Viridis Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Viridis’)

Transform Your Garden with Cascading Green Elegance

The Viridis Japanese Maple gives your garden a graceful focal point with strongly cascading branches, lace like leaves, and bright green foliage that shifts into brilliant fall color. This weeping laceleaf Japanese maple brings structure, movement, and seasonal interest without overwhelming residential landscapes.

Known botanically as Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Viridis’, this elegant japanese maple forms a low, spreading habit with a dome-like shape. In spring, delicate new growth opens in fresh green tones; by summer and mid summer, the foliage stays lush and refined; in fall, the leaves turn golden yellow, orange, and shades of crimson to scarlet.

It is also practical. Viridis is adaptable, non-invasive, and suitable near patios, sidewalks, pipes, rocks, entryways, containers, and foundation plantings when properly spaced. With well drained soil, morning sun, afternoon shade, and regular water during establishment, this maple tree becomes a long-lasting garden feature for many seasons.

Why You’ll Love the Viridis Japanese Maple

• Stunning Cascading Form – Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Viridis’ is commonly known as the Weeping Green Japanese Maple and is recognized for its beautiful cascading form. Its strongly cascading branches create a graceful dome that draws attention from a distance.

• Vibrant Seasonal Colors – The bright green spring and summer leaves transform in fall into golden yellow, orange, and crimson tones. The Viridis Japanese Maple is known for its spectacular fall color, displaying brilliant oranges, yellows, and shades of scarlet.

• Perfect Garden Size – This cultivar typically grows to a height of 8 to 10 feet and can spread as wide, making it an impressive specimen in gardens. In smaller urban yards, entryways, or foundation plantings, it is also suitable because its compact size can often be maintained around 6 to 8 feet tall and wide.

• Exceptional Hardiness – The Viridis Japanese Maple thrives in USDA Zones 5–9, giving gardeners a hardy, low-maintenance ornamental tree with reliable performance across many climates.

• Versatile Placement – Use it as a specimen in the landscape, planted near water features, tucked into partial shade, placed among rocks, or grown in containers. Gardeners who love statement trees can also explore flowering tree options for added curb appeal. Because the tree is non-invasive, it is safe to plant near sidewalks, patios, and pipes.

What Makes Viridis Different

Most japanese maple varieties are admired for color, but many lack the vigor, heat tolerance, or adaptability needed for real-world landscapes. Red japanese maples can be especially prone to leaf scorch in hot sun, while some laceleaf types establish slowly.

Viridis Japanese Maple has:

• Most Vigorous Green Laceleaf – Among green laceleaf japanese maple selections, Viridis is known as a vigorous grower. It still grows at a refined pace, but it establishes more confidently than many other acer palmatum dissectum varieties, making it a great companion to upright types like Bloodgood Japanese maple for contrasting form and color.

• Superior Heat Tolerance – The Viridis Japanese Maple performs best in morning sun with afternoon shade, especially in hotter southern regions to prevent leaf scorch. Its green foliage generally handles challenging California climates better than many red or purple forms, though full sun in intense heat should still be avoided, particularly for deep red cultivars like Emperor One Japanese maple in warmer zones.

• Finest Leaf Texture – The delicate, lace like leaves give acer palmatum dissectum viridis its soft, feathery appearance. New growth opens bright green in spring, stays fresh through summer, and creates a graceful contrast against stone, water, dark evergreens, and flowering plants, especially when paired with variegated selections like Butterfly Japanese maple with cream and pink margins.

This combination of cascading habit, spreading habit, and seasonal color is what makes this japanese maple makes such a strong statement in both traditional and contemporary garden designs.

How to Establish Your Viridis Japanese Maple

1. Plant in Ideal Location
   Choose partial shade to partial sun, with morning sun and afternoon shade preferred in warm regions. Plant in well drained soil that is slightly acidic, ideally with a pH range of 5.0 to 7.0. These same conditions suit upright cultivars such as Osakazuki Japanese maple prized for its crimson fall color. Avoid overly soggy soil, which can lead to root rot for the Viridis Japanese Maple.

2. Provide Consistent Care
   The tree requires regular watering during its first growing season to establish roots and needs about an inch of water every 7 to 10 days once established. Add mulch around the base to help conserve moisture and keep roots cool, but keep mulch away from the trunk. If you’re building a broader planting plan, a full-service plant nursery and landscape partner like Yardwork can help match Japanese maples with companion trees and shrubs. Pruning should be minimal and done during mid-winter to late winter while the tree is dormant to prevent sap bleeding.

3. Enjoy Long-Term Beauty
   Over time, Viridis develops into a mature 7 to 10 foot cascading specimen, often reaching 8 to 10 feet tall with a similar spread. Expect its strongest form to develop over 5 to 10 years, with bright green leaves in spring and summer, gold and orange fall color, and graceful winter branching after the leaves drop.

Short. Simple. Plant it well, water consistently, and give it shade from the harshest afternoon sun.

Plant Specifications

• Scientific Name: Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Viridis’

• Common Names: Viridis Japanese Maple, Weeping Green Japanese Maple, Green Laceleaf Japanese Maple

• Plant Type: Deciduous ornamental maple tree

• Mature Size: Typically 8 to 10 feet tall and can spread as wide; often planned as a 7 to 10 foot garden specimen

• Compact Use: Suitable for urban yards, entryways, or foundation plantings due to its compact size, reaching only about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide in many maintained settings

• Growth Rate: Slow to moderate, about 6 to 12 inches per year

• Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 5–9

• Light Requirements: Partial shade to partial sun; morning sun with afternoon shade is best in hotter climates

• Soil Needs: Well-draining, slightly acidic soil with a pH range of 5.0 to 7.0

• Water Needs: Regular watering during the first growing season; about 1 inch of water every 7 to 10 days once established

• Pruning: Minimal; prune while dormant in mid-winter to late winter to prevent sap bleeding

• Root Behavior: Non-invasive and safe near sidewalks, patios, and pipes

• Fall Color: Golden yellow, orange, crimson, and scarlet

• Available Sizes and Pricing: The price for a #1 gallon Viridis Japanese Maple is approximately $79.50, while a #2 gallon is priced at $159.50, and a #5 gallon is around $199.50

• Price Range: Prices for the Viridis Japanese Maple can range from $35.00 for smaller sizes to $290.00 for larger specimens

• Shipping Note: Some retailers offer free shipping on orders over $299 for the Viridis Japanese Maple, making it more economical for larger purchases

• Yardwork Note: Yardwork customers in California can qualify for free shipping over $600, with current stock and size options shown on the product page, and can easily add complementary trees such as California Pepper Tree and other featured landscape trees to the same order

Perfect for These Garden Situations

Ideal for:

• Homeowners wanting a low-maintenance focal point tree, or pairing Viridis with an evergreen screen like Fern Pine for privacy and structure

• Landscape designers creating Japanese, woodland, or contemporary gardens

• Property owners with partial shade areas that need color and texture

• Gardeners seeking four-season interest in a compact space

• California landscapes where morning sun, afternoon shade, mulch, and regular irrigation can support healthy growth, alongside drought-tolerant ornamentals like the California Pepper Tree with feathery evergreen foliage

• Entryways, courtyards, patios, containers, and foundation plantings

• Garden beds with rocks, water features, evergreens, or contrasting red japanese maples, supported by evergreen privacy trees and fast-growing screens

If you want a graceful, bright green japanese maple with a refined habit, strong fall color, and manageable mature size, Viridis is a perfect fit. It brings softness to hardscape, contrast to mixed plantings, and elegance to small or mid-sized landscapes without aggressive roots.

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast does Viridis Japanese Maple grow?
Viridis grows slowly to moderately, usually around 6 to 12 inches per year. It often takes 5 to 10 years to develop into a full, mature cascading form. This steady pace is part of why the tree stays manageable in residential gardens.

Will it survive hot California summers?
Yes, with proper placement. The Viridis Japanese Maple performs best in morning sun with afternoon shade, especially in hotter southern regions to prevent leaf scorch. Avoid reflected heat, harsh full sun, and dry soil in mid summer. Mulch and consistent water make a significant difference.

When do the leaves change color?
The leaves emerge bright green in spring, hold a fresh green color through summer, and shift in fall as nights cool. Fall color can include golden yellow, orange, crimson, and scarlet, often lasting several weeks in favorable weather.

How much space does it need?
Plan for a mature spread of 7 to 10 feet, with many specimens reaching 8 to 10 feet tall and just as wide. Allow enough distance from walls, fences, and other trees so the strongly cascading branches can develop their natural shape.

Does it need special soil?
It does best in well drained soil with organic matter and a slightly acidic pH range of 5.0 to 7.0. Overly soggy soil can lead to root rot for the Viridis Japanese Maple, so drainage matters. If your soil is heavy clay or compacted, amend the planting area before the tree is planted.

Ready to Add Elegant Beauty to Your Landscape?

Transform your garden with Viridis Japanese Maple, a graceful green laceleaf tree known for cascading form, bright green foliage, brilliant fall color, and dependable performance in zones 5–9.

Choose a healthy Viridis Japanese Maple from Yardwork stock and create a refined focal point for your landscape.