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Japanese Maple Trees
Maple trees have long been valued by landscaping enthusiasts because of their exceptional fall foliage. However, not all maple trees are
made equally and some are more suited for decorative purposes while others are more appropriately used as shade-trees. There are six main varieties of maple trees: Paperbark maples, Silver maples, Sugar
maples, Norway maples, Red maples and Japanese maples.
While their fall foliage is stunning, maples tend to be very large trees, often achieving
heights of over 120 feet depending on the species. For this reason, artificial maple trees are generally not very popular. Smaller versions of the mature trees can be custom built but these artificial
maple trees tend to be quite costly to manufacture. Orders are consequently rare. An exception to this is the artificial Japanese maple tree.
The Japanese maple is, by far, one of the most popular maple trees. Japanese maple trees are beautiful plants well known for their exceptional fall foliage. In fact, their popular classification into ‘Red’, ‘Bloodgood’, ‘Crimson Queen’ and ‘Cutleaf Green’ varieties is based on their foliage colors during the fall season. As the name indicates, the leaves of the ‘Red’ variety are red during the summer months and brighten as fall approaches. The well-liked ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese maple has foliage that is closer to reddish-purple and turns to an outstanding crimson during the fall. Similarly, the ‘Crimson’ variety also displays a comparable color for the fall season but the leaves are dark red during summer. In contrast, the foliage of the ‘Cutleaf Green’ Japanese maple is green in summer but turns to a striking gold during the fall season.
As with their natural relatives, artificial Japanese maple trees come in a variety of colors, from green to burgundy and rust orange. Typically,
the lower half of the artificial Japanese maple tree consists of a long, thin trunk. This is topped by dense, narrow foliage. These trees are ideal in office settings, where they are usually placed in
room corners, but the brighter colors are quite popular in homes. Artificial Japanese maple trees normally range in size from 40 inches to 96 inches. Small green samples are available for around $60
while the taller, more brightly colored, specimens have cost $300 or more.
The main advantage of using artificial Japanese maple trees is the retention of color. Larger plants are usually chosen for their brilliant
displays. Their leaves are often treated so that fading as a result of sun damage is minimized. In addition, natural Japanese maple trees are seasonal. Their colors typically change from summer to fall.
This is not a problem with artificial Japanese maple trees
as they will keep the desired color. Since they are made of synthetic material, the risk of insect damage is also negligible. Maintenance of artificial Japanese maple trees is at a minimum although, as with any surface, they would need to be periodically dusted.
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