Description
Looking for a Japanese maple with real character? Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’ is a great choice. Inaba-Shidare is a highly regarded dissectum maple with large, deeply cut, purple-red leaves that keep their colour well even in sun. Its cascading branches form a wide, mounded shape, and the foliage turns crimson in autumn. It is vigorous and reliable for a dissected variety.
Japanese maples are prized for their elegant shape and their foliage, which changes through the year from fresh spring shades to vivid autumn colour. Most stay compact and grow slowly, making them some of the best small trees for patios, courtyards and smaller gardens.
Key features of Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’
- Plant type: Deciduous ornamental tree or large shrub
- Season of interest: Spring foliage and autumn colour
- Look: Large, finely cut deep purple-red leaves on a spreading, weeping shrub
- Height and spread: 2m x 2.5m (slow-growing)
- Position: Dappled shade or morning sun, sheltered from cold drying winds
- Soil: Moist but free-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil
- Hardiness: Fully hardy, though the new spring growth can be damaged by late frosts and cold winds
- Supplied in: 3L pot
- Best for: patio pots, Japanese-style and woodland gardens, specimen planting, Japanese-style gardens
Why choose Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’?
- Large, lacy purple-red leaves
- Good colour retention in sun
- Crimson autumn foliage
Where to plant Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’
Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’ grows best in dappled shade or morning sun, sheltered from cold drying winds, in moist but free-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil. Pick a spot sheltered from strong, cold or drying winds and the hottest afternoon sun, which can scorch the delicate leaves. Add plenty of organic matter and avoid heavy, waterlogged clay. It is a good choice for patio pots, and also works well for Japanese-style and woodland gardens, specimen planting and Japanese-style gardens. Underplant with ferns, hostas, Japanese forest grass and spring bulbs, or set it among dwarf conifers and azaleas for an oriental look.
How to plant Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’
Before planting, soak the root ball in a bucket of water. Prepare a hole about twice the width of the pot, fork over the bottom and add organic matter. Plant at the original soil level, firm the soil around the roots and give it a generous drink.
How to care for Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’
Keep the roots evenly moist, especially in the first two summers and for plants in pots. Mulch each spring with leafmould or bark. Feed sparingly with a slow-release fertiliser; overfeeding produces soft, weak growth. Water well in dry spells, mulch each spring and prune only lightly in winter. Container growing suits it well. Japanese maples need very little pruning. If shaping is needed, do it in late autumn or winter when the tree is dormant, removing only dead, crossing or badly placed branches. Leaf scorch from wind, sun or dry roots is the most common issue; aphids can occasionally affect young shoots.
Growing Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’ in a pot
Ideal for containers: use a loam-based compost with added grit, raise the pot on feet for drainage, and water with rainwater where possible.
Grown in the UK, for UK gardens
Every plant is grown at our St Annes nursery in the North West, where it is raised in real British conditions. That means a tougher, well-rooted plant that settles quickly into your garden. This Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’ is supplied in a 3L pot. Container-grown plants can be planted almost all year round, as long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged; autumn and spring are ideal.
Frequently asked questions
How big does Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’ grow?
Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’ typically reaches 2m x 2.5m (slow-growing), depending on position, soil and pruning.
When does Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’ look its best?
Its main season of interest is spring foliage and autumn colour, when it shows large, finely cut deep purple-red leaves on a spreading, weeping shrub.
Is Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’ hardy?
Fully hardy, though the new spring growth can be damaged by late frosts and cold winds.
How do I prune Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’?
Japanese maples need very little pruning. If shaping is needed, do it in late autumn or winter when the tree is dormant, removing only dead, crossing or badly placed branches.
Add Acer ‘Inaba-Shidare’ to your basket today and enjoy spring foliage and autumn colour interest in your garden.


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