Sango Kaku Coral Bark Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’

Plant Details

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

Height at Maturity: 20-25′

Width at Maturity: 15-20′

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Vase Shape

Growth Rate: Moderate, Fast

Foliage Color in Spring: Lime Green

Foliage Color in Summer: Medium Green

Foliage Color in Fall: Golden Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink

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

Description

A year round color factory in the landscape, the ‘Sango Kaku’ Japanese Maple, commonly called Coral Bark Maple, lives up to its name. In Japanese, ‘Sango Kaku’ means “Coral Tower”…and refers to the almost fluorescent coral-red color its branches and stems turn during the fall and winter persisting into spring. In early spring new leaves emerge an intense lime-green color that is a stunning contrast to the red branches – truly a sight to behold! The leaves turn light to medium green by summer and then to bright golden-yellow in fall fading to shades of orange, red and pink before falling. Though growing 20 to 25 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide at maturity, Sango Kaku’s upright vase shape makes it a good fit in smaller garden spaces. An excellent accent or focal point specimen tree in home foundation plantings landscape borders.

Landscape & Garden Uses

To showcase its magnificence and beauty, the Sango Kaku Coral Bark Japanese Maple is best used as a focal point specimen to draw attention to a specific area of the home or landscape. That being said, you can plant them in groupings of three or plant one on both sides of an entryway to accentuate the entrance.

Suggest Spacing: At least 20 feet apart for space between trees

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.

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

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5a, where this Japanese Maple variety is not reliably winter hardy, 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, you can find a complete listing of our sun-tolerant Japanese Maple varieties here, of which the Sango Kaku Coral Bark is one of the most sun tolerant.

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!

Tree is beautiful and I was overjoyed that for a one gallon pot it is a very nice size. It arrived quickly and was packaged well. For the size and quality of this Japanese Maple the price was a real value. Wilson’s is now my go to place for plants and trees. Thank you.———————————Thanks for the photos! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy your purchase for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Exceeded expectations!——————————————————————————–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 was pleased to have the choices your Company offers, the tree was processed quickly and packaged good, I planted it promptly and I believe it has grown already 2 inches. Thank you.————————–
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

This little tree is stunning! Arrived quickly and in great condition. Looking forward to seeing the leaves and bark change throughout the seasons.—————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

The two Red Coral Bark Japanese Maple trees I purchased from Wilson Brothers were much more than I expected. I was not only surprised by their beauty but also by their healthy appearance. I received them in a matter of days and they were very carefully packed. I could immediately see that they were cared for and handled by a professional team. A great value! I will order from Wilson Brothers again!

The tree arrived in wonderful condition, quickly and securely packaged. I have purchased a number of plants online as we are in a small town with no local nurseries and this was by far my best experience. And I love your website!!—————————-Hi Deborah, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Sango Kaku Coral Bark 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