Elegans sits in the broader leaved group of Japanese maples, carrying large seven lobed leaves that are deeply cut and finely toothed along the edges rather than dissected into threads. The frame builds slowly into an upright vase, so in time it gives you something to stand under rather than a low mound. Autumn runs through orange to red before the tree goes bare for winter. It is a courtyard and entry bed plant, at home in a sheltered part shaded position where the foliage can be read close up.Shelter first, then soilShelter comes before everything else with this one. Find it a spot out of hot westerly afternoon sun and away from drying wind, because those large, deeply cut leaves crisp at the margins long before the rest of the plant shows any sign of stress, and a scorched canopy stays scorched until the following spring. That is the failure mode, and it is a siting problem rather than a plant problem. Courtyards, east facing beds, the sheltered side of a fence and the dappled edge of taller trees all work. Open paddock plantings and reflective north west walls do not. It suits cool and temperate districts through inland Victoria, the Adelaide Hills, the tablelands and the Southern Highlands, and sheltered cooler gardens further north. It is fully deciduous, so winter cold is not a concern, and a properly cold winter gives cleaner autumn colour than a mild coastal one. Give it deep, friable, free draining soil with organic matter and a slightly acidic pH, keep soil moisture even through summer, and mulch properly to hold the root zone cool.Elegans against the weeping and coral barked formsGrowth is slow to moderate and the vase shape takes years to build, so buy the size you want to live with rather than expecting a fast fill. Against Inaba Shidare, Elegans is upright rather than cascading, and green through summer rather than purple red, which makes it the better choice where you want dappled shade over a seat or a path. Against Sango Kaku, it has no winter stem colour to offer but carries a much larger, more deeply divided leaf, so it does more through the growing season and less in July. In a large pot all three work, though Elegans holds its shape with the least intervention, since there is no cascade to keep clear of the rim and no stem colour to prune for. Browse the full Japanese maple range.Winter pruning and a light hand with fertiliserPrune in late autumn or early winter when the plant is dormant and the branch structure is clear. Avoid cutting in late winter or early spring, when maples bleed sap freely from fresh wounds. On an upright form the aim is to lift and open the plant, so remove dead wood, take out crossing branches and thin congested growth until light and air move through the vase. Feed once in early spring with a controlled release fertiliser suited to acid loving plants, at label rate. Overfeeding pushes soft growth that burns in the first hot wind. Renew mulch annually, keeping it clear of the trunk.Choosing a sizeThis plant is available in 6 sizes, from 300mm up to 200L, priced from $159.00 to $1879.00 per plant. The size shown is the pot the plant arrives in, which is the rootball, not the height of the plant. Every size here is established stock rather than a starter plant, so this line is intended for immediate effect rather than for growing on. Not sure which to choose? Read our guide to growing Japanese maples in Australian gardens.
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