fernleaf full moon maple
© Great Plant Picks
© Richie Steffen / Great Plant Picks
© Richie Steffen / Great Plant Picks
Fernleaf full moon maple is a bold and beautiful tree. Its most outstanding quality is undoubtedly its foliage; its deeply dissected leaves create a rich texture in the landscape. In early spring the bright green new leaves and small red flowers are subtle yet lovely. In autumn, the bright green leaves of this handsome tree explode into color -- showing off shades of red and orange tinged with purple and yellow. One of the best small trees you can grow.
Plant Type: tree
Growth Habit: round
Foliage Type: deciduous
Plant Height (10-year): 10 ft. 0 in. (3.05 meters)
Plant Width/Spread (10-year): 8 ft. 0 in. (2.44 meters)
Plant Height-Mature: 15 ft. 0 in. (4.57 meters)
Plant Width-Mature: 10 ft. 0 in. (3.05 meters)
Hardiness: USDA Zones 6 to 8
Flower Color: red
Flowering Time: spring
Sun/Light Exposure: full sun or light to dappled shade
Water Requirements: regular watering
Seasonal Interest: autumn foliage color
Great Plant Combinations:
Great Color Contrasts: red, yellow, orange
Great Color Partners: blue, chartreuse, dark green
Fernleaf full moon maple will develop fantastic and brilliant fall color in full sun as well as in light, open, or dappled shade. In shade the primary colors will be orange and yellow with a blush of red. It will grow best in rich well drained soil, but will tolerate sand and clay with regular summer watering. Very little pruning is needed to maintain a beautiful specimen; only remove poorly developed branches, dead wood or broken limbs.
The cultivar name, 'Aconitifolium', refers to the similarity of this maple's foliage to the leaves of monkshood or, botanically, Aconitum.
Text and photos ©2020 Great Plant Picks/Elisabeth Carey Miller Garden except where otherwise noted
Funded by the Pendleton and Elisabeth Carey Miller Charitable Foundation, The Seattle Times, and Individual Donors
Administered by the Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden