Red Dragon Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Red Dragon’

Plant Details

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

Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub or Tree

Height at Maturity: 4-5′

Width at Maturity: 4-6′

Growth Habit / Form: Mounding, Weeping

Growth Rate: Slow

Foliage Color in Spring: Purple-red

Foliage Color in Summer: Burgundy-red

Foliage Color in Fall: Crimson-red

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

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, Disease, Sun Tolerant

Description

One of our all-time favorites of the lace leaf Japanese Maples, ‘Red Dragon’ is a sun-tolerant dwarf with a mounding form and weeping branches covered in lacy, ribbon-like leaves. The leaves emerge a deep purple in spring, gradually turn to purplish red in summer and finally to a stunning, crimson-red in fall. The leaves hold their rich color better in sun than any other lace leaf variety we’ve grown. Growing slowly to about 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, Red Dragon is ideal for smaller garden spaces and containers.

Landscape & Garden Uses

To showcase its magnificence and beauty, the Red Dragon Japanese Maple is ideal for use in garden beds and containers 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.

Suggested Spacing: 8 feet or more apart 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 under Helpful Articles below 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 groundcover plants that won’t interfere at all with your tree.

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5a, where this Japanese Maple cultivar is not reliably winter hardy outdoors, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

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, there are many sun-tolerant Japanese Maple varieties, of which Red Dragon is one.

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!

Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff

Questions? Contact Us!

I purchased a Red Dragon Dwarf Japanese in May, 2023. It arrived quickly and in great condition. The tree is flourishing!! I am so happy with my purchase. I would definitely order from Wilson Bros again.————————————————-Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I had a wonderful experience dealing with Wilson Bros employees. I had some questions which they were helpful. They actually sent me pictures of the trees they had in stock and let me choose the one I wanted. They let me know when it was shipped and sent me a tracking number. From the time I ordered it until the time I received it was 4 days . I received it it excellent shape as it was packed well. I highly recommend this company. I’m including a photo of the tree.——————————–Thanks so much for the photo! Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Thank you. I received my tree this afternoon and it is terrific and already planted. Thanks for your quick response. Here’s its new home …—————————————–Thanks so much for the photo! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I purchased a Red Dragon Dwarf Japanese Maple, 2 gallon, as a Mother’s Day gift. It was shipped to Seattle and I was very nervous about the long transit time. Well….it arrived intact and in good condition. The recipient was more than thrilled with the little tree; a delicate and elegant little gem. The entire experience was positive, from ordering to delivery. Thank you!—————————————Thanks so much for the photo! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope the recipient enjoys it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I ordered this dwarf Japanese Maple during the heat of summer. With temperatures over 90 degrees I was concerned it might arrive very stressed. It was well packed and in great condition. I let it adjust to the arid climate here before planting. It’s only been a few weeks but it seems to be thriving. Couldn’t be happier. I’m considering another to bookend out porch steps.————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Great condition, arrived quickly, and wonderful communication. Very professional!—————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

These are one of my favorite!! Looks beautiful in my pond area.————————————–One of my favs too! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I would like you to know that the Japanese Maple tree that I purchased from you arrived in Great Condition ! I have been around the nursery business most of my life my father started his business in 1964 I grew up working in his business until I graduated high school and went to work on my own thank you very much I know what it takes to care for plants and trees to make them thrive!————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

The tree arrived on time as promised and was in excellent condition. The tree seems to be flourishing and adapting well.———————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Came in excellent condition. Even a nicer looking tree than the one I received from another supplier. I am training it to be a bonsai which means some crucial pruning. Without any pruning this tree was in wonderful condition.————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Good luck with your Bonsai! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

I would definitely order from this company again. My tree arrived in great condition and in a timely manner. It was packaged carefully and had no damaged limbs upon arrival.———————————–We are so happy you are pleased with your purchase! Beth | WBG 🙂