Colour in successive chapters
Peach and pink spring growth, luminous golden-green summer foliage and golden-yellow, orange and red autumn colour.
Acer 'Summer Gold'® 19cm
Normal price
€38,00
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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 'Summer Gold'
- Luminous golden-green foliage
- Peach-tinted spring growth
- Compact rounded crown
- Warm multicoloured autumn display
Acer palmatum ‘Summer Gold’ brings to the composition the luminosity of a brightly lit planting. Young growth opens with peach and pink notes, matures to clear golden green that remains bright through summer and closes the season in golden yellow, orange and red. Its small rounded crown appears lit from within. Its presence reads clearly from a distance and reveals still more detail at close range, creating a complete, luxurious display that renews itself with every seasonal change.
Its compact form becomes a natural point of light at a sheltered entrance, in a small courtyard or on a terrace. Beside deep green or burgundy foliage it creates clear contrast, while the calm rounded silhouette adds richness without visual weight.
What makes it special
Three substantial qualities explain why ‘Summer Gold’ stands out both in close detail and in its overall presence.
Foliage that rewards a closer look
Elegant palmate leaves create a dense yet airy surface that reflects light softly.
A silhouette with design value
Upright young growth gradually rounds into a balanced compact crown.
Why you will love it: A luminous Acer that turns cool partial shade into a golden-green focal point.
In the garden & on the balcony Placement & plant combinations A focal point in sheltered bright partial shade, with enough open space to appreciate its small upright crown that gradually becomes rounded
A position that reveals its rounded golden-green crown
Use it as a focal point near an entrance, sheltered seating area or in the middle layer of a cool mixed planting. At maturity, it develops a small upright crown that gradually becomes rounded and benefits from a calm background and sufficient open space to retain its natural architecture.
For several plants retaining a free natural crown, allow centre-to-centre spacing close to the verified mature spread of 1.5–2.5 m. In a pot choose a stable base, free drainage and a position where the roots are protected from overheating.
Combinations that work
The golden-green, peach and warm autumnal palette of ‘Summer Gold’ becomes clearer beside black bases, purple flower spikes and orange-red ferns. All three choices suit bright partial shade and organic soil with even moisture and good drainage, creating clean layers around the Acer’s natural form.
- Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ — creates a low near-black base that makes the luminous golden-green rounded crown stand out immediately
- Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple’ — adds evergreen dark green foliage and upright purple flower spikes that balance the luminous golden-green rounded crown in late summer
- Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’ — its orange-red new fronds repeat the warm tones and give an airy counterweight to the luminous golden-green rounded crown
Care at a glance
Light
Bright partial shade or gentle morning sun, sheltered from fierce afternoon sun and dry air.
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 gentle morning sun, sheltered from fierce afternoon sun and dry air.
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 years in a large outdoor pot with free drainage and even moisture. As it matures towards 1.5–2.5 m × 1.5–2.5 m, check available root space periodically and move to a larger pot when required.
Watering & cool roots
Water thoroughly when the upper layer begins to dry, maintaining even moisture without waterlogging; check pots more frequently in hot weather. An organic mulch helps buffer sudden changes in moisture and temperature.
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 Acer to rounded golden-green crownCareful establishment gradually gives way to characteristic natural branching and increasingly rich seasonal changes.
First establishment
After planting, new growth may be restrained while the root system settles. Even moisture and a sheltered microclimate matter more than rapid extension.
The natural habit becomes clear
As the main shoots branch, the plant gradually develops a small upright crown that gradually becomes rounded. Its natural line is most attractive when it is not clipped into a rigid shape.
A mature seasonal rhythm
With maturity it repeats its distinctive colour cycle each year: peach spring growth, golden-green summer foliage and golden-yellow to orange-red autumn colour, followed by natural leaf fall.
Mature form & dimensions
Maturity 10–20 yearsHeight 1.5–2.5 mSpread 1.5–2.5 mSmall upright crown that gradually becomes rounded
Indicative natural silhouette; verified mature dimensions 1.5–2.5 m high × 1.5–2.5 m wide.
The palette through the year
Deciduous
Spring → summerPeach-tinted growth, then golden green
AutumnGolden yellow, orange and red
The crown is naturally bare in winter. Colour intensity and timing vary with light, temperature and microclimate.
What to expect after planting: In a suitable position in open ground, the mature form reaches approximately 1.5–2.5 m in height and 1.5–2.5 m in spread over 10–20 years. Growth usually remains more restrained in a pot.
History & breeding Cultivar origin Breeder, original selection and the cultivar’s history
‘Summer Gold’ originated in the Japanese-maple selection programme of Fratelli Gilardelli Nursery in Italy. It was selected specifically for yellow foliage that retains cleaner colour and a better appearance through bright summer conditions than older yellow-leaved cultivars.
The cultivar entered the international market through the Italian nursery and became one of the principal modern yellow-leaved selections in European cultivation.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forBotanical details for anyone curious about what lies behind the plant’s appearance
Palmatum horticultural group
In the horticultural classification of Japanese maples, this cultivar belongs to the Palmatum Group: its leaves usually have five to seven lobes, cut beyond halfway into the blade without the fine secondary division of the Dissectum Group.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers covering light, seasonal colour, pots, mature size, pruning and winter leaf fall.
01How much sun will it tolerate in Greece?
Bright partial shade or gentle morning sun, sheltered from fierce afternoon sun and dry air. A sheltered microclimate matters just as much as the number of hours of light.
02Why does its colour change through the year?
Summer colour ranges from lime to golden green according to gentle light without losing its luminous character.
03Can it remain in a pot?
It can grow for years in a large outdoor pot with free drainage and even moisture. As it matures towards 1.5–2.5 m × 1.5–2.5 m, check available root space periodically and move to a larger pot when required.
04How large does it become and how quickly?
In a suitable position in open ground it reaches approximately 1.5–2.5 m in height and 1.5–2.5 m in spread over 10–20 years. Microclimate and available root space influence the rate.
05Does it need pruning to hold its shape?
Usually not; its natural architecture is central to its beauty. If cleaning is needed, work after leaf fall and before midwinter, removing only what is necessary.
06Is it normal for the tree to be bare in winter?
Yes. It is deciduous and sheds its leaves in autumn after completing its colour cycle. Fresh growth returns in spring.
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Individual protection
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