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Upright, serious and not at all discreet — thankfully ❤️
Family: Sapindaceae · Pot diameter: 19 cm · Height: approx. 45 cm
Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ carries the deep, velvety red that can organise an entire planting around it. Slender palmate leaves open red-purple, hold rich depth through the season and ignite in clear red during autumn. Its presence is strong, elegant and immediately recognisable, making it an ideal choice when a setting needs a true visual anchor.
The upright bushy crown gradually develops balanced volume and clean lines. As a young plant it adds immediate colour to a courtyard or terrace; in open ground it becomes an imposing small tree that brings contrast, depth and architectural stability.
The cultivar ‘Bloodgood’ holds the RHS Recommended: Award of Garden Merit (1993), an internationally recognised distinction for dependable garden performance.
‘Bloodgood’ combines three different strengths: lasting colour depth, a strong outline and a bright autumn finale.
Leaves with five to seven lobes retain deep red-purple colour and create a single velvety plane.
Bushy branching develops balanced height and spread, forming a strong yet elegant focal point.
Deep colour brightens into clear red before natural leaf fall.
Why you will love it: It is a proven choice for deep colour and architectural presence, with every autumn adding a vivid peak.
Plant it as a specimen small tree in a courtyard, near an entrance or in the middle-to-rear layer of a cool mixed composition. The mature crown develops comparable height and spread, so it needs a clear position to retain its natural symmetry.
For several freely formed plants, allow approximately 2.5–4 m from centre to centre, following the verified mature spread. Growth remains more controlled in a large pot, but stability and long-term planning are essential.
The red-purple with a brilliant red autumn palette of ‘Bloodgood’ becomes clearer beside bright yellow lines, yellow flowers and coppery 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.
Bright partial shade or morning sun; gentle light supports deep red colour, with shelter from fierce afternoon sun and drying winds.
Water thoroughly when the upper layer begins to dry, maintaining even moisture without waterlogging; check pots more frequently in hot weather.
Deciduous and hardy in winter cold; fresh growth benefits from shelter against late frost, hot dry air and extreme summer exposure.
An ornamental plant, not food. It is not intended for consumption; place it away from children or animals that tend to chew plant material.
Bright partial shade or morning sun; gentle light supports deep red colour, with shelter from fierce afternoon sun and drying winds.
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.
Use a roomy, stable outdoor pot with unobstructed drainage holes and a structured growing medium that resists compaction. It can grow for many years in a large outdoor pot with free drainage and regular root checks. Open ground is preferable for full mature development.
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.
A light application of balanced fertiliser in early spring is usually sufficient. Avoid excessive nitrogen and late feeding, which encourage soft new growth.
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.
After planting, new growth may be restrained while the root system settles. Even moisture and a sheltered microclimate matter more than rapid extension.
As the main shoots branch, the plant gradually develops a large, bushy and upright crown. Its natural line is most attractive when it is not clipped into a rigid shape.
With maturity it repeats its distinctive colour cycle each year: deep red-purple from spring through summer and bright red in autumn, followed by natural leaf fall.
Indicative natural silhouette; verified mature dimensions 2.5–4 m high × 2.5–4 m wide.
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 2.5–4 m in height and 2.5–4 m in spread over 10–20 years. Growth usually remains more restrained in a pot.
‘Bloodgood’ was selected in the United States from the red-leaved ‘Atropurpureum’ group. Its name is associated with Bloodgood Nursery on Long Island, New York, which brought it into the American nursery trade.
The cultivar was already widely established by the mid-twentieth century and became one of the principal red-leaved reference lines behind later Japanese-maple selections.
This cultivar belongs to the Amoenum Group, whose leaves usually carry seven to nine broader lobes, with the divisions reaching roughly two thirds into the blade.
A maple's ‘winged fruit’ is botanically a pair of one-seeded samaras. The asymmetric wing slows the fall and creates autorotation, helping the seed travel away from the crown.
The exact cultivar ‘Bloodgood’ is included in the current RHS Recommended: Award of Garden Merit register.
Six practical answers covering light, seasonal colour, pots, mature size, pruning and winter leaf fall.
Bright partial shade or morning sun; gentle light supports deep red colour, with shelter from fierce afternoon sun and drying winds. A sheltered microclimate matters just as much as the number of hours of light.
Foliage opens red-purple, holds deep colour through the season and becomes brighter red in autumn. Very deep shade can reduce its intensity.
It can grow for many years in a large outdoor pot with free drainage and regular root checks. Open ground is preferable for full mature development.
In a suitable position in open ground it reaches approximately 2.5–4 m in height and 2.5–4 m in spread over 10–20 years. Microclimate and available root space influence the rate.
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.
Yes. It is deciduous and sheds its leaves in autumn after completing its colour cycle. Fresh growth returns in spring.
