Species Hessei Japanese Maple
red-green leaves with pink petioles

Hessei Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Hessei'

The Hessei Japanese Maple is an amazing specimen with its dazzling foliage and finely cut segments which are divided into small, star-shaped lobes. The exquisite leaves range in hues from bright chartreuse to shimmering greens while turning fiery oranges and scarlets come autumn. Its petite size and low-maintenance needs make it ideal for the garden or home. No pruning is required and its corkscrew form adds a unique texture to any garden. Hessei's shade tolerance and overall hardiness allow it to thrive in nearly any environment, providing stunning foliage of green, yellow and orange all season long.

Cycle:

Perennial

Watering:

Average

Propagation:

Grafting Propagation,Cutting,Layering Propagation,Air Layering Propagation,Tissue Culture

Hardiness Zone:

6

Sun:

part shade,part sun/part shade

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green,red,yellow,purple,orange

Growth Rate:

Low

Care Level:

Medium

watering

The Hessei Japanese Maple should be watered carefully and thoroughly once a week. Water should be added until it starts running out of the pot's drainage holes. Make sure to water slowly so the water can filter down to the root system. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Avoid over watering, as this can cause the roots to rot. During the summer months, the Japanese Maple may require more frequent watering depending on weather and soil moisture. Also during the summer months the plant should be misted every few days to increase the humidity around it.

sunlight

Hessei Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Hessei') prefers partial sun. It thrives in an area that gets 2-6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Ideally, the sun exposure should be in the morning and early afternoon, as late afternoon and evening sun can cause sunscald and damage to the delicate leaf tissue. This species is also fairly shade tolerant and can thrive when planted in an area that receives no direct sunlight or dappled light throughout the day.

pruning

Hessei Japanese Maples should be pruned in the spring when new growth has just started to appear. Pruning should be done moderately with the main purpose of maintaining the desired shape of the tree. Light thinning and removing dead, diseased and crossing branches can also be done. If you want to reduce the overall size of a Japanese Maple, more drastic pruning should be avoided to prevent damaging the tree. If you must do that, it is best to do it gradually over a few seasons.

Hardiness Map