Acer palmatum 'Wildfire' Coral bark Winter Interest Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Wildfire' is a coral bark Japanese maple with chartreuse-green spring and summer foliage that transitions to yellow and orange in autumn. The cultivar's defining feature is its striking winter bark, which displays a gradient from golden yellow at the base through orange in the middle to bright red on the outer branches, creating a flame-like aesthetic that intensifies in full sun and leafless months. The tree reaches 10-15 feet at maturity with a vigorous, upright habit and typically adds over one foot of growth per year. According to the growers at Mr Maple, 'Wildfire' was discovered by Jason Stevens and is notably heat- and drought-tolerant, performing exceptionally well in zones 6-9 even in high-heat climates such as Oklahoma; it prefers well-drained soil and dislikes boggy winter conditions. For maximum visual impact, site it against a dark evergreen backdrop or building to showcase the multicolored bark display, and consider pairing it with yellow or blue conifers to create dynamic winter contrast in the garden.