Tree · Sapindaceae
Bloodgood Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum
A forgiving red-leaf maple that rewards a little kindness with seasons of color.
Partial shade
Every 5–10 days
USDA 5–8
15–20 ft · 4.6–6.1 m
Overview
If you have been eyeing a Bloodgood Japanese Maple and wondering whether you are ready for it, take heart. This is a slow-growing, graceful tree that asks for patience more than expertise, and it tends to forgive the small slips that come with learning. Its deep burgundy leaves hold their color through summer and then catch fire in crimson-red fall color, so even a quiet year in the garden gives you something to look forward to.
Picture a tree that reaches 15 to 20 feet tall and spreads 12 to 20 feet over many years, never rushing, never demanding much. It settles happily into USDA zones 5 to 8 and shrugs off temperatures from -20°F to 95°F (-29°C to 35°C) once established. Give it moist, slightly acidic soil and a spot with afternoon shade, and most of the work is already done for you.
The thing to remember is that mistakes here are almost always recoverable. A few scorched leaf tips, a missed watering, a branch that needs trimming: none of these spell disaster. With steady moisture and a layer of mulch, this maple keeps growing into the kind of centerpiece that makes a yard feel finished, and you will find you knew more than you thought.
Care
The short version: give your Bloodgood Japanese Maple part shade with afternoon protection, keep the soil evenly moist by watering every 5 to 10 days, and tuck a layer of mulch over the roots to hold that moisture in. Plant it in rich, slightly acidic, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5, feed lightly in spring, and prune only when needed in late fall to mid winter. Get those few things right and the rest takes care of itself.
Light
Give this maple part shade with a little afternoon protection and it will thank you with rich color. It does handle full sun and partial sun, and in fact a few hours of direct light keep the red leaves deep and saturated. In hot climates, though, shade during the harshest part of the day spares the foliage from scorching, so think of afternoon shelter as a kindness rather than a strict rule.
Water
Aim to keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged, watering roughly every 5 to 10 days depending on your weather. This tree is not drought tolerant, so it leans on you a bit during dry spells, when a deep, thorough soak does far more good than a light sprinkle. A layer of mulch holds moisture and keeps the roots cool, which quietly prevents the leaf scorch that worries so many new growers.
Soil
Plant in moist, organically rich, slightly acidic, well-drained loam and you have set this maple up to thrive. It prefers a pH between 5.5 and 6.5, on the gentle acidic side, with drainage that lets excess water move through freely. If your ground is heavy, mixing in compost loosens it and feeds the roots at the same time, so even less-than-perfect soil can become a good home.
Temperature
This is a hardy tree that takes the cold and heat in stride, comfortable across a range of -20°F to 95°F (-29°C to 35°C). It suits USDA zones 5 to 8 without fuss, weathering frosty winters and warm summers alike once it has settled in. There is no special winter coddling required, which is one more reason it makes such a reassuring choice.
Humidity
Average household and outdoor humidity is perfectly fine for this maple, so there is nothing extra to measure or manage. It does not pine for misting or special moisture in the air. As long as the soil stays evenly damp and the roots are cool, the tree is content with the humidity it finds naturally.
Feeding
Feeding is light and forgiving here. Offer a balanced slow-release fertilizer or compost in spring, just once a season, and that is plenty for steady, healthy growth. Go easy and avoid excess nitrogen, which pushes soft growth that pests love, so a gentle hand truly serves this tree better than generosity.
Pruning
You can put the shears down most of the time, because this maple needs very little pruning. When you do reach for them, work in late fall to mid winter while the tree is dormant, and limit yourself to dead, damaged, or crossing branches. That light touch keeps the natural shape intact and gives the tree the rest it prefers.
Repotting
If you grow yours in a container, plan to repot every 2 to 3 years to refresh the soil and give the roots room. Landscape trees in the ground never need this step at all. Watch for roots circling the pot or slipping out the drainage holes, water that drains straight through, or slowed growth and wilting between waterings, since these are the tree's way of asking for a larger home.
Size & spacing
Give this maple room to grow into itself, because it eventually reaches 15 to 20 feet tall with a spread of 12 to 20 feet. The growth is slow, so you have years to enjoy it at every stage rather than feeling rushed. Plant it where that mature size will fit comfortably, and you spare your future self the trouble of moving an established tree.
When to plant
Timing this maple is wonderfully simple. Plant it in spring or fall once hard frost has passed, and the cool, settled weather lets the roots ease in without stress. Expect reddish-purple flowers in April, followed by red samaras that ripen September to October, so the calendar gives you small, dependable markers all season long.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Spring or fall, after danger of hard frost has passed
- Harvest: Reddish-purple flowers in April; red samaras ripen September-October
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 5–8
Temperature: down to -29°C
Troubleshooting
Most problems with this tree are mild and easy to read once you know the signs, and almost all of them respond to a quick adjustment. The short list below walks you through what crispy leaves, lopsided wilting, and sticky foliage are really telling you, along with gentle, practical fixes you can manage yourself.
Lopsided wilting points to trouble in the soil
When one side wilts and drops back while the other looks fine, a soil fungus called Verticillium is often behind it, and steady care gives the tree its best chance to wall it off.
Fix:
- Prune out and destroy affected branches
- Keep the tree vigorous with proper watering and avoid overfertilizing
- Improve drainage; there is no chemical cure for verticillium
Sticky leaves usually mean tiny hitchhikers
A shiny, tacky coating and crowded new shoots point to aphids or scale, and these common pests are easy to knock back once you spot them.
Fix:
- Dislodge aphids with a strong spray of water
- Treat with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap
- Encourage natural predators such as lady beetles
Crispy leaf edges are a thirst signal you can fix
Those brown, papery edges usually mean the tree is too hot, too dry, or catching too much wind, and a little more water plus shade brings it right back.
Fix:
- Water deeply and consistently to keep soil evenly moist
- Apply mulch over the root zone to retain moisture and cool roots
- Provide afternoon shade in hot climates
- Shelter the tree from strong drying winds
Toxicity
Here is a relief if you share your home with animals: this maple is considered safe across the board. Acer palmatum does not appear on ASPCA toxic-plant lists, and its relatives in genus Acer are treated as non-toxic to cats and dogs. The only thing to watch is a chewed twig, which can splinter, so it is worth steering curious pets away from the branches.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats Safe
No toxic reaction is expected; a curious cat can share the room with this tree without worry.
Dogs Safe
Dogs face no poisoning risk from the leaves, so you can relax about a nibble of foliage.
Horses Safe
Horses are not harmed by this maple, and no toxic signs are linked to it.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits can be around the foliage safely, with no poisoning expected.
Livestock Safe
Livestock show no toxic response to this tree, so grazing near it is fine.
Birds Safe
Birds are not affected, and the foliage poses no poisoning concern for them.
People Safe
People have nothing to fear here; the plant carries no toxic warning.
Although foliage is non-toxic, chewed twigs can splinter and cause choking or digestive upset, so discourage pets from chewing branches.
Varieties
If you start comparing red Japanese maples, a few names come up again and again. The short rundown below shows how 'Bloodgood' holds its color through summer, how seed-grown forms differ, and where the weeping laceleaf types fit, so you can pick the one that suits your space.
Bloodgood
An upright tree that holds its deep burgundy to blackish-red leaves through summer better than most red cultivars, then turns scarlet in fall and sets red samaras.
Atropurpureum
A seed-grown red-leaf form, so its color and shape vary more than the grafted, true-to-type 'Bloodgood' you can count on.
var. dissectum (Tamukeyama)
A weeping laceleaf type with finely cut foliage that stays low and mounding rather than reaching upward.
How to propagate
Worth saying plainly up front: growing a true Bloodgood at home is genuinely hard, and that is not a reflection on you. Grafting is the reliable method, while cuttings rarely succeed, which is exactly why nurseries do the heavy lifting. Read on if you are curious about how it works.
GraftingDemanding
Late winter to early spring (bench grafting) onto seedling rootstock · Several months for the graft union to take; one or more seasons to establish
The only way to keep 'Bloodgood' true to type is grafting onto Acer palmatum seedling rootstock, which is exactly how every tree you buy got its start. Bench grafting happens late winter into early spring, the union takes several months to knit, and the young tree then spends a season or more settling in. This is demanding work that nurseries handle best, so there is no shame in leaving it to them.
Stem cuttingsDemanding
Early summer from softwood growth · Several weeks to months to root, with low success rates
You can try softwood cuttings in early summer, though it helps to keep your hopes gentle here. Cuttings take several weeks to months to root and most simply fail, so grafting stays the dependable path for this cultivar if you want a sure thing.
Myths
A Japanese maple has to sit in deep shade or its leaves will burn.
This tree is more flexible than that worry suggests. It handles full sun to part shade, and a few hours of sun actually keep the red color rich. In hot climates it really does want afternoon shade to spare the leaves from scorch, so a touch of shelter is all you need.
Red Japanese maples are poisonous to cats and dogs.
Good news for pet owners: Acer palmatum sits on no ASPCA toxic-plant list, and maples across genus Acer are treated as non-toxic to cats and dogs. The only real hazard is a chewed twig that can splinter, not the leaves themselves.