Indian summer

Character & interest

‘Indian Summer’ combines three strong features:

1. a bold texture thanks to its very large leaves,

2. summer interest (a pink-red flush on new growth),

3. a very clear autumn palette dominated by yellows and oranges, often highlighted with red.

It is a cultivar that has presence without being showy: perfect to structure a scene near a terrace, at the edge of a woodland planting, or at the back of a border.

Colours

• Spring : fresh green to light green at budbreak (variable depending on climate).

• Summer : dark green; new growth may be pink-red during the season.

• Autumn : dark green; new growth may be pink-red during the season.

Habit & vigour

Upright habit that becomes rounded, typical of a japonicum trained as a small tree. Moderate vigour; branching densifies over time.

Indicative size

Observed orders of magnitude depending on sources and training:

• around 2.5 to 3 m in 15 years

• the spread generally follows, with a well-balanced small-tree silhouette.

Exposure

Bright partial shade or gentle sun. A sheltered position (dry winds, scorching afternoon sun) helps preserve the foliage, especially during hot spells.

Origin & history

‘Indian Summer’ is presented as a German selection, discovered at Baumschule Nielsen (Soltau) from a seedling of Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’. Descriptions agree that, despite this parentage, its leaves are less deeply cut than ‘Aconitifolium’, closer to a vitifolium type.