Bloodgood Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood')
AY-sir palm-AY-tum 'Bloodgood'

Deciduous Perennial Tree in the Sapindaceae Family
 
Buy Bloodgood Japanese Maple
Size Notes Price Availability
#7 gallon Field $249.87

Limited Availability

'Bloodgood,' features stunning wine-purple to burgundy leaves in spring and summer, transitioning to vibrant scarlet red in the fall. Its striking red-black bark adds winter interest.

A small, rounded deciduous tree, usually 15–20 ft tall and wide, prized as one of the classic red-leaf Japanese maples. Unlike many red cultivars that fade to bronze-green by midsummer, 'Bloodgood' holds its deep reddish-purple color from spring through summer, then turns crimson in fall. Leaves are the typical palmate, five- to seven-lobed maple shape (not the finely dissected type). Flowers are small and largely hidden by foliage, followed by red-tinged samaras (winged seedpods) that add some summer interest. As a grafted cultivar, it doesn't come true from seed and is propagated onto seedling rootstock. In the Chicago area it sits at the cold edge of its hardiness range, so siting out of harsh winter wind and sun is worth extra care.

Pros

  • Reddish-purple foliage color holds through summer better than most red Japanese maples
  • Reliable, attractive crimson fall color
  • Small, manageable size fits many landscapes; slow, tidy growth needs little pruning
  • Widely available, well-tested cultivar with a long track record

Cons

  • At the cold edge of its hardiness range in Chicago — winter wind and frost pockets can cause dieback
  • Prone to leaf scorch in hot sun or dry soil; needs consistent moisture
  • Susceptible to verticillium wilt and other fungal diseases under stress
  • New spring growth is frost-sensitive
Highlights Deep reddish-purple foliage that holds its color through summer better than most red Japanese maples; reliable crimson fall color; RHS Award of Garden Merit.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 15 - 20 feet tall. 12 - 15 feet wide.
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium : Moderate
Zones 5a - 8b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Colorful Foliage, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Fall Color, Formal Garden, Fruit showy, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Asian Garden, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Insignificant Flowers, Medium, Normal Soil, Ornamental Tree, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Red Foliage, Shrub, Small Tree, Tolerant of Shallow Soil, Tree, Well-Drained Soil, Winter Interest Fall Color Trees, Small Trees, Unique Trees
Bloom Period April to May
Flower Color Reddish-Purple
Foliage Color Deep Red to Reddish-Purple
 

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Etoile Violette Clematis, Halcyon Hosta, Roi du Midi Tulip
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 07/06
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!