Acer palmatum 'Ruben' Pink Japanese Maple

'Ruben' is a dwarf, spreading Japanese maple prized for its exceptional spring foliage, which emerges bright coral-pink with pale yellow markings before transitioning to bronze-green by summer and warm orange-red in fall. The tree reaches 6-8 feet tall and wide at maturity, developing a dense, multi-stemmed, shrubby form resembling a flowering ornamental rather than a typical upright maple. According to the growers at Mr Maple, this cultivar was introduced by Esfeld Plantanium in Holland and named after Ruben van Gelder, son of maple breeder Coen van Gelder; it is prized for bonsai work due to its exceptionally small foliage and responds well to pinching. Spring color intensity varies with sunlight and climate, brightening considerably as new leaves unfold; it pairs effectively in the landscape with upright green or deep red maples, which amplify its distinctive pink spring display.