Green lace with depth
Lobes divide deeply into several fine layers, allowing light to pass through the crown.
Acer 'Dissectum'® 19cm
Normal price
€37,00
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 ‘Dissectum’®
The definition of understated luxury in the garden 🧡
- Deeply divided green foliage
- Low cascading crown
- Broad mound-forming habit
- Multi-coloured autumn display
Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’® gives green the texture of fine lace and its silhouette the movement of a small leafy cascade. Deeply cut leaves form airy layers along branches that curve and trail with natural grace, creating a quiet yet unmistakable focal point. In autumn, the flowing green changes to gold, orange and red, transforming the whole mood of the space.
Its low, broad and mound-forming habit is ideal for softening stone, steps, border edges and sheltered courtyards. The crown spreads further than it rises, delivering a rich presence without closing the view or creating heavy shade.
What makes it special
In ‘Dissectum’, texture, movement and seasonal colour are three separate reasons to choose it.
A naturally cascading flow
Branches arch outwards and down, forming a mound that appears to pour over its base.
Three warm autumn colours
Green changes through yellow, orange and red before leaf fall.
Why you will love it: It has the quality of a living sculpture, combining fine texture, flowing form and autumn colour that completely changes the scene.
In the garden & on the balcony Placement & plant combinations A low flowing focal point in sheltered partial shade, with clear space around the cascading crown
Best position
Place it beside stone, steps or at the edge of a cool border so the crown can be seen from top to base. The mature outline is low and broad, requiring more horizontal room than vertical space.
For several plants retaining a free natural mound, allow approximately 2.5 m from centre to centre, following the mature spread. In a pot choose a broad, stable shape that does not visually crowd the low branches.
Compatible planting
The lacy green crown benefits from low companions that leave its curves visible. The following choices share bright partial shade and cool, organic, freely drained soil; set them clear of the maple’s base so that each plant can develop without crowding.
- Hakonechloa macra — its gently arching blades repeat the crown’s movement on a lower level
- Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ — near-black foliage gives the green lace a clearly defined base
- Polystichum setiferum — its ferns add a stronger evergreen texture behind the seasonally bare crown
Care at a glance
Light
Bright partial shade or gentle morning sun; protect the deeply divided foliage 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 gentle morning sun; protect the deeply divided foliage 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. The low mounded outline is striking in a large, broad outdoor pot. It needs free drainage, even moisture and enough room for the cascading branches to remain uncrowded.
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 low lacy domeThe low curve becomes more intricate as branches spread into successive layers
Roots before canopy
The first period after planting mainly supports root establishment. New growth may remain restrained while the low crown settles into its position.
Branches spreading out
Lateral shoots lengthen and arch outwards. Their tips bend down to create successive layers of lace-like foliage.
Lace and winter lines
Summer green gives way to warm autumn colours. After leaf fall, the fine curves supporting the domed crown become visible.
Mature form & dimensions
Garden-grown formHeight approx. 2 mSpread approx. 2.5 mLow domed crown
A short trunk branches low to support broad arches with trailing tips. The mature form reaches approximately 2 m high and 2.5 m wide.
Form through time
Two seasonal viewsSpring & summerGreen, finely divided leaves in low layers.
WinterBare arches after autumn leaf fall.
Before the bare winter phase, the leaves turn yellow, orange and red. The same plant’s arching framework remains visible throughout the year.
What to expect after planting: In a suitable position in open ground, the mature form reaches approximately 2 m in height and 2.5 m in spread over 10–20 years. Growth usually remains more restrained in a pot.
History & origin Cultivar origin From Japanese gardens to the green lace-leaved form
The green lace-leaved form of Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’ belongs to the long history of Japanese maples with finely divided foliage. In 1805, Carl Peter Thunberg described such a Japanese garden plant as Acer dissectum, a name later associated with the wider Dissectum Group.
In 1875, a green form distributed by Louis van Houtte’s nursery was illustrated in Flore des Serres. The name ‘Dissectum’ became established in horticulture for the green, mound-forming maples of this tradition, without remaining restricted to one original plant.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScience nobody asked forBotanical details for anyone curious about what lies behind the plant’s appearance
One leaf, many divisions
In Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’, the lobes extend almost to the stalk and divide again into very fine segments. They remain connected within one blade: the effect recalls a fern, but this is not a compound leaf made of separate leaflets.
The spinning samara
The fruits of Acer palmatum separate into two single-seeded samaras. Each samara’s wing produces rotation and lift as it falls, slowing its descent so that the wind can carry it farther.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers covering light, seasonal colour, pots, mature size, pruning and winter leaf fall.
01Where are the trailing branches best appreciated?
Near low stonework, a step or a raised bed, where the tips can spread without disappearing into dense shrubs.
02What colour is it outside autumn?
The finely divided foliage is green in spring and summer. Yellow, orange and red shades develop before autumn leaf fall.
03Does it suit a wide outdoor pot?
Yes. A stable, sufficiently wide pot allows the low crown to spread. It needs free drainage and periodic checks on available root space.
04How much room does it need at maturity?
Allow approximately 2 m in height and 2.5 m in spread in a suitable position in the ground. Slow development over 10–20 years does not remove the need to reserve the crown’s space from the start.
05Should I shorten the trailing tips?
Do not shorten them to change the natural outline: arching tips are a defining feature. Limit work to dead or problematic branches, after leaf fall and before midwinter.
06Do brown tips mean the plant is failing?
Usually not. Delicate foliage can develop dry margins in heat, dry air or sudden moisture shortage. Improve shelter and maintain even moisture without waterlogging.
📦 Your plant travels protected
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.