Japanese maple "Little Princess"

Japanese maple "Little Princess" (Acer palmatum "Little Princess") – a dwarf cultivar of Japanese maple. The cultivar was obtained in 1988 in the United Kingdom and was named J.Russel. There are 2 clones of the cultivar: "Kiyo hime" and "Chiyo hime".

It is a dwarf, slow-growing deciduous tree up to 1.5 m tall. The crown is spreading, branches sparse.

Leaves small, 5-7 cm long, deeply dissected, light green with a reddish margin in spring, golden-yellow in autumn.

Hardiness zone: 5-8 (-25°C).

Location: requires moist soil and air. It is recommended to plant in places protected from cold winds and bright sun. Optimal acidity — pH 6.0 - 7.5

Planting: The root collar at ground level; for plants that produce abundant root suckers, it is slightly buried up to (5cm). If groundwater is close, drainage consisting of crushed stone 10-20 cm thick is required. Soil mix: humus or peat compost, topsoil, sand in a ratio of 3:2:1. Mineral fertilizer can be added to the planting hole (120-150 g nitroammophoska).

Room temperature: prefers moderate temperatures. In winter not below 0, optimal +8-10°C. From late May to August it can be kept outdoors, shaded from bright midday sun and protected from drafts. Does not tolerate hot air from heaters well.

Watering: After planting - 20 L per plant. Most maples can tolerate dry soil, but they grow better with watering. Watering rate in the dry season 10-20 L per plant once a week. With normal rainfall 10-20 L per plant once a month.

Care: Young plants should be covered with conifer boughs near the root collar in severe winters when snow cover is insufficient. If shoots are damaged by frost, one-year-old shoots must be pruned. The crown will recover due to new shoots that have time to harden before the onset of frost. Standard plants in the first 2-3 years after planting should be protected from frost cracks by wrapping the trunk with burlap in 1-2 layers. Their winter hardiness increases with age.

Pruning: can be grown in bonsai style. Requires sanitary pruning.

Pests: Whitefly, Mealybug, Leaf weevil.

Diseases: Powdery mildew, Black spot

Propagation: Seeds after collection are sown into the ground or stored in a cool dry place at 0 — 5 °C and 10 — 15% humidity, and before spring sowing are stratified at 0 — 3 °C in moist sand for 2 months. Sowing depth 1.5 — 2 cm. Germination of fully developed seeds 60 — 65 %.

Uses: used for container plantings or in small gardens. Grown in bonsai style.