Sango Kaku

I've actually had this tree since September 2004, but in a small container out in front, where it was apparently too sunny for the tree. Leaves got burnt early in the Fall. So now it sits pretty in this sideyard location where I can see it more often from the kitchen. Best to transplant while dormant. A little dead-heading and pruning gets it ready for the growing season.

As a slow-growing specimen that may want yet a different location at a later time, it was best to stay in a container. I decided to go all out and make a nice large box for it. The design was to use stock wood with minimal waste. Fasteners at the corners are deck screws. Each board was biscuited and glued together to come apart later as panels. Click on the small diagram to see a PDF of the drawings.

Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku'
Coralbark Japanese Maple

Deciduous tree, 20-25 ft (6-7.5 m), upright, twiggy, numerous stems.  Bark on young stems a brilliant coral in the fall and winter.  As branches mature, color is lost, only the 1st and 2nd year growth shows the rich coloration.  Leaves simple, opposite, 4-5 cm long, 5-7 lobes, doubly serrate, new leaves reddish, becoming light green in summer, and yellow and light red in fall. Sun to part shade, well-drained soil; protect from winds. Highly susceptible to bacterial blight (Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae). Hardy to USDA Zone 5.