Acer palmatum Arakawa

Note for bonsai enthousiasts: our Arakawa maples are grafted (as low as we can), because cuttings don't grow very well in the ground. The idea is to put it in the ground, and get an unlimited supply of airlayers after about 2 to 3 years. We have done this ourselves with great results.

Normally, cultivars of acer palmatum are chosen for their outstanding foliage. With Arakawa, the interesting bark feature makes this one special.

​Arakawa stands for “rough bark”. Among bonsai enthusiasts this cultivar is well-known and also called snakeskin. Young plants do not show this feature for 3 to 5 years, at which the roughening begins. It develops more rapidly each year until the bark is quite roughened and corky.

The small green leaves are typical palmatum type. The vigorous upright plant matures at over 8m. The bark is prominent even when the plant is used for bonsai.