Japanese Maple and Red Acer

[Michelle41]

Hi im a newbie, not a gardener of sorts but like to keep the garden looking clean trimmed and colourful.

I thought I'd brighten up my garden this summer with the Maple and Acer. The Tree is about 3.5 foot tall and at the moment here in UK it's leaves have turned a beautiful blood red. However now they are starting to fall. I am unsure wether the Maple loose their leaves or is this normal?

My second question is my Acer. It's leaves were ok last week now there curled and browned. Some have fallen what's wrong with it. Could it be the cold wind. ?

Thanks :)

[lannerman]

hi Michelle, firstly, acers and maples are basically the same thing with Acer being the botanical name and Maple being the common name. Acers (and therefore maples) are what we call 'deciduous', meaning they lose their leaves in autumn, so to answer your question, yes its perfectly normal. Without being too technical, the leaf forms a barrier of a cork-like substance, the chlorophyll

turns to sugar and its that which turns the leaves red in Autumn before dropping off.

regards, lannerman.

[David Hare-Scott]

This is all good.

Most deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn and of those likely to be grown in Ole Blighty probably all of them. However there are some that do it at other times of the year. Deciduous does not specify a time of falling just that they fall. The same is said of teeth, your baby teeth were accurately described as deciduous - that is they fell.

David

[Michelle41]

Thank you for your advice. The Maple is a bloodgood and the Acer is a Dissectum garnet. :)

[Brooklyn1]

All Acers are maples. Bloodgood is another variety of Japanese maple.