Samidare (Acer palmatum 'Samidare')

This small broad tree sports my favorite leaf shape: broadly ovate. The leaves come out pink in the spring then become sort of multi-hued for the summer. In fall the hues are gold and purple.

Sagara nishiki (Acer palmatum 'Sagara nishiki' )

This is a small, but lovely cultivar for a filtered-sun location. It has golden variegated leaves that will burn in strong sunlight, but shine in a protected location. zone 6

Ryuzu (Acer palmatum 'Ryuzu' )

Ryuzu is a charming dwarf with bunchy leaves and an ever changing color show. When I say dwarf, I mean short and sloooow.

Ryu sei (Acer palmatum 'Ryu sei')

This weeper is the saddest of all; it grows quickly as tall as the stake you put it on and then it cascades straight down forming a pillar of small palmate leaves. Sort of interesting actually. Fall color gold.

Ruby Ridge (Acer palmatum 'Ruby Ridge' )

Ruby Ridge is a gross palmatum–literally; the large leaves are coarse and rough looking and mean dark red; I love it. The stems and limbs are thick and heavy, but it is a very slow grower.

Royale (Acer palmatum 'Royale')

One of the many new witches broom dwarf reds, but this one I like because it is a many-hued red.

Red Spider (Acer palmatum 'Red Spider' )

A red strapleaf (linearlobum) which is dinctive for its somewhat heavier lobes. It keeps the red well in summer and turns scarlet in the fall. Zone 5. This photo is from Michael Healy.

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.