Woody > Acer > Acer palmatum > Acer palmatum 'Hubb's Red Willow'
Acer palmatum
'Hubb's Red Willow'
Hubb’s Red Willow Japanese Maple
Origin: Discovered in Pennsylvania, United States of America at the Red Maple Nursery by Dick Wolff and named after Elwood Hubb.
Mike's
Opinion
"
This is a stunning tree that makes for a great specimen tree, especially in the fall when the long thin lobed leaves turn reddish-orange. It also looks a lot like bamboo which makes it perfect if you want to bring an Asia theme to your garden.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Sapindaceae |
| Genus |
| Acer |
| Species |
| palmatum |
| Cultivar |
| 'Hubb's Red Willow' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 5 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 6a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| 29 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 20 |
| Height |
| 3 - 3.5 m |
| Spread |
| 1.5 - 2 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| This is a medium sized upright dense multi-stemmed deciduous tree with palmate leaves that have 5 narrow lobes. The main tree bark is light grey, the branch bark is a burgundy, and the buds and petiole are red. In the summer, the lower shaded leaves are red to green and the top unshaded leaves are red to purple, but in the autumn all leaves turn red to orange. Clusters of green flowers and samaras appear in spring and turn red during the summer before falling off. Resembles a small bamboo tree. |
| Landscape |
| This is a low maintenance tree that grows well under power lines, for mass plantings, hedges, screening, container plantings and as a specimen tree. This is also a good choice for container growing if it is watered regularly. |
| Cultivation |
| Prefers full sun but will do well in partial shade. Likes well drained soils and is susceptible to dry soil conditions, so never let the root crown dry out (if planted in a pot it will need more regular watering). Does best in rich soils with a 6.5-7 PH, but is tolerant to urban plantings with more acidic soils. Because it is deer and bug resistant, it's perfect for gardens with high animal traffic. |
| Shape |
| Upright tree that looks columnar when young, but gets broader with age, forming a rounded crown. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Long narrow lobbed palmate leaves with red petiole and buds. The main tree bark is light grey, and the branch bark is burgundy. In the summer, the lower shaded leaves are red to green and the top unshaded leaves are red to purple, but in the autumn all leaves are red to orange. Clusters of green flowers and samaras appear in spring and turn red during the summer before falling off. |
| Pests |
| Deer and insect resistant but Japanese beetles can be problematic. |
| Habitat |
| Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The main trunk is grey and smooth, but the younger branches are burgundy, and can be red where the branch is smallest in diameter. The petiole is always red. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| The opposite leaf arrangement means two terminal buds develop at the same time. The high leaf scars form a collar. When the buds are developed, they are red, conical and about 0.5 cm wide and 0.5 cm long. The internode between each node is about 10-15 cm. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaf is palmate with 5 long narrow lobes, measuring 1 cm wide and 10-15 cm long. This species has two leaf pigmentation patterns. The lower shaded leaves have a red to green pattern, and the unshaded top leaves are a red to purple in the summer. In autumn all leaves will turn a bright red orange, the petiole will be a bright red all year. |
| Flower Description |
| Clustered light green flowers measuring 5-7 cm will appear in the spring, and turn red during the summer before falling off in autumn. |
| Fruit Description |
| Light green Samaras or 'winged' seeds measuring 2-2.5 cm long appear mid-spring and turn red in the summer, eventually fall off in autumn. |
| Colour Description |
| Young saplings start out with burgundy or green trunks, but as they get older the main trunk turns a light grey, and the younger branches stay a burgundy or even red where they are smallest in diameter. The lower shaded leaves are red to green, and the top unshaded leaves are red to purple, but in the autumn all leaves are red to orange. The clustered flower and samaras start out light green, but turn red in the summer. The buds and petiole are both bright red all year. |
| Texture Description |
| Paper like textured leaves with smooth bark. |
| Notable Specimens |
| The most notable specimen is at the University of British Columbia Botanical Gardens in Vancouver British Columbia. |
| Propagation |
| Although it can be grafted, a new specimen is started as a seed cutting or tissue culture to create “liners”. When planting, make sure the root crown is spread out and not clumped together in the hole. Plant with an inch of soil on top of the root crown. After planting water heavily but moving forward be careful not to over-water. This specimen enjoys long, less frequent watering, generally two hours every week depending on the climate. When mulching, only add a small amount to avoid suffocating the root crown (add around 2 inches). If you are growing in a container, use a well-drained soil mix and water when the soil starts to dry out. Fertilize in spring no later than the middle of June so that the new growth has time to harden off for winter. Pruning should be done in the summer after the leaves have fully developed, and not in the winter or spring to avoid bleeding sap. |
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