Skeeter’s Broom Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum ‘Skeeters Broom’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5a-8b Find Your Zone

Height at Maturity: 8′

Width at Maturity: 3-4′

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Narrow form

Growth Rate: Moderate

Foliage Color in Spring: Bright Red

Foliage Color in Summer: Purple

Foliage Color in Fall: Bright Crimson Red

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

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sandy, Silty (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

Description

‘Skeeter’s Broom’ is an attractive Japanese Maple with a statuesque, narrow, upright growth habit. The color of this one has Japanese written all over it. The leaves emerge a stunning bright red in spring maturing to a rich purple-red in summer and finally a bright scarlet in fall. The narrow upright form to only 8 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide makes Skeeter’s broom a perfect selection for smaller garden spaces and in containers.

Landscape & Garden Uses

To showcase its magnificence and beauty, Skeeter’s Broom 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, you can plant in groupings of three or plant one on both sides of an entryway to accentuate the entrance.

Suggested Spacing: 8 feet or more 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. 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 selecting 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.

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 Skeeter’s Broom 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!

Couldn’t be happier with our tree. Just what I was looking for. Customer service is awesome. Questions were answered quickly, and I was able to choose the tree I wanted from the picture that was emailed. The tree was packaged very secure. No damage whatsoever. Shipping was very fast too. I would definitely recommend Wilson Bros. and I will be a repeat customer.——————————————————Wow! 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

Plants are always well packaged and healthy. Wilson Bros is my go to source when I need plants and have been since the owners were young men at their nursery in McDonough. I love being able to click the botton on my computor and have the plants delivered to my front door.—————————–Awe……We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

The tree came in great shape and in good time. Everything looked good when it went in for my clients.——————————————-We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

This Maple was about 4′ when it arrived with lovely red leaves in July. Well worth the price.————————————–Hi Mary, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Skeeter’s Broom Japanese Maple. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

Overwhelmed! Had narrowed my choice between two Japanese Maples. Decided to call, and ask for advice. Talked to Pat, who gave me her thoughts, sent me a pic of both trees, and then actually tagged the one I chose. Arrived well packaged and very healthy. Perfect! Thanks Pat!———————————Hi Tom, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Skeeter’s Broom Japanese Maple. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words!! Miss Pat is awesome! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

The tree received seems healthy and well packed. Planted it immediately, it is only 15 days, can’t tell if how the tree is doing but so far it is still alive.———————————Hi Faye, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Skeeter’s Broom Japanese Maple. We are glad you are pleased and we hope it does well and you enjoy it for years to come!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens