Description
Acer palmatum ‘Red Pygmy’ is a wonderful purple-leaved member of the Linearilobum group, with narrow-lobed leaves divided to the base, giving the tree an open, airy appearance. Positioned where it will receive at least half a day of sun will result in strong reddish-purple tones but this will be more muted in a shadier spot. A fairly upright habit, this cultivar would work well in the smaller garden or in an area where there isn’t space for a larger purple=leaved tree.
As with all members of the Linearilobum group, the new leaves produced on this year’s wood tend to be slightly larger and the lobes wider, often with more toothing. The foliage on older wood however, will be thinner and more as expected. Maples of the World suggests that the original mother plants reached only around two metres in 25 years, so this would be a good choice if you are looking for a Japanese maple that doesn’t get too tall.
As with all Acer palmatum cultivars, trees grown in the ground are more tolerant of extremes than those grown in pots, be it temperature, rainfall (or lack of!) or wind. This is due to the fact that a larger and more established root system is able to deal with environmental fluctuations better than a smaller, more constricted root system. Acer palmatum grow very well in containers but bear in mind they may need a little more shade when it’s very hot and possibly some protection when it’s very cold.