Symbolises strength, endurance, elegance, beauty intelligence and generosity

Originated from Japan and Eastern China and to a lesser known extent South east Russia and Eastern Mongolia.

They can live to be over 100 years old

This Maple us called the Autumn Welcoming Tree and is often planted on the western bound section of the garden as that is the direction from which Autumn arrives

Cultivars started in Japan in 1700 and arrived in Britain from 1820 onwards

In Japan it is considered a delicacy and customary to fry maple leaves and eat as a snack, after first storing them in salt for a year.  They are then fried in tempura butter, and especially popular un Osaka and the city of Minoh.

If you catch a falling maple leaf, you will fall in love with the person you are walking with.

In Japan, maple tree leaves are known as ‘kaede’ meaning ‘frogs hands’.

In Shibto belief, spirits live in the trees and call nature their home and to witness and observe the beautiful colours of autumn is to communicate with Nature herself.

Maple trees appear in the oldest anthology of Japanese poetry, the ‘Man yo shu’ , the Tale of Genji’ dating from the 8th century

Japanese artwork often depicts the maple tree and a deer together, both signifying and symbolic of Autumn

It is said according to folklore, that passing an infant through the branches of a maple was to ensure and promote abundance, good health and success.