Royale Japanese maple is a dwarf acer palmatum with small, tightly-bunched leaves that have short lobes. The is a witches broom from NJ. As a result, the central lobe on each leaf is stubby and rounded, rather than long and pointy like most Japanese maples.
Royale Japanese Maple Color
What makes Royale such a beautiful specimen that stands out among other dwarf red maples? The color! You’ll never get bored with one shade of red if you have this tree. Each leaf seems to have a slightly different hue. While they’re all variations of red, some tend towards pink, red plum or dusty cranberry. We took the photo below in the spring.
The unique spring color of this tree pairs exquisitely with blue or golden hastas as you can see here.
Leaf color in full sun
Plant Royale in full sun if you want the best reds. While the color is slightly more vibrant in full sun, you won’t see the subtle pinkish variations that come with shadier locations.
Leaf color in shade
I prefer the colors that emerge when you plant this tree in part shade. It doesn’t seem to green as much as other maples. Instead, the color fades slightly, revealing more pinks and oranges. In some cases it may pick up a subtle yellow hint near the center. It certainly stands out in the garden if you have a few other red maples nearby that tend to be more ruby and crimson.
In the fall, the tree glows a vivid fire truck red.
Royale: size, habit & hardiness
Like most dwarf maples, Royale will remain a manageable size around 5′ tall x 3′ wide in 10 years. The tree is fully hardy to -20 degrees, which corresponds to USDA zone 5. It’s best to plant the tree in sun/part shade in well-drained soil.
Just look at our gorgeous specimen tree below. Doesn’t it take your breath away? It naturally grows like a little bonsai.
This maple is slow growing, and it forms a lovely, dense rounded globe shape that’s perfect for small patios and containers. It also looks magnificent layered into a landscape. It also makes an excellent accent plant beneath trees with larger habits.
Buy Royale Japanese Maple
You can purchase Royale from our online store here. If the tree is sold out, please send us an email as soon as possible so we can accommodate your order next spring. We’re always grafting new maples for our customers, and we can special order larger specimens upon request.
