Japanese Maples

One of the first books published by Timber Press, this has remained a bestseller for over 20 years. It presents the history, taxonomy, nomenclature, culture, and propagation of Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum and illustrates hundreds of wonderful varieties of these versatile trees and shrubs.

This third edition of the classic book on Japanese maples is certain to attract new converts to these superior garden trees. When the first edition of this book by J. D. Vertrees appeared in 1978, there had been no definitive text in English describing them in detail; these trees were the province of specialists only, and few even knew their correct names. Today, Japanese maples are found in nearly every garden center; many new varieties are bred and introduced each year. The inclusion of these new varieties, together with updated information on plant names which renders obsolete some names in the previous editions, makes this new update by Peter Gregory an indispensable reference. With their remarkable diversity of color, form, and texture, Japanese maples are unlike any other kind of garden tree. The shapes and patterns of Japanese maple leaves, in particular, can defy the imagination. Resulting from hundreds of years of careful breeding and observation by Japanese horticulturists and their western counterparts, these maples are aristocratic trees and shrubs destined to be specimen plants in any garden in which they are found.

Approximately 100 new cultivated varieties (cultivars) have been added to this edition, resulting in descriptions of more than 400 cultivars in all. With 313 color photographs, this book includes 60 more photos than the previous edition. Modern methods of color reproduction and printing have allowed sharper, more accurate versions of Vertrees’s original photos to aid the gardener in identification and selection.

With comprehensive and practical information on growing Japanese maples well, this book will appeal to gardeners at every level.