
#Dwarf japanese maple landscape ideas full
They will also add winter interest because the evergreen foliage will keep your garden nice and lush during the colder months when Japanese maples lose their leaves.Ĭonifers grow very well in full sun and adapt well to most soil types as long as the soil drains well. These companion shrubs will add lots of texture to your garden with their interesting leaves and beautiful bright green colors.

Dwarf Conifersĭwarf conifers ( Picea pungens) are great plants to consider if you want to combine shrubs or small trees to form a mixed border or hedge on your property. You can grow this delicate foliage in masses around the base of your maple tree to keep the soil moist or combine it with other plants like ornamental grasses to add elegance and texture to your garden. These low-maintenance plants will grow very well in the shade conditions created by the Japanese maple and they flourish in moist soil that drains well. These vivid colors are terrific for creating lots of contrast underneath your colorful Japanese maple tree.Ĭoral bells can also produce flowers on tall spikes but these flowers are not very striking and most gardeners snip them off so the plants can divert all their energy to the vivid leaves. There are many varieties of these beautiful foliage plants and their leaves can be brown, green, pink, purple, white, rust-colored, or lime green. Coral BellsĬoral bells (Heuchera spp.) can also be terrific ground covers to grow around the base of your Japanese maples. The light green foliage of Hakone grass is great for brightening up these shade areas while a variety like black mondo grass can help create lots of contrast so your maple tree will stand out even more. You can plant mondo grass or Japanese forest grass all around the base of your maples. These perennial grass varieties will grow well in the shade created by the maple tree and also grow well in ordinary garden soil types that drain well. The small tree will create lots of shade around its base which means it is best to focus on ornamental grasses like Hakone grass (Hakonchloa macra), or mondo grass ( Ophiopogon japonicus) that prefer shaded conditions. When looking for what to grow under Japanese maple trees, you can’t go wrong with ornamental grasses. As an alternative, you can also use ornamental grasses as a ground cover to keep the soil nourished and moist. The roots of Japanese maple trees should be protected from heat by adding a layer of mulch over the top of the soil. Let’s take a look at some good Japanese maple companion plants that can grow well in these conditions or the conditions these shrubs create underneath them. They also tend to grow well with lots of mulch around the base of the tree. Japanese maple trees prefer cool soil and should be watered regularly.

In full sun, the leaves likely won’t create such vivid colors as in partial shade. The plants grow very well in partial shade with no more than four hours of direct sun per day but can also survive in full sun. It will adapt to most garden soils but grows especially well in loam soil types but won’t grow if you plant them in alkaline conditions. These colorful trees prefer organically rich, slightly acidic soil that drains well.

When you are selecting companion plants to grow with Japanese maples then it is always best to focus on plants that have similar growing requirements. Japanese maples are quite versatile and can be planted directly in the ground, in containers or they can be used to make charming bonsai trees.

In this guide, we are going to take a closer look at these companions as well as some fantastic landscaping ideas that can help you make the most out of your garden. There are various varieties of these small trees or shrubs and some of the most popular varieties are Acer palmatum Bloodgood, Acer japonicum, and Acer pictum. Maple trees can be paired with companion plants like ferns, ornamental grass, coral bells, dwarf conifers, woodland phlox, Japanese spurge, and wandering Jews to create a charming landscape or striking garden bed. They are especially charming when the leaves of these deciduous trees transform from green into vibrant colors like red, orange, purple, white, or pink. Japanese maple trees ( Acer palmatum) are wonderful garden editions because their attractive foliage is helpful for creating a major focal point in a garden.
