Coonara pygmy

Character & interest

This is a “small but tough” cultivar: it forms a compact clump (dome/ball shape) without needing pruning to stay attractive. The fine leaves and dense twigging create a very “miniature” look—ideal when you want a Japanese maple in a very small space. In a container, it’s easy to showcase on a terrace, and it responds very well to bonsai training.

Colours

• Spring : light-green foliage, often with a pink edging / pink tips on young shoots.

• Summer : green foliage (fresh look), sometimes with slightly pink new growth.

• Autumn : orange to orange-red, sometimes with deeper red touches depending on exposure.

Habit & vigour

Very compact habit, naturally rounded (ball/dome), tight branching. Moderate vigour (slow to medium growth), typical of a maple originating from a witch’s broom.

Indicative size

Order of magnitude: about 1 to 2 m eventually (often closer to 1–1.5 m in “typical” conditions), with a similar spread. It can become larger with age and in a very favourable climate.

Exposure

Gentle sun / bright partial shade. Because it has small leaves, it is fairly tolerant, but it’s still best to protect it from scorching sun and dry wind (especially in a pot) to keep the foliage clean.

Origin & history

‘Coonara Pygmy’ is an Australian cultivar, discovered as a witch’s broom mutation and selected/named by Arnold Teese (Australia). The name refers to the discovery site associated with Coonara (Victoria).