Species Samurai Sword Japanese Maple
Dark red-burgundy leaves on red stems.

Samurai Sword Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Samarzam'

The Samurai Sword Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Samarzam') is an amazing plant species. It is a small, deciduous tree with bright green foliage that turns to a dazzling reddish-purple in the summer and a vibrant red in the fall. It has remarkable, upright, fan-like, lobed leaves and is widely admired for its beauty, uniqueness and striking texture. Known for its resistance to disease and strong stem, the Samurai Sword Japanese Maple is perfect for any landscape. Its amazing texture and color make it an ideal specimen or accent tree for a garden.

Cycle:

Perennial

Watering:

Average

Propagation:

Grafting Propagation,Layering Propagation,Cutting,Air Layering Propagation,Root Division

Hardiness Zone:

5

Sun:

full sun,part shade

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green,red,yellow

Growth Rate:

Low

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Water Samurai Sword Japanese Maple regularly during the growing season, but do not overwater.The best way to water is to thoroughly soak the soil once or twice a week, allowing the top 2 to 3 inches of soil to dry out in between waterings. In summer, water deeply once or twice a week. In winter, it’s best to only water periodically to keep the roots from freezing. If the soil is frozen, don’t water. If it is excessively dry, water just enough to moisten the soil but not to the point of saturating it.

sunlight

Samurai Sword Japanese Maple requires full sun in order to thrive. This means that the plant should be placed in an area that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight in order to achieve optimal growth. During the summer, the tree should receive at least 8 hours of sun but can tolerate slightly less during the winter months. To ensure the tree gets regular sunlight, it should be placed in an area that gets morning sun, and then shade in the afternoon during the hot summer months.

pruning

Samurai Sword Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Samarzam') should be pruned lightly in late winter or early spring, just before the beginning of the growing season. Pruning should be done to remove dead or damaged branches, and to create a pleasing shape. Avoid pruning more than 1/3 of the tree at any 1 time. Samurai Sword Japanese Maple is naturally a slow-growing plant, so heavy pruning isn’t usually necessary. If pruning is necessary to reduce branch spread, it should be done carefully, pruning 1 or 2 shoots back each season. Samurai Sword Japanese Maple shouldn’t be pruned in summer or fall as new growth may be killed by frost.

Hardiness Map