Description
Acer palmatum ‘Ō kagami’ is a not particularly well-known form of Japanese Maple, despite being cultivated since the early 1920s. This is possibly due to the massive success of Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ which is much more commonplace and seen as the ‘go-to’ red-purple Japanese Maple. However, we have a soft spot for ‘Ō kagami’ whose foliage is larger than that of most other purple maples and the fiery autumn colours are hard to match.
‘Ō kagami’ is a relatively fast-growing tree, adding a good 20 to 30cm in height each year and finally reaching around 4 to 5 metres after twenty years or so. Of course, this size will be reduced in a container where its roots are restricted or if it is kept pruned.