Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum) 20 seeds (#83)

The beautiful and ubiquitous Japanese maple is a garden staple. A native of eastern Asia, this medium-sized deciduous tree has a broad rounded canopy and packs a powerful punch when it comes to ornamental value. Its palmate foliage may be green, purple or burgundy-red, depending on the cultivar, and can turn vivid shades of yellow, bronze orange or red in fall. Like all maples, it bears inconspicuous flowers in the spring. These are followed by red or green helicopter-like fruits called samaras. In winter, the stark gray branches and elegant habit of a mature Japanese maple will add interest to any landscape. (source: learn2grow.com)
Of easy cultivation, it succeeds in most soils preferring a good moist well-drained soil on the acid side and partial shade. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Chlorosis can sometimes develop as a result of iron deficiency when the plants are grown in alkaline soils, but in general maples are not fussy as to soil pH. Requires some shelter in the cooler areas of Britain and protection from cold drying winds. Plants are hardy to about -25°c, but spring growth is subject to damage by late frosts. A very ornamental tree, it is a polymorphic species and there are many named varieties. Grows well with rhododendrons. Most maples are bad companion plants, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants.

Genus - Acer
Species - Palmatum
Common name - Japanese Maple
Pre-Treatment - Required
Hardiness zones - 5 - 8
Height - 15-50' / 4,50 - 15 m
Spread - 15-40' / 4,50-12 m
Plant type - Medium Tree
Vegetation type - Deciduous
Exposure - Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
Growth rate - Medium
Soil PH - Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil type - Clay, Loam, Sand, Well Drained
Water requirements - Average Water
Landscape uses - Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Bloom season - Late Spring, Early Summer
Leaf / Flower color - Green / Red, purple

GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
1. Start the cold stratification process in the end of the beginning of the year.
2. Place the seeds in a glass bowl and cover with room temperature water. Allow the seeds to soak for a minimum of 24 hours but no longer than 48 hours.
3. Hold a handful of sterile peat planting medium under a running faucet until the peat is soaked. Squeeze most of the water out of the peat, leaving it moist but not soggy. Place the moist peat into a zip-lock plastic bag.
4. Remove the seeds from the bowl of water and rinse them off under clean running water. Place up to three seeds into the plastic bag containing the peat. Use more peat and plastic bags if you want to germinate more than three seeds.
5. Push the seeds into the peat and seal the plastic bag. Shake the bag to distribute the peat so that it covers the seeds completely. The seeds must be buried in the moist peat in order to germinate.
6. Place the sealed bag in the bottom of the refrigerator. This will serve as the cold stratification. The seeds need to be kept at +4-+7C (34-46F) for a minimum of 35 days, but not longer than 90 days.
7. Open the plastic bag periodically to make sure the peat is still moist. Add water as needed to restore the moisture.
8. Check the weather forecast after 35 days. You can plant the seeds outdoors if all danger of frost has passed. You can wait up to 55 more days, if there is still a possibility of frost and plant the seeds as late as early summer.
9. Plant the seeds by removing them from the peat and rinsing them with clean water. Bury the seeds ensuring that the seeds are covered. Keep the soil moist until the seeds sprout.