SPECTRUM FOR THE SEASONS

摘要

It may be a red glow between city walls in autumn, a sparkle of apple green in spring, a sculpture to catch the snow in winter. It can provide a soft presence in a small front yard or command attention with wine-dark foliage against a backdrop of summer greens. It is the Japanese maple, and among small trees and shrubs for temperate climates, none is more versatile. There are many maple species in Japan, but most of the trees that gardeners call Japanese maples are varieties of Acerpalma-tum, with some belonging to A.japonicum and A. shirasawanum. The natural range of A.palmatum includes not only Japan but parts of Korea, China, and Russia.