Butterfly Japanese Maple Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on November 4, 2022

Planting instructions

Site your tree where it will get the right amount of sunlight: in the northern parts of its range, it will thrive in full sunlight, with six or more hours of direct sunlight a day. In the south, however, it appreciates filtered shade in the afternoon. Choose a spot that is sheltered from prevailing winds and in soil that drains well. Unpot your tree and tease out any encircling roots, which can girdle the tree and slowly kill it. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Place the tree in the hole, spreading out the roots. Holding it upright and steady, fill in around the roots with topsoil, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a two to three-inch layer of organic mulch such as bark chips around the root zone to conserve moisture and hinder weed growth but keep it from touching the trunk to avoid problems with rot.

Watering and nutrients

Water your Butterfly Japanese Maple about once a week, giving the tree roughly an inch of water each time. Water in the morning or evening and avoid wetting the leaves—especially during the heat of the day and in hot weather. Fertilize lightly in early spring with a half-strength application of balanced, slow-release fertilizer designed for landscape trees and shrubs.

Pollination

The Butterfly Japanese Maple has small purple-red flowers in spring which are attractive to pollinators such as bees and other insects. Pollinated flowers lead to small samaras, or double-winged seed pods, which detach in autumn and drift in the wind.

Pruning

Prune out any dead, diseased or damaged limbs whenever you see them. Avoid maintenance pruning until your tree has a year or so to become established in your garden. The tree shouldn’t need any other pruning, but if you wish to lightly shape the tree, do so in late winter before the buds break.

Pests and diseases

Pests that may appear on your Japanese maple include horse chestnut scale insects and aphids. A light infestation shouldn’t bother your tree if it is healthy. If the infestation is severe, consider releasing beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to attack the pests. Diseases of the Japanese maple include verticillium wilt, botrytis and root rot. These trees may also be susceptible to leaf scorch, especially in the south, which can be caused by too much sun or insufficient watering.

Achieving maximum results

One of the benefits of this lovely small tree is that it is small in stature, meaning it is a great choice for a smaller yard or garden. That also means that it is possible to grow this cultivar in a container—in fact, some gardeners use it to create tiny bonsai that are only a foot or so high. Choose a container about twice the size of the root ball, with good drainage holes in the bottom. Using a good-quality potting mix, plant as per our directions above. Note that you will need to water your pot-grown Japanese maple more often than you would if it were grown in the ground. Plan on replanting it with refreshed soil every four or five years.

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