Japanese Maple tree for Sale

Acer, commonly known as maple, is a tree genus celebrated worldwide for its seasonal beauty, ornamental foliage, and garden versatility. At Online Plants, a leading plants nursery in Melbourne, we offer a refined collection of Acer trees, including both Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) and Canadian maples, known for their breathtaking colour changes and striking leaf forms. These trees bring texture, colour, and character to any landscape, from compact courtyards to expansive garden beds. 

With the ability to transform through the seasons, Acer trees provide gardeners with year-round visual interest. Whether you’re chasing a serene, zen-like garden or an autumn spectacle bursting with reds and golds, there’s an Acer to suit your space.

Timeless Appeal of Japanese Maples

Japanese maples are treasured for their delicate, hand-shaped leaves and graceful form. Available in a variety of colours—from vibrant green in spring to rich burgundy and crimson in autumn—they're ideal for creating tranquil garden spaces. These trees are often chosen for Japanese-style gardens, shady borders, and containers where their fine texture and weeping or upright shapes can be admired up close.

Compact and slow-growing, Japanese maples are perfect for smaller gardens or even balcony planters. Varieties like Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’, Dissectum (lace-leaf forms), and Sango Kaku (Coral Bark Maple) are especially popular for their visual drama and seasonal changes. Their naturally elegant structure makes them low-maintenance focal points, requiring minimal pruning once established.

Japanese maples thrive in sheltered locations with dappled shade, well-drained soil, and protection from harsh afternoon sun or strong winds. With some care, they reward gardeners with decades of beauty and form.

Canadian Maple: A Bold Display of Autumn Colour

The Canadian maple, particularly the Acer rubrum and Acer saccharum, is a symbol of strength, seasonal colour, and national pride. These deciduous trees are known for their large stature and the dazzling spectacle they put on during the autumn months. Leaves shift through a brilliant spectrum, from fiery red and orange to deep gold, before gracefully falling, creating a natural carpet of colour.

Canadian maples are a stunning choice for larger landscapes, driveways, and street frontages where their full size can be appreciated. In addition to their ornamental value, they are also the original source of maple syrup, making them culturally significant as well as visually impressive.

These trees prefer full sun and moist, well-drained soils. Once established, they are hardy and resilient, tolerating a range of conditions across many Australian regions. Their broad canopies also provide excellent shade during the summer months, making them functional as well as beautiful.

Why Choose Acer for Your Garden?

One of the standout benefits of adding Acer trees to your garden is their seasonal interest. Unlike evergreen trees that remain largely unchanged throughout the year, maples bring a dynamic and ever-evolving display of colour and texture.

·         Spring brings fresh, vibrant foliage that adds lightness and freshness to your garden palette.

·         Summer sees the trees in full maturity, offering cooling shade and bold structure.

·         Autumn is the main event, with dazzling leaf changes that make your garden feel alive and full of character.

·         Winter, especially with Japanese varieties like Sango Kaku, offers striking bark colour and bare-branched beauty.

In addition, their elegant structure and manageable growth habits make Acer trees easy to maintain. They rarely suffer from serious pest or disease issues, and with the right positioning and care, they can become long-lived, iconic elements in your outdoor space.

Growing and Caring for Maples in Australia

Australian gardens, especially those in cooler southern regions like Victoria, Tasmania, and parts of New South Wales, are well-suited to growing Acer trees. Japanese maples do particularly well in shaded or semi-shaded locations where they are protected from hot, dry winds and intense afternoon sun.

Canadian maples prefer open, sunny positions with room to stretch out. They’ll grow faster and taller, offering generous shade and dramatic autumnal changes. Both types benefit from regular watering during their establishment phase and a layer of organic mulch to retain soil moisture.

Acer trees appreciate a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH and do best when planted in free-draining soil enriched with compost or organic matter. Fertilise in early spring with a balanced, slow-release fertiliser to encourage healthy leaf growth and flowering (in some maple species).

Pruning is minimal, usually limited to removing dead or crossing branches. Their naturally elegant shape typically requires little interference, especially with Japanese varieties.

If you're ready to add elegance, structure and brilliant seasonal colour to your outdoor space, explore the Acer, Japanese and Canadian Maple collection at Online Plants. With Australia-wide delivery and expert advice available on 0428 110 584, we’re here to help you choose the perfect Japanese or Canadian maple for your garden.