Acer palmatum Bloodgood

Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' is a refined, upright, deciduous Japanese maple valued for its rich purple-red foliage that holds its colour well through the growing season before turning bright red in autumn. Small red spring flowers may be followed by red winged fruits, but this tree is chiefly grown for its elegant, finely divided leaves and graceful branching. It performs best in moist, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, in light shade to sun, and benefits from shelter from cold, drying winds to help prevent leaf scorch. A beautiful specimen for courtyards, sheltered gardens and Japanese-inspired planting schemes.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Light shade to sun; best with shelter from cold winds

Rate of Growth: Slow to moderate

Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained, preferably slightly acidic; avoid very chalky or waterlogged soils

Hardiness: Fully hardy

Plant at a Glance