Beni kawa (Acer palmatum 'Beni kawa')

With red bark in winter, this cultivar is very much like ‘Sango Kaku’, but it is somewhat more vase-shaped.

Beni Hoshi (Acer palmatum 'Beni Hoshi')

I loved this palmatum the first time I saw it. Beni hoshi means Red star and that is what it looked like: my favorite shape leaf–small, very palmate and widely lobed with stiff petioles so it reaches up–and the most awesome red color in spring; unfortunately it barely grows. I have heard that Ruby Stars is the same plant and I have propagated both so I will do a real comparison this year.

Beni hime (Acer palmatum 'Beni hime')

Beni hime is one of the smallest red leafed dwarfs; the leaves are 5 lobed but with a roundy look–and small, very small. It is one of the more challenging cultivars to grow but definitely worth the trouble (perfect drainage, etc)

Beni gaza (Acer palmatum 'Beni gaza')

Beni gaza has lovely large red noticeably toothed leaves; its shape is upright but broadening out with age to maybe 8′ tall and almost as wide. Could be interesting in a container.

Beni fushigi (Acer palmatum 'Beni fushigi')

As a member of the Corallinum group, this palmatum is most stunning in the spring when the leaves come out the color of fire. They stay multicolored as they appear in this photo becoming darker as the summer progresses. The plant is shrubby rather than tree like. zone 5

Asahi zuru (Acer palmatum 'Asahi zuru')

Asahi zuru is one of the boldest variegates with pink, green and white leaves. It grows well as a young tree and later slows down and becomes denser and maintains variegation well.

Ariadne (Acer palmatum 'Ariadne')

Ariadne is one of those spring reticulations that make you gasp in awe at the beauty. Unfortunately, by mid summer, it is pretty much gone. Fall sees something of a comeback, but the question is: will a picture of the spring color make you want the plant. It did me.

Arakawa (Acer Palmatum 'Arakawa')

Arakawa is grown for the bark rather than the foliage; after two or three years, it starts to get thick and corky. The summer leaf color is green; fall color is gold.

Aoyagi (Acer palmatum 'Aoyagi')

The fresh green leaves and the green stems of this cultivar make this a good companion tree to the bright red barked trees like Sango kaku or Beni Kawa. The small leaves turn yellow in the fall. To 25′. zone 6