November 2009 Plant of the Month —
Coral bark maple

Coral bark maple is a Japanese maple tree that offers “four season” appeal. As we transition from fall to winter, coral bark really begins to shine as a choice plant. (Photo byB. Willis.) Download this image

Submitted by James Newburn   

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — One of the criteria for choosing an ornamental tree or shrub is its “four season” appeal. That is, does it have something to offer year round? Coral bark maple is one of the Japanese maples that offers just that. Especially as we transition from fall to winter, coral bark really begins to shine as a choice plant.

Coral bark maple has beautiful fall foliage of yellow to yellow-orange. But as the leaves begin to fall, the bark really begins to redden up. This offers a bright structure similar in color to red twig dogwood except in a tree form. As the temperature continues to cool, the bark color only intensifies – creating a bright spot in the winter landscape.

Coral bark is at its most effective when paired with large evergreen conifers. This allows the bark to show up against the contrasting background of green or blue-gray foliage, accentuating the appeal of both trees.  For example, in the UT Gardens, a triple combination of a green Deodar Cedar and a Colorado blue spruce form a backdrop for the coral bark. This allows for effective pairing and showcasing no matter from which direction you are looking.

Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaka’ is the standard cultivar for coral bark maple. It can grow to 20-25 feet tall with a canopy width of 15-20 feet. It maintains a somewhat rounded form although when younger it can exhibit a somewhat open vase shape. It prefers a well-drained site but can tolerate a variety of soils and is considered drought tolerant once established. It grows best in full sun, although it can tolerate some moderate afternoon shade. Such shade often protects it from our hot summers. The color intensifies in full sun, so any shade offered should come from a deciduous tree to be most beneficial to the coral bark maple.

‘Sango Kaku’ is offered at many of the finer nurseries and garden centers that have a good selection of Japanese maples. ‘Fjellheim’ is a cultivar that has a wide but compact form making it ideal for the urban landscape. It does feature red stems with lime-green summer foliage. A new cultivar is ‘Bihou’ with an unusual yellow, peach colored bark. All of these cultivars look best when companion planted with a contrasting color or against brick or house siding.

November is often not thought of as a month for plant lovers. However, choosing a coral bark maple allows for the gardener to slide right from fall into winter without missing a beat while enjoying the fall foliage and colorful bark this plant has to offer.

James Newburn is director of horticulture for the UT Gardens. The University of Tennessee Gardens located in Knoxville and Jackson are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. For more information see http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/

###

Contact:

James Newburn, UT Gardens, 865-974-7324

Patricia McDaniels, UTIA Marketing and Communications Services,
615-835-4570