Acer palmatum 'Grandma Ghost' Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Grandma Ghost' is a member of the Ghost series, distinguished by deeply divided leaves marked with creamy pale coloring and lime-green reticulated veins that create a distinctive ghost-like variegation. The tree reaches approximately 8 feet in height and width at maturity with a semi-pendulous branching habit, developing yellow and orange fall color, a striking departure from the red tones typical of many Japanese maples. According to the growers at Mr Maple, Grandma Ghost was introduced by Talon Buchholz at Buchholz Nursery in 1995 as one of the original members of the Ghost series, which he named after observing similar seedling traits and began naming after family relations and ghost-themed variations. The cultivar performs best with afternoon shade, which preserves the reticulated variegation throughout the season and brightens shadier garden locations; in full sun the leaf veining becomes greener and less pronounced. Its medium-sized leaves and upright-yet-arching form make it a durable landscape tree, and its unusual yellow-orange fall color provides striking contrast when planted alongside traditional red-leafed maples.