Japanese Maple ‘Seiryu’- A Complete Care Guide.

The Japanese maple is a naturally short tree, native to some Asian countries like southeast parts of Korea and Japan. They are available in many aesthetically appealing forms, which makes them demanding among gardeners and house plant owners. 

‘Seiryu’ Japanese maple is a more defined form of typical Japanese maple. They are upright, extremely ornamental, and display numerous colors (red, golden, and orange) throughout the seasons. But all those pigments depend on the quality of care you are providing. 

We have nurtured numerous Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ throughout the years in our nursery, observed each of them, and noted down all their environmental needs to share with you. We will also share some pro-care tips so your plant can stand out and display its colorful nature. 

Characteristics:

Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ care:

Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ is fairly small in size and can fit into any place in your garden. Even though they have a reputation for being demanding, if you give them their preferred conditions they will be easy to care for. But their growth rate is moderate, so give them time to express themselves. 

Watering:

Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ loves receiving water regularly but that doesn’t mean you can water them abundantly. As a general rule of thumb, young trees should be watered every three to four days and established trees can receive water once a week.  

However, the frequency and amount mainly depend on the seasons and soil quality. If the soil drains too quickly you can use a mulch to retain the moisture a bit longer, especially in summer. 

Light Requirements:

Full sun exposure can cause leaf scorch and affect the pigments of the leaves. Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ can tolerate sun but they thrive in shade. 

To provide the ideal amount of sunlight you should choose a location in your garden where it can get morning and afternoon mild sunlight for 4 to 6 hours. 

If you live in a warm zone, make sure even the afternoon sun is not too hot for them. Notice the leaves for burn spots to ensure the sun is the issue. In that case, give them a more shaded area to live. 

Soil Requirements:

Soil quality heavily affects the tree’s health. Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ is slow slow-growing tree and poor soil will make the growth even slower. Along with that poor soil quality will give lots of unnecessary stress. 

These trees love acidic soil and grow best in sandy and loamy soil. The soil should be moist but the moisture should not extend to the soggy stage and the same water shouldn’t stay near the roots longer. Avoid alkaline soil for Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’. 

Ideal Temperature:

Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ is extremely prone to get leaf scorch and because of that reason, hot regions are not suitable for them. In summer especially at the highest point of the day, they need shade. During winter they need similar protection to avoid harsh winds as well. Their most preferable Zones are 6 to 8. 

Humidity Requirements:

In case of humidity Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ is not demanding, but they prefer and endure moderate humidity. 

Advance care tips:

We have cleared out the atmosphere preference for Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’, but along with that if you prune it at the ideal time, feed it to encourage its growth, and save it from any pests and diseases, it will not only stay healthy but also be a showy too. Let’s discuss them one by one. 

Pruning:

Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ are naturally small so drastic pruning is not required. Little pruning in matured trees is all they need. 

Carefully remove the lower branches of the mature tree.

Remove the cross branches.

Keep the whip-like branches, they still have time to grow beautifully later. 

Clear all the dead, damaged leaves and branches so the healthy ones can grow freely.

Tip:

Do not prune the trees that are younger than ten years. 

Feeding:

Healthy Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ plants with rich soil do not require fertilization, but sure it can give an extra boost. Fertilize in the spring before new leaves appear. Spread a slow-release fine plant fertilizer and use it at half the instructed rate if your tree is in the ground. Avoid using liquid fertilizer, as the roots are tender and can get burned easily. Apply the fertilizer evenly near the tree.

Winter Care:

As we mentioned in the last section, Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ roots are tender and extremely sensitive to winter winds. Whole winter protection is a must if your tree is cultivated in a container. 

A two-in-one solution is mulch. Mulch helps to retain moisture in hot summer and it will protect the roots from freezing in winter as well.

Container-grown trees are vulnerable but one good fact is that they can be carried around in any location. So in winter, you can easily keep them in an unheated garage. 

If your trees are staying outdoors, use a shield around them to protect them from winter winds. 

Some people prefer wrapping the container in plastic, but I won’t recommend it if you are new to plant practice culture as plastic wrap can affect moisture retention and you have to stay vigilant all the time. 

Getting rid of pests and disease:

Aphids:

Aphids are tiny sap-sucking pests. They feed on the tree and multiply quickly, so it will take some patience to get rid of them. Of course, harsh chemicals can do wonders in a short time but it’s better to opt for natural remedies first. 

Solution:

The first and easiest solution can be to wash them with a garden hose, but young delicate trees won’t be able to handle the pressure. For mature trees hose them down from time to time and when there are only a few countable are left pick and remove them with your hand. Other than that you can use soap and water solution, neem oil, and essential oil to get rid of them. 

Buy Best Naturals 100% pure neem oil.

Leaf Scorch:

Leaf scorch is generated by the incapability of the tree to supply sufficient moisture to the leaves at a crucial time, usually from July to August. An ample quantity of water vaporizes from the leaf surface because of the sun and airflow during a hot, arid climate. If the moisture supply is low, the exposed leaves get scorched.

Solution:

Unfortunately, once leaf scorch has happened, there is no treatment. The dehydrated parts of the leaf will not turn green again, but with appropriate moisture management, the rest of the plant may heal. 

Conclusion:

Japanese maple ‘Seiryu’ might seem a bit of a task to tend but if you primarily provide the ideal soil it will survive on its own without any special attention. Surely nurturing them with ideal conditions and protection will give the best result. Now it’s up to you how you wanna tend them, but from personal experience, I can assure you that having one of them will definitely be the center of attention in your garden.