Villa taranto

Character & interest

‘Villa Taranto’ stands out for its very regular, rounded silhouette and lighter-looking foliage than a classic palmatum, thanks to its narrow lobes. The result is graphic without being stiff, with real interest from spring through autumn. It is an excellent choice if you like Linearilobum-style maples but with a cushion / dome habit rather than a cascading form. Linearilobum mais avec un port en coussin / dôme plutôt qu’en cascade.

Colours

• Spring : young leaves red-orange to brick red (sometimes with a pinkish nuance depending on conditions).

• Summer : green (often with a slight reddish tone at first, then a clearer green).

• Autumn : golden yellow to deep yellow (sometimes slightly orange).

Habit & vigour

Bushy, dome-shaped habit, well branched. Moderate vigour. The cultivar is often described as similar, in overall look, to certain compact Linearilobum types (sometimes compared to ‘Red Pygmy’ for the habit, with a difference in leaf colour).

Indicative size

Observed orders of magnitude depending on sources and training:

• around 3 m × 2 m at about 10 years,

• often given as around 3 to 3.5 m at maturity (with a spread that can reach 2 to 3 m).

Exposure

Bright partial shade or gentle sun. A sheltered position (dry winds, scorching sun) improves the performance of the fine foliage.

Origin & history

‘Villa Taranto’ was propagated from a plant observed in the gardens of Villa Taranto, in Pallanza (Lake Maggiore, Italy). It was introduced and distributed in cultivation in 1967 by C. Esveld (Boskoop, The Netherlands). The cultivar received the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM).