Acer palmatum 'Caperci Dwarf' Japanese Maple

'Caperci Dwarf' is a spreading dwarf Japanese maple with exceptionally lateral branching that creates a distinctive flat-topped, mushroom-like form, typically reaching 1-2 feet tall and up to 6 feet wide over ten years. Spring foliage emerges with soft pink-red new growth and red-purple margins, transitioning through yellow to red in autumn, with new flushes mid-season showing bright pink coloration; the leaves are among the smallest of all Japanese maple cultivars. According to the growers at Mr Maple, this cultivar stands apart from other dwarf Kiyohime types through its softer red borders and pinkish tones, and its naturally horizontal branching habit makes it an exceptional choice for bonsai, container cultivation, and foundation plantings where limited space requires a low, wide specimen. Best suited to zones 5-9 in the landscape (6-9 in containers), it requires good drainage and afternoon shade in zone 9; the extensive low branching and compact habit make it best established in its final location, as relocation requires a substantial root ball.