Blog: Acer shirasawanum Jordan takes a lot of beating
Choosing the best small Acer for the longest season of interest can be tricky – hundreds of good varieties are out there. On top of that, inconsistent and incorrect labelling can lead to a ‘small tree’ rapidly outgrowing its allotted space.
There’s no fear of that with Acer shirasawanum Jordan (also listed as the Shirasawa maple, the Full Moon maple and the Golden-Leaved maple). It’s widely documented as growing to 3m when mature. Being relatively upright, it only spreads to 1.5-2m.
The best small Acer – stunning colour
I’ve had mine for a couple of years and as it’s quite a slow grower, it’s just starting to hit its stride. Planted at the back of the shadier end of the long border, it copes very well in partial shade. In fact, during winter, it only gets dappled sun through the hedge. It’s underplanted with scented Cheerfulness daffodils and contrasting silver-leaved Brunnera Looking Glass. Read more about my border revamp and more about the herbaceous perennials.
I did fear that the summer colour would make it ‘invisible’ against the beech hedge, but there’s enough of a contrast in both hue and leaf shape to make it still a good choice against a green background.
Autumn foliage
What makes Jordan such a winner is its colour-changing foliage, which doesn’t burn in hot, dry winds. The lobed leaves open pale orange, fading to a golden-lime green in summer. In autumn, they colour up wonderfully, turning orange-red before falling. Very small, purple-red spring flowers, followed by red, winged fruit in late summer.
Such a dry, hot summer led to stress in many trees, with an early start to autumn colour. However, a damp but mild September and October have created one of the longest seasons of colour I’ve ever seen. You can buy Acer Jordan widely. They’re not cheap, but they are a long-term investment in the garden – try RHS Plants, Burncoose Nurseries or Ornamental Trees.
The best small Acer for autumn colour updated 2025
