Acer 'ISLNW' NORTH WIND® hybrid Korean maple
Acer
Korean maple is a less common species in European cultivation, and as the name suggests its native habitat are the forests of Korea and North China. It is a sought-after plant among those who love Japanese maples but for some reason don’t succeed in growing them. Korean maple as well its hybrids are remarkably similar looking large shrubs or small trees which are not prone to typical Japanese maples diseases and will grow in almost any soil without any maintenance.
NORTH WIND® is a hybrid Korean maple from the American Jack Frost® series, bred at Iseli Nurseries in Oregon, and this variety is considered their flagship. It is characterized by the soft red colour of its new leaves which turn green before summer, and their autumn change when they turn fiery shades of orange and scarlet. The leaves are deciduous, palmate, divided into 5-7 lobes, and conspicuously notched at margins. In spring, it blooms with numerous purple-red flowers, followed by bright pink samaras (typical maple seeds).
It grows moderately to fast (30-40 cm per year) into an upright shrub or multi-stemmed tree with horizontal lateral branches. It can be trimmed to shapes or pruned to be kept smaller, best of which is done from late autumn to mid-winter during frost-free periods in order to prevent from bleeding sap.
Korean maple loves full sun and will tolerate a little bit of partial shade. It does not require acid soil like Japanese maples but will produce better and deeper colours of autumn foliage if grown in acid soil. It should be fertile and evenly moist all year round so mulching is recommended. It dislikes drought and compacted ground. Extremely hardy to min. -34°C (USDA zone 4).
Last update 14-01-2025
