General: The amur maple deserves its name, because when its leaves take on their autumn colors, the tree glows fiery red. At the beginning of the growing season, this maple is a real herald of spring. Early in the year, the initially lime green leaves emerge from the bright red swelling buds. The leaf is later dark green and, like many maple species, 3-lobed. But there are also specimens with almost unlapped leaves that hardly resemble a maple. The amur maple is widespread in China, Manchuria and Japan, where it can reach a height of up to 7 meters as a large shrub or small tree. The amur maple is very frost-hardy, tolerates heat, is wind-resistant and makes no special demands on its location. In Russia, for example, due to its robustness, it is very popular to be planted as a protective hedge against snowstorms!
Care as a bonsai: The branches that sprout in summer should be cut back in good time in order to maintain compact growth. The topiary can be done all year round. We have made the experience that many deciduous trees, especially maple varieties, can best tolerate topiary in summer. The plants sprout again within two weeks, often in places where you would not suspect it. With this summer shape cut you get fresh, healthy foliage well into autumn and a great autumn color. Root pruning and repotting is carried out in the spring just before budding. The amur maple loves airy, humus-rich soil. A sunny location in summer involves a lot of watering work, but promotes the healthy development of the maple. In winter, normal hibernation protection is sufficient.
