Plant Care Japanese Maple

Japanese Maple

4.7 out of 5 (7 experiences)

Japanese Maple has a Survivor plant personality Survivor
Japanese Maple has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower

Also known as

Palmate Maple and Smooth Japanese Maple

Taxonomy

Acer palmatum
Acer
Sapindaceae
Sapindales

How to care for Japanese Maple

šŸ’¦ Water

How often to water your Japanese Maple

Water needs for Japanese Maple
0.5 cups
every 9

Japanese Maple needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesnā€™t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Japanese Maple

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
ā˜€ļø Light

Finding light for Japanese Maple in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Japanese Maple: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Japanese Maple love being close to bright, sunny windows šŸ˜Ž.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Japanese Maple does not tolerate low-light šŸš«.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Japanese Maple in your home šŸ”.

šŸŖ“ Nutrients

How to fertilize Japanese Maple

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Japanese Maple: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil itā€™s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Japanese Maple after it doubles in size or once a yearā€”whichever comes first.

Browse #JapaneseMaple
šŸ’” FAQs
ā­ Difficulty Level

Japanese Maple is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!

How to Grow Japanese Maple →

Benefits of Growing Japanese Maple →

Common Japanese Maple Problems →

Outdoor Care Guide for Japanese Maple →


šŸ’¦ Water Needs

Japanese Maple prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Japanese Maple Water Frequency →

Japanese Maple Root Rot →


ā˜€ļø Sunlight Needs

Japanese Maple requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive šŸ’Ŗ. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home šŸ”.

Japanese Maple Light Requirements →

Japanese Maple Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


šŸ¶ šŸˆ šŸ‘¶ Toxicity

Japanese Maple is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Is Japanese Maple Edible? →

Japanese Maple Toxicity to Cats →

Japanese Maple Toxicity to Dogs →

Japanese Maple Toxicity to Humans →


šŸŖ“ Soil

Japanese Maple is very sensitive to dry soil, so choose a potting soil that retains moisture. A good soil will still drain well and contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir or sphagnum moss.

Best Soil Mix for Japanese Maple →

Best Pots for Japanese Maple →

When and How to Successfully Repot Japanese Maple →

What Are Healthy Japanese Maple Roots →


šŸ’© Fertilizer

Japanese Maple grows very slowly and doesnā€™t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plantā€™s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Japanese Maple →


ā¬†ļø ā¬‡ļø Growth Pattern

Japanese Maple will branch off as it grows. To encourage branching, pinch off the newest growth at the tip and the stem will branch off into two.

Japanese Maple Lifecycle →

Japanese Maple Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Japanese Maple →


šŸŒ¦ļø Growing Outdoors
šŸŒ± Propagation

Japanese Maple can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

  • Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
  • To get the cutting to root, you can either:
    • Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2ā€ long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
    • Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

How to Propagate Japanese Maple →


šŸ‚ Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves arenā€™t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plantā€™s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, itā€™s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Japanese Maple, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


šŸ§ Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Japanese Maple

Japanese Maple

Japanese Maple


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4ā€ pot your plant is in, and that it doesnā€™t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Japanese Maple has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 4
Japanese Maple has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 3
Japanese Maple has a Blooms easily plant personality Blooms easily 3
Japanese Maple has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 2
Japanese Maple has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 1
Japanese Maple has a Pest magnet plant personality Pest magnet 1
Japanese Maple has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 1
@Skelebum avatar
@@Skelebum
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 222 XP
08/20/2021

Top tier plant, not very fussy, itā€™s been 4 years and sheā€™s grown a lot! Recommend!

Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Blooms easily Blooms easily
Survivor Survivor
Maddie avatar
@Maddie
leaf-1 3 Plants
xp 139 XP
globe Arlington, TX
06/04/2021

A baby Japanese maple needs a lot more water than you think

Pest magnet Pest magnet
Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
Jasive avatar
@Jasive
leaf-1 19 Plants
xp 891 XP
globe Houston, TX
06/02/2021

Itā€™s beautiful.

Survivor Survivor

Trending in your area

Similar to Japanese Maple

āœØ Discover rare plants