Villa Taranto Japanese Maple

If friendly aliens sent us a tree to treasure, the Villa Taranto Japanese Maple would be the one. You may think you know what Japanese maples look like, but this one is something very special indeed. The leaves are much larger than normal and very deeply divided and narrow. They are held out from the branches on long leaf stalks and each leaf arches over like a strange hand. In some ways the leaves are more like the leaves of a bamboo plant. The tree itself is upright, with groups of branches spaced out along the trunk, making it a very striking addition to any garden. In time it will make a good sized small tree, growing to 10 feet tall and spreading perhaps 7 feet across. This will become a knock-out specimen in your garden that you will be so proud to own and show to your visitors. Over time it may even grow taller, but never so tall as to overpower the area it is planted in.

• A unique form with over-sized, narrow curving leaves
• Forms a broad upright tree to 10 feet tall or more
• The spring leaves are purple and red as they develop
• Beautiful fall colors of gold and orange
• The perfect specimen tree for a smaller garden

This unique tree is not difficult to grow. It will grow in any garden soil that is well-drained and which does not dry completely during summer. Each spring the emerging leaves will glow in red and purple. During summer they will be greener, with red overtones, and each fall the tree will glow in all the possible shades of gold and orange. The best colors develop with some sun, so a location that is sunny in the morning, especially in spring and fall, is ideal. Protect your tree from the hot afternoon sun.