Maple
Tamukeyama
Acer palmatum
The gold standard by which all red weeping lace-leaf Japanese Maples are measured. 'Tamukeyama' features an incredibly elegant, cascading dome-like architecture with strongly pendulous, zig-zagging branches. The finely cut, thread-like dissected foliage emerges in spring an intense, high-gloss crimson-scarlet, rapidly maturing into a rich, deep purple-maroon. Remarkably, its unique cellular structure allows it to lock in this deep maroon coat all through the baking summer heat waves, resisting the 'greening out' or bleaching that plagues older selections. In autumn, it erupts into an unforgettable cloud of bright fire-engine red.
Growing Specifications
- Height
- 5-7 feet (At 10-15 years, completely dependent on early graft or staking height)
- Spread
- 8-12 feet (Forms a magnificent cascading umbrella twice as wide as it is tall)
- Watering
- Moderate; deep structural soaking during severe droughts protects root base
- Light
- Morning sun, afternoon shade
- Heat Tolerance
- Elite; undisputed champion of heat and sun resilience among red dissectums
- Growth Rate
- Slow to Moderate (Develops a vigorous cascading dome layout once rooted)
- Soil Requirement
- Loose, organic-rich, sharply well-draining, slightly acidic
North Texas Micro-climate Notes
Expert Curated Selection. This cultivar is a phenomenal cornerstone for North Texas collections. Its unique bark and leaf cuticles make it highly adapted to handling brutal ambient southern thermal loads. Give it ample morning sun to trigger its tightest, most intricate branching framework, and shield it from direct, baking southwest 3 PM radiant heat corridors to keep its leaf tips immaculate.
History & Lineage
- INTRODUCED BY
- Traditional Japanese Horticulture (Edo Period, 1710)
- HISTORY
- An ancient heirloom cultivar selected during the height of the Edo period in Japan. It was brought to Western cultivation in the 19th century and has since become the most celebrated weeping red dissectum worldwide, heavily praised across historical texts and earning the Royal Horticultural Society's prestigious Award of Garden Merit.
Care Instructions
Demands high-porosity soil with pristine drainage; do not plant in low spots or unamended clay. Stake a central leader early on if you want to elevate its weeping crown clearance, or let it cascade naturally over rocks. Provide thorough, slow root-soaking cycles during deep summer droughts.
Landscape Usage
Superb as a weeping focal point draped over massive natural boulders, flanking stone walkways, spilling near modern water elements, or grown as a commanding living sculpture in a premium Japandi patio planter.
Fun Fact
Dating back to an official listing in 1710, 'Tamukeyama' has thrived in cultivation for over three centuries. The name refers to Mount Tamuke in Nara, Japan—a historic site famous for its brilliant fall foliage and traditional shrine offerings, symbolizing 'hands upraised in prayer on the mountain.'
Awards
Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Award of Garden Merit
