Fresh green with a clear outline
Five-lobed leaves have serrated margins and form a bright, clearly defined crown.
Acer 'Aoyagi'® 19cm
Normal price
€35,00
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The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Acer palmatum ‘Aoyagi’®
- Fresh green palmate foliage
- Pea-green stems
- Deep yellow autumn colour
- Upright broad-topped crown
Acer palmatum ‘Aoyagi’® gives green a luminous presence that continues even after the leaves have fallen. In spring and summer, fresh palmate foliage spreads over upright branches to create a light, clearly defined crown. Deep yellow follows in autumn and, after leaf fall, the vivid green shoots take the leading role. This progression brings colour and line to the garden without relying on a single brief seasonal highlight.
The upright habit with a broad top develops into a genuine tree and deserves a long-term garden position. As a young plant it brings immediate freshness to a large pot or sheltered courtyard, but its mature architecture is best expressed in open ground, where the bright crown and green winter framework have room.
What makes it special
‘Aoyagi’ stands out through three different expressions of green and gold across the year.
Green stems in winter
After leaf fall, pea-green bark retains colour and structure in the seasonally bare crown.
A golden-yellow autumn peak
Clear green becomes deep yellow, creating a luminous contrast with the green stems.
Why you will love it: It offers a bright, calm palette and genuine interest in foliage, bark and a mature tree form.
In the garden & on the balcony Placement & plant combinations A long-term specimen tree in a sheltered garden, with room for the broad top and a view towards the green stems
Best position
Give it a position as a specimen tree in a sheltered garden, spacious courtyard or in the rear layer of a cool composition. The mature outline is tall with a broad top, so this is not a permanent choice for a very narrow setting.
For several trees retaining a free crown, use the mature spread of 2.5–4 m as the centre-to-centre guide. A very large pot is useful during younger stages, but open ground is the correct long-term direction.
Compatible planting
Green winter stems and yellow autumn colour stand out beside low dark surfaces and silvery details. These companions suit bright partial shade and cool, organic, freely drained soil; keep the immediate outline of the trunk clear.
- Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple’ — its dark evergreen foliage creates a quiet background for the green winter framework
- Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ — near-black rosettes emphasise the golden-yellow autumn leaves
- Athyrium niponicum var. pictum — silvery fern fronds brighten the summer underplanting without obscuring the crown
Care at a glance
Light
Bright partial shade or morning sun; in hot regions protect it from fierce afternoon sun and drying winds.
Watering
Water thoroughly when the upper layer begins to dry, maintaining even moisture without waterlogging; check pots more frequently in hot weather.
Climate & hardiness
Deciduous and hardy in winter cold; fresh growth benefits from shelter against late frost, hot dry air and extreme summer exposure.
Safety
An ornamental plant, not food. It is not intended for consumption; place it away from children or animals that tend to chew plant material.
Detailed careComplete care guideLight, microclimate, ground planting, pots, growing medium, watering, feeding, pruning and the winter cycle
Light & microclimate
Bright partial shade or morning sun; in hot regions protect it from fierce afternoon sun and drying winds.
Planting in the ground
Plant in fertile, organic, acid to neutral soil that retains moisture yet drains freely. Keep the root collar level with the surrounding soil and allow the natural crown the space indicated by its mature habit.
Growing in a pot
Use a roomy, stable outdoor pot with unobstructed drainage holes and a structured growing medium that resists compaction. It can begin and grow for years in a very large outdoor pot, but the cultivar develops into a tall tree. Open ground is ultimately required for its full mature form.
Watering & cool roots
Let water soak through the growing medium and drain freely from the holes. In the ground, organic mulch kept clear of the trunk reduces sudden drying; in a pot, check moisture beneath the surface before watering again.
Feeding & clean foliage
A light application of balanced fertiliser in early spring is usually sufficient. Avoid excessive nitrogen and late feeding, which encourage soft new growth.
Pruning & the winter cycle
Pruning is rarely necessary. Remove only dead, damaged or awkwardly crossing branches after leaf fall and before midwinter. A bare crown in winter is entirely normal.
Development over timeFrom a young plant to a green-barked treeUpward growth meets an open crown and a green winter framework
The central structure develops
The young plant invests in root establishment and upright main shoots. Its wide-topped crown takes time to form.
The top opens out
Lateral branching adds greater width higher in the crown. In the ground, the plant develops a clearly tree-like form with space beneath its upper branches.
Bark after leaves
Green leaves turn deep yellow in autumn and then fall. The green bark is revealed along the bare winter branching.
Mature form & dimensions
Garden-grown formHeight 4–8 mSpread 2.5–4 mUpright tree, wide top
The upright trunk and main limbs lead into a wide top. The mature tree reaches 4–8 m high and 2.5–4 m wide.
Form through time
Two seasonal viewsAutumnDeep yellow foliage over the green branches.
WinterBare branching with vivid green younger shoots.
Autumn and winter are two successive, different displays. In spring, the same wide top fills again with fresh green foliage.
What to expect after planting: In a suitable position in open ground, the mature form reaches approximately 4–8 m in height and 2.5–4 m in spread over 10–20 years. Growth usually remains more restrained in a pot.
History & origin Cultivar origin A Japanese cultivar with green winter bark.
Acer palmatum ‘Aoyagi’® belongs to the Japanese maple selections that remain distinctive after leaf fall. Its name is associated with ‘green willow’, an apt companion to the vivid green shoots that keep colour in the winter garden.
The cultivar travelled into botanical collections beyond Japan. In August 2017, the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden featured it for its green bark. This is a recorded point in its cultivation; the first selector and original introduction year remain unknown.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forBotanical details for anyone curious about what lies behind the plant’s appearance
One leaf with several lobes
Although deep cuts divide its outline, a palmately lobed Acer leaf is one continuous blade. The lobes remain connected at the base and the main veins radiate from the point where the stalk joins. It is a simple leaf, unlike a compound leaf with separate leaflets.
Branching revealed in winter
Leaves and axillary buds sit opposite each other at the same node. When both lateral buds develop, they can form a small fork. After leaf fall, this arrangement is clearly visible on the green shoots of ‘Aoyagi’.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers covering light, seasonal colour, pots, mature size, pruning and winter leaf fall.
01What stands out when it has no leaves?
The younger shoots retain vivid green bark. This colour is easier to appreciate in winter, when the bare crown exposes its branching to the light.
02What is its autumn colour?
Fresh green leaves turn deep yellow before falling. The winter display that follows consists of green shoots rather than yellow foliage.
03Does it suit a permanently small pot?
No, it develops into a tree. A very large pot can serve during its younger years, but full long-term growth needs a suitable garden position.
04How tall does it become?
Allow 4–8 m in height and 2.5–4 m in spread in suitable soil, with development towards maturity over 10–20 years. The crown opens out more widely at the top.
05When should problematic branches be removed?
After leaf fall and before midwinter, removing as little as necessary. The natural upright branching is part of its winter interest.
06How is the foliage protected from summer heat?
Provide bright partial shade or morning sun with cool afternoon protection. Hot, dry air and sudden moisture changes place more stress on the leaves than a consistently sheltered position.
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Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.