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Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple (7 Caring and 4 Propagating Tips)

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Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple is a tree that has become quite popular in recent years because of its growth size. These trees grow at a very slow pace that allows you to keep them in your average-sized garden.

The foliage of the tree produces sensational colors in the spring season that further intensify its overall beauty.

These miniature trees are perfect for you if you want a tree that fits perfectly in a small space without asking for a lot of attention and care. They provide a completely new look to your garden as their unique growth style attracts and captures the heart of every person who glances at it.

Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple 1
Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple – via Reddit

Characteristics of Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese maple

It is important to acquire all the relevant knowledge about the characteristics of your plant before choosing it for your garden. Looks are always the priority, but knowing about the growth habit and origin helps you evaluate if your environmental conditions match the ones these plants prefer.

Foliage

These plants produce exceptional fall foliage with orange to scarlet color; however, they remain green all summer long. The color change in the foliage makes this plant stand out among all its companions. The dense foliage allows these trees to fill your whole garden with mesmerising colors despite their small size.

Height and width

They can only grow up to 3 to 4 feet tall after ten years of growth, so you do not need to worry if you have limited space to grow a tree in your garden. The dense foliage with an upright growth requires a little space to spread itself.

Landscape attributes

These plants have outstanding landscape attributes that can help you use your plant in many different ways. We recommend you to use your tree for the landscape applications such as mass planting, accent, hedges and screening, container planting, or general garden use.

Hardiness zones

These plants grow in hardiness zones 5 to 9, so we advise you to keep the environmental conditions as similar as possible to these zones to make the plant feel at home.

Drought tolerant

They are somewhat tolerant of drought conditions but make sure that you keep them hydrated to ensure good health and strong growth as they move towards their mature age.

Origin

The origins of these plants are in Japan, Korea, Russia, and Manchuria. They were first found in the Tokai region of Japan, which was part of a province named Mikawa. First found in 1970, they were named Yatsubusa, which means eight tufts.

Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple 2
Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple – via Reddit

Caring tips for Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple

These plants are quite easy to care for, but make sure that you follow all the tips provided in this guide to make your plant flourish and thrive with astonishing colors. We have listed 8 caring tips for the ideal growth of your precious plant.

Sunlight

Provide your tree with indirect, bright light from the sun every day, and it will be happy for a lifetime. These trees require partial shade to protect themselves from the harsh sun rays, as they can burn the sensitive leaves.

Place the plant under a shade of a large tree or another medium that blocks the direct light from the sun.

Soil

They require well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. Make sure that the soil does not remain dry for a long period as it can damage the roots. Keeping the soil moist helps the plant grow with bright colors and healthy foliage.

Water

Water the plant regularly to keep the soil moist in the early stages of your plant growth. These plants require long but less frequent watering, so make sure that you water only as much as required once the plant has established well.

Temperature

These trees can grow in temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius, but make sure that you grow them above this temperature to allow the plant to grow healthy.

These plants can survive cold climate conditions, but you will see adverse effects on the foliage and overall growth. The plant’s growth can also be seen to stop completely in worst-case scenarios, so make sure that you bring them inside once the winter season arrives.

Fertiliser

Feed the plant with a slow-release fertiliser in the early spring or late winter season when the plant starts growing again. Please fertilise them only after a year of planting them.

Please avoid high nitrogen fertilisers for fast growth as Japanese maple are slow-growing in nature, and such heavy fertilisers would only negatively affect the plant’s growth.

Pruning

Prune the plant in the late winter season when the plant is dormant. Maintain a good shape of the foliage with the help of bypass pruning spears, and make sure that you remove all the dead leaves or damaged branches as soon as you identify them.

Pests and other diseases

Japanese beetles are the biggest enemy of your favorite Japanese maple. Other pests such as scale, mealybugs, and mites can also be the reason behind your plant’s unhealthiness.

You can eliminate all these pests by cleaning your plant every day and treating them timely with organic or chemical pesticides.

Propagating Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple

Japanese maples can be propagated easily using the stem cutting method. We have listed a few tips that can help you propagate your plant properly without facing any issues later.

  • Choose a healthy stem and cut six to eight inches of it just below the leaf node at a 45-degree angle.
  • Remove the leaves at the bottom of the stem near the cutting and leave the ones above intact.
  • Place the cutting in the water with half-strength rooting hormone to boost the forming of the roots from the cut.
  • Plant the roots in the soil and make sure that you water the plant to keep it hydrated during the early stages of its growing period.

Conclusion

Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese maple is also known as dwarf Japanese maple because of its height. The plant is quite unique and highly recommended for people who want to grow a tree in a limited space.