This store requires javascript to be enabled for some features to work correctly.

HOME

PLANTS

Cacti & Succulents
Indoor Plants
- All Plants
- Philodendron
- Calathea
- Sansevieria
- Peperomia
- Hoya
- Ferns
- Carnivorous Plants
Outdoor Plants
- All
- Shrubs
- Acer®
- Alstroemeria®
- Hydrangeas®
- Tropical Plants
- Fruit Snacks®
- Grasses®
- Climbing Plants
- Conifers
New varieties
Roses
Baby Plants
Mystery Box®

PLANT FINDER

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

HYDROCULTURE

GARDENING

Pots and Planters

PLANT CARE

GIFT CARD

BLOG

HOME
PLANTS
- Cacti & Succulents
- Indoor Plants
  - All Plants
  - Philodendron
  - Calathea
  - Sansevieria
  - Peperomia
  - Hoya
  - Ferns
  - Carnivorous Plants
- Outdoor Plants
  - All
  - Shrubs
  - Acer®
  - Alstroemeria®
  - Hydrangeas®
  - Tropical Plants
  - Fruit Snacks®
  - Grasses®
  - Climbing Plants
  - Conifers
- New varieties
- Roses
- Baby Plants
- Mystery Box®
PLANT FINDER
- Indoor Plants
- Outdoor Plants
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
HYDROCULTURE
GARDENING
- Shop all gardening
- Lawns
  - Grass seed
  - Rolled turf
Pots and Planters
- Globee®
- Mica® Pots
- Capi® Pots
- Pots
- Lechuza
- Orchid Pots
- Terraneo
- Plantopia Baskets
PLANT CARE
GIFT CARD
BLOG

Acer 'Atropurpureum'® 19cm

Name: Acer 'Atropurpureum'® 19cm
Brand: Greenleaf Garden Center
SKU: Aceratropurp19cm
Price: 27.0 EUR
Availability: InStock

€35,00

€27,00

Quantity

Deciduous ornamental small tree · Sapindaceae · Broad, bushy and well-branched crown

Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’®

If you can’t handle a little leaf scorch, get a fern 😐

Family: Sapindaceae · Pot diameter: 19 cm · Height: 35–40 cm

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.

Purple colour with depth

Leaves with around seven lobes hold rich bronze and burgundy tones, creating a dense plane of colour.

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

Planting position

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.

Colour & compatibility

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 form

Height 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 views

Spring & 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.

Cart (0)

Acer 'Atropurpureum'® 19cm

Acer 'Atropurpureum'® 19cm

Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’®

What makes it special

Purple colour with depth

Broad natural architecture

A brilliant red autumn peak

Best position

Compatible planting

Care at a glance

Light

Watering

Climate & hardiness

Safety

Light & microclimate

Planting in the ground

Growing in a pot

Watering & cool roots

Feeding & clean foliage

Pruning & the winter cycle

The young tree settles

Branches extending outwards

A more complex colour picture

Mature form & dimensions

Form through time

Purple does not exclude green

Lobes sharing one blade

Frequently asked questions

Acer 'Atropurpureum'® 19cm — Care & Tips

We take care of the packaging!

With specially designed boxes, we ensure that the plants will reach you intact, no matter what they encounter on the way!

All plants in 3L pots or larger are placed in individual boxes that secure the plant at the base of the pot, preventing it from tipping over.

The cardboard used for the boxes is specially made to provide resistance to potential impacts during transport.

Recently Viewed