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.

Trunk diameters

All trees except the newest in the back (Brisbane Box) are now free of their stabilizing sticks. All are still braced from toppling over, but their bare trunks are now easy to measure. Here are their trunk diameters, with some surprising numbers.

	Date planted	Original container	Trunk diameter @ 12" above ground	Trunk diameter @ 36" above ground
Victorian Box	3sep02	24" box	1.75 inches	1.63 inches
Tenuifolium	09oct04	5-gal	1.35 inches	1.27 inches
Photinia	15oct04	5-gal	1.15 inches	1.09 inches
Lemonwood.v	15oct04	5-gal	1.59 inches	1.47 inches
Strawberry	15oct04	5-gal	1.35 inches	1.19 inches
Lemonwood	20oct04	15-gal	1.83 inches	1.71 inches
Brisbane Box	11dec05	5-gal		~ 0.75 inch

The 15-gallon Lemonwood has outpaced every other tree I have, including the early-planted Victorian Box, which I nearly killed with over-watering. It's a huge lesson on tree maintenance, needless to say. Just the right amount of swaying is important, too.

New leaves everywhere

It's finally showing some strength in its slow and agonizing comeback. Size, however, remains practically the same as when it was planted three and a half years ago!


Pittosporum undulatum or Victorian box or Cheesewood.

Chilean blueberry

These are replacements for non-surviving Camellia and an ugly Chrysanthemum that wildly outgrew the planting area. Those were mistakes. These should have a totally different growth habit such that I could prune them to shape. The ultimate height will also be nice because neighbor removed their healthy Magnolia tree, which was an excellent visual screen. Hopefully these will grow fast.


Luma apiculata

An evergreen shrub; fast growth to 8-12 feet in height with an equal spread; larger with age. Dense, upright, twisted branching habit. White to pinkish 1/2 inch flowers in summer followed by purple-black 1/2 inch fruit. Purple-red new growth ages to dark green. Older bark peels exposing smooth, cinnamon brown coloration. Plant in full sun to light shade. Best in average to well drained soils. Best appearance and quickest growth when given summer water. An excellent substitution for Eugenia.

From East Bay Nursery @ $30 each.

Wild lilac

Planted last month with Brisbane box (visible at far left), these little lilacs got a straightening today due to uneven settling caused by the rains. Hopefully I didn't tear any young roots. Notice broken fence blocks -- neighbor poured concrete yesterday and workers were careless. What a shame.


Ceanothus griseus "Louis Edmunds"

A native evergreen shrub; moderate to fast growth to 5-8 feet in height with an 8-12 foot spread; larger spread with age. One inch clusters of medium to vivid sea-blue flowers bloom in early spring. Glossy, dark green, 1-inch foliage. Plant in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of heavy soil and summer water. Once established, best with little to no summer water; over watering causes root rot. Tip prune when young to develop fullness and height. Longer lived than what Sunset states. Not reliably deer resistant.

From East Bay Nursery @ $30 each.