone

Zones 6-9

Color

Form

Growth Rate

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