Japanese maple

American  

noun

1. a small, graceful maple tree, Acer palmatum, of Korea and Japan, having small, purple flowers, the foliage turning bright red in autumn.

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Etymology

Origin of Japanese maple

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

After the Martinezes moved in, they received a letter from one of the original owners’ sons regarding the property’s Japanese maple trees.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2024

Q: The mature Japanese maple in my yard was just starting to leaf out when the April freeze hit.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 7, 2022

“We designed an outdoor living room around the Japanese maple tree in front that connects with glass walls to the indoor living room straight through to the screened porch at the back of the house.”

From Washington Post • Dec. 1, 2021

Then Ben goes up to take a nap and the three of us go out to the front yard, where we have this beautiful 100-year-old Japanese maple.

From New York Times • Oct. 29, 2021

But for the most part, these traces were obliterated, with the hedges running wild and native trees—slippery elm and tamarack—outnumbering the quince and Japanese maple.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt