Acer palmatum 'Kashmir' Japanese Maple

'Kashmir' is a Japanese maple with extremely fine, threadlike foliage that emerges nearly hair-fine in spring, then develops distinctive twisted and curled lobes as leaves mature, a textural trait unusual among maples. The leaves remain notably narrow, finer than 'Koto no ito' but with more pronounced twisting than 'Fairy Hair', and shift to bright red in autumn. A vigorous, upright grower reaching 6-7 feet in ten years, it develops dense, full canopy and performs reliably in zones 5-9. According to the growers at Mr Maple, 'Kashmir' is their own selection from their Area 51 collection, bred for greater cold hardiness than similar threadleaf cultivars while retaining the bamboo-like aesthetic and movement that defines the finest linear-lobed Japanese maples; it prefers good drainage and offers the bonus of showstopping fall color that transitions from green to unusually vivid red.