How to Care for an Acer Palmatum Inaba Shidare

An Inaba shidare is a Japanese maple deciduous shrub or miniature tree, belonging to the Acer Palmatum family. It can grow up 8 feet tall and spread 10 to 12 feet across with its branches growing in a cascading manner. Growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 5 to 9, the Inaba shidare has delicate dark-purple leaves during the growing season that turn bright red in the fall.

Shovel
Compost
Mulch
Pruning shears

Instructions

- 1
  Select a full-sun location, but with shade in the afternoon to avoid burning the tips of the delicate leaves. The soil should be well-drained and slightly acidic.
- 2
  Dig a hole three times the size of the root ball but the same height as the nursery container. Discard 50 percent of the soil removed from the hole. Amend the leftover removed soil with compost, mixing thoroughly together.
- 3
  Remove the Inaba shidare from the nursery container and gently loosen the roots. Place the root ball in the hole, making sure that one-third of it is above ground level.
- 4
  Backfill the hole halfway, tamping around the roots gently, before watering deeply. Let the water drain and finish backfilling the hole with the amended soil. Water again deeply.
- 5
  Water during the growing season once a week deeply especially during the hot summer months and times of drought.
- 6
  Apply a 2-inch layer of organic mulch, such as pine bark, to retain moisture, reduce irrigation and control weeds.
- 7
  Prune in late fall to mid winter. Remove dead or diseased foliage and branches as well as overlapping branches.

How Often Should You Water a Wintergreen Boxwood?

Black Fungus on Shrubs

Shrubs