Eddisbury

Character & interest

‘Eddisbury’ is chosen first and foremost for its winter stems: the colour on young wood is often described as redder / deeper than that of ‘Sango-kaku’. Once the leaves have fallen, the coral shoots take centre stage, making it an excellent maple to place where it remains visible in winter (near a terrace, a window, or a path). In season, the green foliage stays elegant and finishes with a bright autumn display.

Colours

• Spring : young leaves pale yellow-green, often tinged red along the edges; petioles and young shoots already coral red.

• Summer : green to dark green foliage, clean look.

• Autumn : golden yellow to yellow-orange, often edged or nuanced with red.

Habit & vigour

Upright habit, becoming broader with age. Good to moderate vigour (steady growth), with a more substantial development than some dwarf coral-bark cultivars.

Indicative size

Order of magnitude: around 3 to 5 m eventually depending on conditions, with a spread often between 2 and 4 m.

Exposure

Gentle sun / bright partial shade. Good light generally enhances the bark, but protection from scorching sun and dry wind is helpful (especially in a pot) to preserve the foliage in summer.

Origin & history

‘Eddisbury’ is an English selection: it is generally presented as a chance seedling noticed at F. Morrey and Son nursery in Cheshire (England), named after the local district of Eddisbury. It long circulated under labels such as “Sango-kaku ‘Eddisbury’”, but today the cultivar name is generally given simply as ‘Eddisbury’.