Firefall Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Firefall’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5a-9a Find Your Zone

Height at Maturity: 6-8′

Width at Maturity: 8-10′

Growth Habit / Form: Broad, Mounded, Weeping

Growth Rate: Moderate

Foliage Color in Spring: Red with hint of Orange

Foliage Color in Summer: Red to Green

Foliage Color in Fall: Red & Orange

Light Needs: Full Sun, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade, All Day Filtered Sun, Morning Shade with Evening Sun, Mostly Sun

Water Needs: Average, moderately drought tolerant when established

Soil Type: Sandy, Loam & Clay (Condition heavy clay soils when planting)

Drainage: Well drained soil is a must!

Soil pH: 5.0 – 7.0 is ideal

Maintenance: Low

Resistances: Deer – more info, Heat Tolerant, Insect Resistant, Sun Tolerant, Disease

Description

Be one of the first to have this magnificent new introduction available online only at Wilson Bros Gardens. The Firefall Japanese Maple is an absolutely beautiful Acer palmatum dissectum with finely dissected, ribbon-like red leaves with a hint of orange on a mounding form and graceful cascading branches. Foliage color intensifies in fall appearing as brilliant glowing embers. Maturing over time to 6 to 8 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide, Firefall’s broad mounding form makes for a focal point specimen plant in the landscape or as a potted patio tree. Grow as a large mounding shrub or remove lower branches to form a highly attractive small tree. One of a few Japanese maples that has tolerated full sun well in our trials. That said, in zone 7b to 9a we suggest some filtered sun or dappled shade during the mid-afternoon hours.

Landscape & Garden Uses

To showcase its magnificence and beauty, the Firefall Japanese Maple is best used in the landscape as a focal point specimen to draw attention to a specific area of the home or landscape. That said, Japanese Maples are often used to accentuate entryways by planting one on both sides of an entrance, or spaced widely in small clusters of three. An ideal selection for landscape beds or in containers.

Spacing: 10’+ for space between plants

Container culture can extend the useful range of Japanese Maples. They are extremely easy to grow in containers, a practice taken to its most extreme form in the art of bonsai. Click on the link below under Helpful Articles for Japanese Maple container planting instructions.

Note: One Japanese Maple can make a landscape…that is, if you don’t overcrowd it with other trees and plants. Therefore, when choosing companions to plant under or around your Japanese Maple, make sure to select low-growing shrubs or groundcovers that won’t interfere at all with your tree.

Growing Preferences

Though delicate looking, Japanese Maples are actually very tough and long-lived trees. They are very easy to grow. Container culture can extend their useful range. They are extremely easy to grow in containers, a practice taken to its most extreme form in the art of bonsai.

In their natural habitat, Japanese Maples are understory trees, growing in dappled forest sunlight at the edges of woodlands. Ideally they prefer to be grown in similar conditions. That said, you can find a complete listing of our sun-tolerant Japanese Maple varieties here, of which Firefall is one that can tolerate quite a bit of sun. That said, in zone 8 and 9 we suggest some filtered sun or shade during the mid-afternoon hours.

Most any average garden soil will grow Japanese Maples. They prefer a moist but well-drained soil rich in organic matter. As with so many other ornamental plants and trees, constantly soggy or wet soil can be problematic. So make sure to plant your Japanese Maple in a well-drained site.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Japanese Maple trees.

How To Plant A Japanese Maple Tree In The Ground

How to Plant A Japanese Maple Tree In A Pot

How To Fertilize And Water A Japanese Maple Tree

How To Prune A Japanese Maple

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Questions? Contact Us!

The plant arrived in mid-spring fully leafed, in excellent condition and is beautiful. The colors as the season changes into summer remain vibrant and I am looking forward to watching it’s display over the months and throughout the year.——————————-Thanks for the great review! We are so glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG

Wilson Bros 1 gallon is the size of others 3 gallon! This tree is beautiful! I can not wail until spring to see what this looks like!———————————————————–Hi Sheila, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Firefall Lace Leaf Japanese Maple. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens