April’s Feature Tree
Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashira’ is also known as Lion’s Head Japanese Maple. It has dense tufts of deep green, crinkled foliage on each branch that resemble the mane of a lion, hence its common name.
Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashira’
Lion’s Head Japanese maple is an upright, slow-growing acer that is suitable for small gardens and can also be grown in a container. In ten years, it can be expected to grow to only six feet in height and four feet in width.
It is quite adaptable to a variety of soil types such as sand and clay, but will grow best in rich, well-drained soil.
‘Shishigashira’ in Spring
‘Shishigashira’ in Fall
In Spring, it opens with bright green foliage, and in Fall, one of the latest Japanese maples to turn, has a lovely golden-yellow foliage with shades of red-orange.
Whether placed in a garden with strong contrasting foliage plants such as Hosta, or grown in a pot, Acer plamatum ‘Shishigashira’ offers structural interest that only improves with age.