Purple colour with depth
Leaves with around seven lobes hold rich bronze and burgundy tones, creating a dense plane of colour.
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Acer 'Atropurpureum'® 19cm
Normal price
€35,00
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
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 ‘Atropurpureum’®
If you can’t handle a little leaf scorch, get a fern 😐
- Bronze-crimson foliage
- Broad bushy crown
- Brilliant red autumn colour
- Classic architectural presence
Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’® brings the enduring elegance of a Japanese maple to richly coloured foliage. Its palmate leaves emerge in bronze and crimson, while the broad branching allows light to pass between their dark surfaces. In autumn, the crown brightens to brilliant red with a warmer, almost translucent intensity. It creates a strong colour reference that connects the garden’s architecture with the continuing movement of the seasons.
Its broad, bushy and well-branched crown gradually develops a strong architectural presence. As a young plant it can command a sheltered terrace or courtyard; over time it becomes a small garden tree whose dark foliage forms an exceptional background for brighter textures.
What makes it special
Three substantial qualities explain why ‘Atropurpureum’ remains a benchmark among red Japanese maples.
Broad natural architecture
The bushy crown spreads and branches into a balanced small tree over time.
A brilliant red autumn peak
Before leaf fall, deep purple ignites into brighter red and orange.
Why you will love it: It delivers the classic deep red of Japanese maples together with an imposing, naturally branched crown.
In the garden & on the balcony Placement & plant combinations A strong colour focal point in a sheltered position, with room for the future broad crown
Best position
Use it as a specimen small tree in a sheltered courtyard or garden, or initially in a large outdoor pot near an entrance. The mature crown becomes broad and should be kept away from narrow routes or plants that would press against its natural outline.
For several freely developing trees, use the mature spread of 4–8 m as the spacing guide and allow a comparable centre-to-centre distance. A pot suits younger stages, but open ground gives the best long-term prospects.
Compatible planting
Purple foliage gains depth beside low gold and silver textures. Keep the companions around the crown’s outer edge in bright partial shade and neutral, cool, organic, freely drained soil, leaving room for the tree to develop.
- Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ — its yellow stripes brighten the ground beneath the dark crown
- Athyrium niponicum var. pictum — silvery surfaces and burgundy veins connect the light and dark shades
- Helleborus × hybridus — its early flowers add interest before the maple’s foliage fills out
Care at a glance
Light
Bright partial shade or morning sun; gentle light supports rich purple colour, with shelter 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; gentle light supports rich purple colour, with shelter 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 grow for several years in a large outdoor pot, but its mature size is substantial. Open ground is the best choice for full long-term development.
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 broad purple-leaved crownThe young tree gains space, depth and shifting purple tones
The young tree settles
At first, roots adapt to the new soil and canopy growth is not always even. The earliest main branches lay the foundation for the future broad form.
Branches extending outwards
The crown spreads and lateral branches gain weight and presence. The tree needs open space and is not kept compact through repeated clipping.
A more complex colour picture
Leaves of different ages and exposures can combine purple, bronze and green. The red autumn phase ends in natural leaf fall.
Mature form & dimensions
Garden-grown formHeight 4–8 mSpread 4–8 mBroad tree crown
Low branching develops into a broad, many-branched crown. In the ground, the mature tree can reach 4–8 m in height and spread.
Form through time
Two seasonal viewsSpring & summerPurple and bronze leaves, with variable green tones.
AutumnThe crown reddens and gradually thins before becoming bare.
Summer colour does not necessarily remain uniformly purple. Microclimate and leaf age affect the palette; the bare framework remains in winter.
What to expect after planting: In a suitable position in open ground, the mature form reaches approximately 4–8 m in height and 4–8 m in spread over 10–20 years. Growth usually remains more restrained in a pot.
History & origin Cultivar origin The purple-leaved form in European horticulture
The European horticultural history of Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’ has a clear landmark in 1857, when the purple-leaved form distributed by Louis van Houtte’s nursery was illustrated in Flore des Serres. Its dark spring crown and red autumn finish established this type of maple in gardens.
Over time, more than one related purple-leaved form was cultivated under the same historic name. Summer colour therefore varies naturally, from deep purple to more bronze and green tones.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forBotanical details for anyone curious about what lies behind the plant’s appearance
Purple does not exclude green
In Acer palmatum leaves, anthocyanins add red and purple shades over the green background of chlorophyll. A purple leaf still photosynthesises; the colour we see depends on the balance of pigments and changes with leaf age and the environment.
Lobes sharing one blade
The broader lobes of Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’ remain connected at their bases and are supplied by veins radiating from the junction with the leaf stalk. This palmate venation explains the leaf’s characteristic symmetry without dividing it into separate leaflets.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers covering light, seasonal colour, pots, mature size, pruning and winter leaf fall.
01How much light encourages purple colour?
Some gentle morning sun supports colour, while bright partial shade protects the crown from fierce afternoon heat. Very deep shade may increase green tones.
02Why do the leaves look greener in summer?
The summer palette does not necessarily remain dark purple. Leaf age, heat, exposure and natural variation within this historic form can produce bronze or greener tones.
03Is it a dwarf maple for a permanent pot?
It is not a dwarf selection. It can develop for years in a large outdoor pot, but the full broad crown is best appreciated in a garden position with sufficient space.
04How large does it grow in the garden?
Mature growth reaches approximately 4–8 m in height and spread, usually over 10–20 years. Available root space and microclimate influence the rate.
05Can frequent clipping keep it small?
Repeated clipping changes the natural broad crown. Choose a position that can accommodate the tree and remove only what is needed after leaf fall, before midwinter.
06Does it lose all its leaves?
Yes, it is deciduous. Leaves fall after the red autumn phase, leaving the many-branched crown to fill again in spring.
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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.