The Japanese Maple

The Japanese Maple is a stunning tree with wide, pointed leaves with a brilliant red shade that flourishes with direct contact from sunlight. It is native to Japan, Korea, China, Eastern Mongolia, and Southeast Russia (Wikipedia). It is commonly used in Japan for landscaping, so it isn’t hard to spot one flourishing in the sunlight or thriving from Japan's humidity. Although their leaves are almost always a shade of purple-red (unless ill or they are an abnormal variety), their most brilliant reds are showcased in spring and fall (Ryczkowski).

They prefer soil that is rich, acidic and drains well. They also prefer partly shady areas with regular irrigation. Drought is tolerable, but swampy soil is disastrous for these trees. These trees can reach heights of 50 feet (15 meters) or more in Japan. For the first 50 years, Japanese maples normally grow one foot (0.5 m.) per year. They have the potential to live to be over a century old (Boness).

A few health issues and wellness facts that need to be kept in mind when dealing with this tree are concerns revolving around the tree getting enough sunlight, nutrient deficiencies. Signs of an insufficient amount of sunlight or necessary nutrients can be noticed by the color of the leaves. If the leaves are beginning to turn green, then that could be an indicator of either of these problems. The easiest solutions for sunlight deficiencies are to either move a young Japanese Maple sapling to a better location before the roots become too well-established or, for an established tree, remove other trees around the crown of this Maple to allow for more direct sunlight. To fix nutrient deficiencies, a person can get their soil tested and add needed fertilizers accordingly.

Although these trees are clearly designed to thrive in Japan's natural environment, they are found here in Idaho, specifically in the cities of Boise and Moscow.

If this tree is so exotic, how did it get here?

Interestingly (and mysteriously) enough, according to Idaho Wildlife Fish and Game, Japanese Maples do not exist at all in Idaho naturally but they can give no record of how they ended up being planted here. I have not only run into many on Boise State's campus but I found complaints about it being in Idaho because they are adapted to humidity and cold climates, not our harsh heat and dry winds (Trees PDF). It is continually sold though due to how well just one tree can shade an area, but speaking in terms of whether it is invasive or not, it really shouldn’t be here. They are adapted to humidity, not our dry state. They will die in the long run if planted here, but they somehow mysteriously showed up in Idaho in a big enough number to make them difficult to remove from the landscaping market.

Although their arrival to Boise specifically remains a mystery, Adrian Higgins with the Washington Posts sheds a bit of light on their arrival to the United States. The simple answer? According to Higgins, he discovered through his travels that around 1860, American plant collectors were becoming increasingly curious about foreign plants, so a traveler named George Hall sent Japanese ornamentals and seeds back to America. The most abundant kind of plant sent make was the brilliant Japanese Maple, which led to the quick spread of the plant in the plant collections of enthusiasts across the states (Higgins).

Despite how out of place this tree is, it provides an abundant amount of shade with such a wide-spread crown, and its wide-spreading roots do a good job of filtering runoff water, something we need here in Boise. The lovely reds of this tree bring a warm and cozy fall feels for those who not only love the outdoor variety of Idaho but make for stunning photography opportunities with their unique leaf shape and calming shades.