ACER:

SPECIES DESCRIPTION: Slow growing maple eventually reaching 10m. Yellow-green foliage with attractive autumn leaves and prominent red flowers and seeds. Light or dappled shade is best for this maple as afternoon sun will scorch its leaves and deep shade will turn the leaves too green. Plant tree in an area protected from cold or strong winds as exposure can cause leaves to turn brown. This maple tolerates acidic soils but good soil preparation with plenty of organic material will insure your tree thrives. Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum' was once thought to be an Acer japonicum, but now part of a group recognized as its own separate species, named after Japanese dendrologistMiho Shirasawa. The Royal Horticultural Society awarded this cultivar a First Class Certificate and an Award of Garden Merit. A beautiful specimen can be seen at the Rhododendron Species Foundation in Federal Way, across from the Pond Garden.