‘Sango-kaku’ is an upright, slow-growing, vase-shaped form that typically grows over time to as much as 20-25’ tall. It is sometimes commonly called coral bark maple in reference to its distinctive and showy pink bark which provides excellent color and contrast to landscapes in winter. Pink coloration is less pronounced to almost absent in summer. Best pink coloration occurs on young twigs and branches. Palmate, 5- to 7-lobed, almost ferny leaves (to 2” long) with serrate margins emerge yellow-green with reddish margins in spring, mature to light green by summer and turn yellow-gold in fall. Small reddish-purple flowers in spring are somewhat attractive on close inspection, but are not showy from a distance. Flowers are followed by samaras that ripen in late summer to fall. Cultivar name means coral tower (sango meaning sea coral and kaku meaning tower/upward growing) as if to suggest this pink-barked cultivar resembles coral rising upward from a reef.
About Sango Kaku
Common Name: Japanese Maple
Sun Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Growth Rate: Slow 1"-6" per year
