Elegans

Character & interest

‘Elegans’ stands out for its graceful silhouette and cleanly drawn foliage: well-separated lobes, deep incisions, and finely toothed margins. The main highlight is its autumn colour, known for being very luminous, but the spring foliage (often lightly bronze/salmon) also brings real presence from the very start of the season.

Colours

• Spring : soft green with possible salmon/bronze nuances on young leaves.

• Summer : green to mid-green.

• Autumn : golden yellow then bright orange, frequently tinged with red.

Habit & vigour

Upright, rather open habit, with pleasant branching. Moderate vigour, steady growth.

Indicative size

Typical range: most often 2 to 3 m, with a similar spread. It can become larger with age and depending on conditions (some descriptions mention up to 4–5 m in the ground).

Exposure

Gentle sun / bright partial shade. A sheltered position (limited dry wind) helps keep the foliage neat.

Origin & history

An old cultivar from the European horticultural tradition: it is cited under the name Acer palmatum septemlobum elegans by Nicholson (1881).