Snake Bark Maple 20/40cm (P9T)
Acer capillipes
£14.95
The Snake Bark Maple – Acer capillipes is a stunning Japanese ornamental tree featuring distinctive green and white striped bark that provides exceptional winter interest. With bronze-red spring growth, elegant three-lobed leaves and spectacular orange-to-crimson autumn colour, this medium-sized maple brings year-round beauty to gardens.
- ✓ STRIKING SNAKE BARK: Distinctive green and white vertical striations cover the trunk and branches, creating exceptional winter interest and architectural beauty that intensifies as the tree matures in your garden
- ✓ SPECTACULAR AUTUMN COLOUR: Three-lobed leaves transform from mid-green to breathtaking shades of orange, scarlet and crimson in autumn, providing one of the most dramatic seasonal displays of any ornamental maple
- ✓ YEAR-ROUND INTEREST: Bronze-red spring foliage, elegant summer canopy, fiery autumn colour and decorative striped bark in winter ensure this Japanese maple remains a focal point throughout every season
- ✓ IDEAL FOR BRITISH GARDENS: Hardy and adaptable, thriving in partial shade with moisture-retentive soil, perfect as a specimen tree or woodland planting, reaching 8-12 metres with a graceful spreading crown
- ✓ Quality UK grown stock from Yarrow Gardens - DEFRA Registered Supplier
In stock - Usually dispatched within a few days.
The Snake Bark Maple is a stunning ornamental tree that brings year-round interest to gardens with its extraordinary striped bark and elegant form. This Japanese native earns its common name from the distinctive green and white vertical striations that decorate its smooth trunk and branches, creating a serpentine pattern that becomes increasingly dramatic as the tree matures. During winter months when many trees fade into the background, Acer capillipes takes centre stage with its architectural beauty.
In spring, this deciduous maple produces delicate clusters of greenish-yellow flowers that dangle gracefully from the branches, followed by attractive winged seeds that add movement and texture throughout summer. The foliage itself is a delight, with three-lobed leaves emerging in fresh bronze-red tones before maturing to a rich mid-green. Each leaf measures approximately 8-15cm in length, creating a refined canopy that filters dappled light beautifully.
Autumn brings perhaps the most spectacular display, when the entire canopy transforms into a breathtaking palette of orange, scarlet and crimson shades. This seasonal finale makes the Snake Bark Maple an invaluable specimen for adding warmth and drama to autumn gardens. The bark’s visual impact intensifies once the leaves fall, revealing the full glory of the striped stems against winter skies.
This maple thrives in gardens across Britain, showing excellent cold hardiness and adapting well to our maritime climate. It performs best in partial shade or dappled sunlight, making it ideal for woodland gardens or as an understory tree beneath taller specimens. The tree develops a spreading, rounded crown with slightly ascending branches that create an elegant silhouette without overwhelming smaller spaces.
Plant in moisture-retentive, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. This maple prefers neutral to slightly acidic conditions and benefits from a position sheltered from strong winds and late spring frosts, which can damage emerging foliage. Morning sun with afternoon shade provides ideal conditions, though it tolerates more shade than many maples.
Water regularly during the first two growing seasons to establish a strong root system, and maintain consistent moisture during dry spells, particularly in summer. Apply a generous mulch of leaf mould or well-rotted compost around the base each spring, keeping it clear of the trunk to prevent rot.
Pruning is rarely necessary beyond removing any dead, damaged or crossing branches. If required, prune in late summer to autumn when the sap flow has reduced, as maples can bleed profusely if cut during the growing season. The naturally attractive form requires minimal intervention to maintain its graceful shape.
Feed with a balanced slow-release fertiliser in early spring, and ensure young trees receive adequate water during establishment. Once mature, Snake Bark Maples are relatively low-maintenance, rewarding you with decades of multi-seasonal interest.
Ultimate height
8–12 metres
Time to ultimate height
20–50 years
Ultimate spread
4–8 metres
Season of Interest
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
Sunlight
Partial Shade
Pot Size
9cm (Tall)
Foliage
Deciduous
Foliage Colour
Green
Hardiness
-15°C to -10°C (H5)
When MatureWatering
Moderate
Preferred Soil pH
Acidic
Fragrance
Slight
Our unique tall 9cm pots is a smart strategy for cultivating trees with strong and deep root systems. This practice can lead to healthier and more resilient trees that are better prepared for transplantation and long-term growth in your UK garden.
Promoting Deep Root Development with Tall 9cm Pots:
1. Enhanced Root Growth: Using tall pots, such as 9cm pots, encourages trees to develop a deeper and more extensive root system. The added height of the pot allows the tree’s roots to grow downward, seeking nutrients and water in the lower soil layers.
2. Reduced Root Circling: Traditional, shallower pots can sometimes lead to root circling, where the roots grow in a circular pattern around the pot’s base. This can restrict the tree’s ability to access essential resources. Tall pots mitigate this issue, as roots are less likely to encounter physical barriers that encourage circling.
3. Improved Stability: The additional depth provided by tall pots offers improved stability for young trees. It allows for better anchoring and support, which is particularly important during periods of strong winds or inclement weather.
4. Better Soil Temperature Regulation: Tall pots offer improved insulation for the root system. This can help maintain more stable soil temperatures, protecting the roots from extreme heat or cold. This is crucial for healthy root development, especially in the unpredictable UK climate.
5. Reduced Transplant Shock: When it’s time to transplant a tree from a tall pot into the ground, the deeper root system developed in the tall pot can reduce transplant shock. The tree is better equipped to establish itself in its new environment.
6. Versatility: Tall pots are versatile and can accommodate a wide range of tree species. They are particularly useful for growing trees that have a taproot, which naturally grows deeper.
Delivery
Yarrow Gardens aim to have your order with you in fastest time possible and safest method of transport. Dependent on the parcel size and geographical destination in mind with will select the most suitable courier.
You are welcome to collect any times from our nursery in Euxton, Lancashire. Please contact us to arrange a suitable date and time.
With regret, we can no longer send items out to Northern Ireland. All live plants need a phytosanitary checks and DAERA must be notified. This process is simply too expensive at the moment.
Returns
In the rare instance that your item has been damaged during delivery or incorrectly shipped by us, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss the return and replacement of your item.
Once you have contacted us and we have confirmation that your parcel is on its way back to us we will be happy to issue a refund for the return postage.
| Delivery Class | Delivery Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Mail Letter - Royal Mail Tracked | £3.25 (Flat) | |
| Royal Mail Letter - Royal Mail Second Class | £1.32 (Flat) | |
| Royal Mail Large Letter - Royal Mail Tracked | £3.25 (Flat) | |
| Royal Mail Large Letter - Royal Mail Second Class | £2.10 (Flat) | |
| Standard Items - Standard Courier (APC) | £10.74 (Flat) | This item |
| Standard Items - Standard Courier (Evri) | £5.99 (Flat) | This item |
| Medium Items - Standard Courier (APC) | £11.94 (Flat) | |
| Large Items - Pallet Courier | £114.00 (Flat) | |
| Large Items - Standard Courier (APC) | £25.14 (Flat) | |
| Pallet Courier - Pallet Courier | £114.00 (Flat) |
We are a small family business based in Euxton, West Lancashire. We specialise in the supply of trees, shrubs both bare root & cell grown. Much of our stock is grown directly on site from seed or cuttings. Other stock is all UK sourced where possible.
We adhere to industry leading biosecurity measures, this ensures that our nursery remains clean and disease free.
We are DEFRA registered and our nursery is regularly inspected to confirm compliance with all current plant and plant health regulations.
Our Plant Passport Registration Number is GB140010
You can view our Plant Healthy report here.
We are actively working towards the Grown in Britain certification along with the Plant Healthy certification.
Should you have any concern or question in respect of our plant health matters, please get in touch.
Also available...
Snake Bark Maple 40/60cm (P9T)
Acer capillipes
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Acer rubrum
Sugar Maple Tree 40/60cm (P9T)