Acer palmatum 'RED NAILS' Japanese maple

Red Nails is an exquisite Japanese maple variety from H. Hachmann nursery in Barmstedt, Germany. Its young leaves emerge bright chartreuse with conspicuous vibrant ruby red tips. They unfold to a large star-palmate shape with 5-7 lobes. They are bright green all season long and its tips remain red until August if grown in full sun. In autumn they turn a glowing shade of scarlet red.

It grows rather fast into a more slender shrub compared to a similar variety Tsuma gaki. In ten years it can reach about 2 meters in heigh and one meter in width and its estimated mature height is twice this size.

Japanese maples need constantly moist soil that has to be well-drained, acidic to neutral, and medium fertile. Keep it mulched all year round. It loves a location with high air humidity, e.g. at a river bank or near a pond but it is not a must. Red Nails maple prefers full sun in constantly moist soil, and naturally grows in partial shade, too, where its red shades will be less pronounced and won’t last for long. Full shade is not recommended. It is hardy to at least -29 °C (USDA zone 5), and is suitable for outdoor planters, too, if kept moist but without a saucer.

Last update 04-01-2023