Acer palmatum 'Rikuzen shidare' Weeping Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Rikuzen shidare' Rare Weeping Japanese Maple From Japan Zones 5-9 ‘Rikuzen shidare’ is a selection of Japanese maple with the large green leaves of the Acer amoenum. The habit is unlike many with such large leaves. ‘Rikuzen shidare’ is extremely weeping. Like many amazing selections from Japan, this tree originated at a temple. Noticed by many as being unique, the original tree stood at temple in the Rikuzen province of Japan. From what I can best understand, in 2011, a tsunami hit the area and destroyed the original tree. Luckily some nurseryman had grafted this selection, which saved this tree from being completely lost. Unlike ‘Ryusen’, ‘Rikuzen shidare’ has leaves similar to the size of ‘Osakazuki’, but instead of turning red in the fall, ‘Rikuzen shidare’ turns to bright shade of yellow. When we visited Minoh Park in Japan, we learned something incredible about Japanese maples with yellow fall color. According to expert Setsuko Hisakuni, the Japanese maples with l