How to Use Japanese maple in a Sentence

Japanese maple

noun
  • What shape should a Japanese maple be?
    — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 18 Jan. 2026
  • How fast do Japanese maple trees grow?
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Japanese maples do best when sheltered from wind and the hottest rays of the afternoon sun.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Japanese maples grow at a slow to moderate rate of 1 to 2 feet per year.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Learn when, why, and how to prune a Japanese maple to keep your tree healthy and beautiful.
    — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 18 Jan. 2026
  • Prune Japanese maples in late winter or early spring to remove dead wood and shape the tree.
    — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 18 Jan. 2026
  • That starts at the facade, where stone and hardwood features pop against coral bark Japanese maple trees.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2026
  • Use this guide to find out how to plant, grow, and care for a Japanese maple in your yard successfully.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Oaks These stately trees can provide the high shade or dappled shade that Japanese maples crave.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Soil and Water Japanese maple likes a slightly acidic, humus-rich soil with good drainage.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • As a thin-bark tree, Japanese maple is subject to damage from the freeze-thaw cycle in colder climates.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Plus, their large, upright mature size is a nice complement to the shorter stature of the Japanese maple.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Trimming to control height and width prevents your Japanese maple from outgrowing the space.
    — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 18 Jan. 2026
  • Small understory trees like Japanese maples and dogwoods can also add height to the garden.
    — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Outdoor spaces include a small event lawn at the front of the house and a courtyard outside the office centered around a Japanese maple tree.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 8 May 2026
  • Its leaves are similar to Japanese maples, serrated, and deep burgundy in color.
    — Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Pests and Problems Healthy, unstressed Japanese maples have few pest or disease problems.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Use large cultivars to back up smaller Japanese maples and smaller cultivars as a burst of color in the foreground.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Japanese maple trees can also be planted in a container filled with a quality potting mix augmented with compost and sharp sand.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Almost any season is good to prune Japanese maples, but late winter to early spring is the best time for any major pruning since the tree is dormant and there’s no new growth.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Dwarf Conifers Just like Japanese maple, dwarf conifers such as dwarf Alberta spruce (shown here) come in a range of shapes, sizes, and colors.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The large picture window in the Tootlas’ primary bedroom boasts a gorgeous view of a sculptural Japanese maple.
    — Felicia Feaster, AJC.com, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The best time to prune a Japanese maple tree is during dormancy when the branches are bare, typically between the season’s first frost and late winter.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2025
  • The best time to prune a Japanese maple tree is during dormancy when the branches are bare, typically between the season’s first frost and late winter.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
  • This weeping variety is one of the hardiest Japanese maples available, said to survive as far north as Minnesota if there is snow cover.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Inaba Shidare and many other Japanese maple trees fit the bill, for example, and are highly valued for their form and foliage.
    — David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Japanese Maple Tree Care Tips Japanese maple is a low-maintenance tree when its basic needs are met.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
  • When To Prune Aim to prune Japanese maples around February or early March when the worst weather has passed.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Pruning saws are great for thinning Japanese maple or crepe myrtle branches that might be rubbing on each other, shooting in the wrong direction, or obstructing a walkway.
    — Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
  • From an aesthetic point of view, Japanese maples have a distinctive architectural beauty year-round but especially after their leaves fall.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Japanese maple.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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