Trident maple

Trident maple is the maple most growers start with: fast growth, reliable backbudding, thick bark that develops handsome texture early, and a tolerance for hard pruning that Japanese maple doesn't share. Its three-lobed leaf reduces well under repeated defoliation, and it forgives more mistakes than any other maple here.

Care at a glance

Watering

Check daily in growing season; never let it dry out completely. Roughly every 2 days in spring, 1 in summer, 2 in autumn and 5 in winter.

Light

Full sun to light shade.

Winter

Hardy once established; protect the roots from hard freeze in the pot. Protect it when the forecast drops below -12 °C.

Feeding

Every 14 days, Apr to Oct, paused in the hottest weeks.

Repotting

Every 2 to 3 years, as buds swell, in Mar or Apr.

Growth

Fast growing. Hardy in zones 5 to 9.

The work calendar

Styles that suit it

MoyogiHokidachiSokanYose-ue

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