Standard upright cultivars
Standard
upright cultivars are small trees growing from
15' in height to 30', or a bit taller in a few cases. We have
not included variegated forms (most variegates are smaller
anyway) nor the single laceleaf that may grow this tall
('Seiryu') in this group.
Even though they
are naturally larger than most cultivars,
uprights are still suitable for most gardens, as well as
for container growing and bonsai. Containers will keep
them at least 2/3, and often 1/2 the size they will grow
to if planted in the ground, and even in the ground they
can be pruned and trained to smaller size. A few, such
as 'Arakawa', are among the most prized for bonsai.
This group also
includes two of the most famous
cultivars, 'Bloodgood', which has long been the standard
for red upright maples, and 'Osakazuki', noted for
its outstanding fall color. But these are only the
best-known, not necessarily the best, as the
pictures and descriptions will demonstrate.
We have included a few cultivars that are also
included in the semi-dwarf group, because of
their borderline size.
Click on the cultivar names for photos and descriptions.