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!

Just planted my tree so I will see how well is makes it through the winter months but so far so good, it will make a splash in my garden as time goes by, that I am sure of.—————————————————-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

Ordered from another vendor last year and this tree was much bigger for a smaller price. It’s doing well and I am very happy with my purchase. You are now my go-to for my Japanese Maples addiction.——————————————————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

Your plants are far and away the best packaged, healthiest plants I have ever purchased from a nursery. This was my second order and we were delighted at the quality of the tree. The quality surpasses what I can purchase locally. I’m a customer for life!————————————————-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

Ordered several from another online vendor and was disappointed, as one of them died after a year and the other two don’t look great. Tried ordering from Wilson Brothers and the difference is dramatic. The tree arrived full of leaves and the trunk is considerably larger than those ordered elsewhere. Very pleased so far.—————————————–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 will buy again and have already recommended Wilson Bros. These trees are beautiful and well packed. Followed planter potting instructions and trees still look very healthy . Thank you.——————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review and the kind words! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Just received and already leafed out. Plants and trees arrived in great condition.
Not my first time using this nursery and won’t be my last.
Only 4 stars because I just got my tree but so far so good.—————————————-We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

Tree arrived in excellent condition, planted it the same day. Looking forward to seeing it w it’s leaves and growing strong.
Great service, wonderful people there at Wilson Gardens !———————————————-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

Top notch service, heathy trees, packed well!——————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I’ve bought several coral bark maples and all of them came in great condition and health. Not root bound at all; healthy trunks and branching. Much better quality and value than from comparable nurseries.————————————————Thanks for the kind words! We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

I have ordered several items from Wilson Bros. and every single one has arrived healthy and as promised. The packaging is better than any i have ever seen. This site has exceeded my expectations and I will continue to look to them for my landscaping choices.————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Hello my name is Robert Pike and we are a new customer of yours!
We have 2 orders with you and have already received the 1st order!
And couldn’t be any happier! Our plants and tree are wonderful beautiful and amazing and arrived in great shape and very fast!
“THANK YOU!”…….
We live in Yuma AZ and although we can grow almost anything here getting exotic plants and tree’s we have to order on-line.
Your company is the first company we have ordered from that has not only meet or expectations but has surpassed them!
You have our business for life!
I do need a few more trees and many more bushes and flowers and although your stock is limited we would rather wait for your trees plans shrubs flowers than to ever deal with you so called competition! We are and will be your best small customer forever and will pass this on to all of our friends and family! I need 2 dwarf Japanese maple trees so please pick me out your very best as soon as they are available and contact me “Please”!……
Bob & Destina Pike——————————————Thanks so much for the awesome review! We are so very glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG 🙂

I received a well-packaged 3 foot tree. It already had some new growth, which I worried about as I needed to plant this tree in a very sunny location. I thought the newer leaves might burn. But, all is well and the tree has adapted nicely without losing any leaves. It’s got lovely bright red branches, which will be more apparent as it gets larger and also during winter. I’ve only had it a month, and it’s already put on new growth, which gives it pink areas to contrast with the bright green adult leaves. It got compliments from the neighbors. I plan to buy from Wilson again.——————————–Thanks for the great review! We are so glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG