Red Pygmy (Acer palmatum 'Red Pygmy' )

Red Pygmy is one of the many strap leaf cultivars called the red linearlobum group. Maybe it is a little smaller than some of the others, but it is hard to tell a lot of difference.

Red leaf Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum Atropurpureum)

Red Japanese Maple seedlings can be as various as any cultivar. There is no way to tell whether your tree will grow to 8′ or 30′, but you can count on red leaves in summer and good fall color.

Red Cloud (Acer palmatum 'Red Cloud')

A rounded strap leaf tree with leaves perhaps redder (as in not so purple) than some of the others. Orange/scarlet in fall.

Purple Ghost (Acer palmatum 'Purple Ghost' )

Purple Ghost is the most sought after of the ghost series; a seedling of Kasagiyama, it has the same purple brick color with dark veining, but the tree is better shaped and holds its colors throughout the summer. None of my photos have turned out, but you can see good pics on Google Images, and I will keep trying for this page. Well, another year has gone by without my taking a good photo, but Michael Healy has lent me this one which shows sort of a midseason color. This is a very vigorous tree.

Pixie (Acer palmatum 'Pixie' )

This much sought after dwarf has purple leaves in dense clusters with small internodes. It should not get over 8′. zone 6

Peaches and Cream (Acer palmatum 'Peaches and Cream' )

It is the spring color of the leaves that has people excited about this plant; I saw it in the Oregon sun this summer and it was great; I was afraid that it would burn horribly, but it kept a lot of color; I gather it will tend to stay small: 6-8′. Zone 6

Otome zakura (Acer palmatum 'Otome zakura' )

Otome zakura is a member of the Corallinum group each of which has brilliant spring foliage, but the summer leaves are paler and more varied. The tree will grow fairly quickly to about 18′.

Oshu shidare (Acer palmatum 'Oshu shidare' )

This purple leaved tree is slightly pendulous growing up to 15′ high and wide, but slowly. Zone 5.

Osaka zuki (Acer palmatum 'Osaka zuki' )

This has been one of the most sought after Japanese Maples for over a century. It is known mostly for its shining crimson fall color, but it is generally a fine tree all year. The clean green leaves are broad and larger than most but never coarse looking. The tree develops reasonably quickly into a round-headed small tree to about 15′. zone 5

Orido nishiki (Acer palmatum 'Orido nishiki' )

The leaves are variegated with pink and white and so is the bark of the new limbs and twigs. Zone 5. The plant is excellently captured in this photo by Michael Healy.