Acer Bloodgood

Acer Bloodgood is best suited in a position that gets

• Partial shade

Acer Bloodgood is

• Frost Tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Deciduous

Acer Bloodgood will thrive in soil that is

• Normal
• Free draining
• Nutrient rich

Plant Acer 'Bloodgood' in full sun to part shade.

In cooler New Zealand climates, it can perform well with plenty of sun, which also helps maintain its rich foliage colour. In hotter or more exposed positions, some protection from intense afternoon sun is beneficial.

In Canterbury, we'd particularly recommend shelter from hot, drying nor'west winds, which can scorch the delicate foliage.

Choose a position with:

Good sunlight
Protection from strong winds
Consistent soil moisture
Free-draining soil
Enough room for its natural canopy to develop

Water deeply and regularly during the first couple of growing seasons while the root system establishes.

Pay particular attention during the first summer.

A thorough soak less frequently is generally better than constantly wetting only the top few centimetres of soil.

Continue watering during prolonged dry periods, particularly through hot Canterbury summers.

Japanese Maples have relatively fine foliage, and drought stress combined with hot winds can quickly result in brown or crispy leaf margins.

Apply a layer of organic mulch around the root zone each year.

Mulching helps:

Retain soil moisture
Keep roots cooler through summer
Reduce competition from weeds
Improve soil structure over time

Keep mulch slightly away from the trunk rather than piling it directly against the bark.

Apply a balanced slow-release fertiliser in spring as new growth begins.

Japanese Maples generally don't require heavy feeding. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which can encourage lots of soft growth and may reduce the intensity of the foliage colour.

A yearly application of compost around the root zone can also be beneficial.

Acer 'Bloodgood' requires very little routine pruning.

Its naturally elegant branching structure is one of its best features, so allow it to develop rather than trying to turn it into a perfectly clipped ball.

Prune only to:

Remove dead or damaged branches
Remove crossing or rubbing growth
Improve the framework of young trees
Remove poorly positioned shoots

Any major structural pruning is much easier while the tree is young.

Protecting Against Leaf Scorch

Brown or crispy edges on Japanese Maple leaves are usually associated with environmental stress rather than something sinister lurking in the garden.

Common causes include:

Hot, drying winds
Insufficient water
Extreme afternoon sun
Very exposed planting positions

If you're gardening in Canterbury, shelter from the nor'wester and consistent summer moisture are two of the most important things you can provide.

Acer 'Bloodgood' is highly frost hardy once established and is well suited to cooler New Zealand gardens.

As a deciduous tree, it drops its foliage in autumn and enters dormancy through winter before producing fresh growth again in spring.

Young trees will benefit from mulch around their root zone, but established plants generally require very little special winter care.