9 Best Japanese Maples For Containers

Bihou Japanese Maple

Bihou offers a fantastic selection of tiny sizes. It has a 10 foot height and a 6 foot width. However, it will be smaller within a container.

Depending on the quantity of sunshine, the leaves can be either green or yellowish-green in hue. The leaves turn a reddish-yellow tint in the fall. This variety’s appeal comes from the crimson juvenile branches that contrast with the green foliage.

This maple can be kept in a pot in zones 6 to 9 due to its excellent frost resistance. It thrives in some shade.

Ever Autumn Maple

The contrasting leaf colors of this maple give the environment a lively touch. Bright salmon-pink foliage first appears in the spring before changing to green during the growing season with hints of red-orange. Beautiful oranges and reds mark the beginning of the fall foliage splendor.

Ground Cover Japanese Maple

This strange beauty has the most bizarre way of growing—almost solely horizontally, creating the appearance of a ground cover. In the fall, the summer’s green foliage turns a stunning orange.

Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple

This small maple has extremely dense foliage that is arranged like roof shingles. One of the most fascinating dwarf specimen maples is this one. The foliage changes to orange and red in the fall.

Jordan Full Moon Maple

Because its leaves are distinct from those of other Japanese maples, Jordan Full Moon is a highly intriguing maple. This distinction results from the fact that it is from a distinct species of maple.

In the spring, the leaves have a vivid lime-yellow color. The leaves are a little bit pale in the summer, but the color will last if you offer some protection from the midday light. The leaves change color to a deep red orange in the fall and then fall.

A extremely heat-resistant maple that can be planted in zone 9 is Jordan Full Moon. It has great cold resistance and can tolerate frosts up to zone 5.

If you live in zone 5 and want to grow Jordan Full Moon in a pot, you will need to stow it away for the winter in an unheated room.

After ten years of growth, this variety can reach a height of 12 feet. Additionally, the width is typically smaller.

Acer palmatum ‘Koto no ito’

A gorgeous cultivar of Acer palmatum, “Koto no ito” is distinguished by its long, delicate leaves. Its name, which loosely translates as “golden harp strings” or “harp strings,” is appropriate given the delicate nature of the leaves. It gives the garden a distinct texture that is difficult to recreate with anything else.

The leaves first appear in spring in shades of light green to pink, fading to a soft green over the summer, and finally turning orange and gold in the fall. It grows slowly but mostly upright, and by the time it is 10 years old, it will be around 7′ tall and 3′ broad. It comes in a variety of sizes and is hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 9. It thrives in both full sun and total shade.

Acer shirasawanum ‘Autumn Moon’

The Acer shirasawanum ‘Autumn Moon’ is the ideal plant for your container garden if you want to add vibrant color and texture. Few maple trees, like this full moon maple, can claim such a vivid orange color from spring to October.

When planted in full shade, it has a gorgeous bright green hue, but full sun produces the greatest orange color. At age 10, it has a modest growth rate and is around 7′ tall by 4′ broad. In USDA Zones 5 to 9, it is hardy.

Ryusen Japanese Maple

Ryusen is a rare maple with drooping branches and a very small crown. It has a 20-foot maximum height and a 5-foot maximum width. You may produce a tall, thin cascade of leaves if you grow it in a big pot.

This maple has five lobes on its leaves, which are a vibrant green hue. The leaves turn a scarlet gold at the end of the season.

Ryusen thrives in light shade. Zones 5 to 7 can be used for planting it. It requires frequent feeding and watering in a container.

Acer palmatum ‘Kurenai jishi’

A remarkable maple, Acer palmatum ‘Kurenai jishi’ has stunning crinkled leaves that are brilliant red in the spring, burgundy-purple in the summer, and orange in the fall. It grows slowly and compactly. In USDA Zones 5 to 9, it is hardy. Despite being very little, only measuring around 4′ by 3′ at age 10, it has a significant influence.

Kurenai jishi has more distinctive red coloring and a habit that is comparable to the traditional Shishigashira, or Lion’s Mane Maple. There are several sizes available, including #7 and Jr. Specimen. It thrives in both full sun and little shade.