Shishigashira

Character & interest

‘Shishigashira’ is a cultivar of texture and structure. Its crinkled leaf (Crispum type) and dense branching create a very graphic silhouette, even out of season. It is one of the easiest maples to “read” visually: compact, sculptural, and immediately recognisable in a collection.

Colours

• Spring : soft green (fresh, crinkled growth).

• Summer : dense dark green.

• Autumn : orange to orange-red (often with several shades visible at the same time).

Habit & vigour

Bushy habit, rather upright at first, with often stiff branches. Slow to moderate growth: it keeps a contained size for a long time, which explains its popularity in pots and for bonsai.

Indicative size

Observed orders of magnitude depending on sources and training:

• about 1.5 m at around 10 years is a commonly quoted figure,

• often listed around 2–3 m (small tree / large shrub),

• some specimens show it can reach ~2.5–4 m in the long run, with a spread of about 1.5–2.5 m (depending on age and conditions).

Exposure

Bright partial shade or gentle sun. A sheltered position (dry winds, scorching sun) improves foliage quality.

Origin & history

The Japanese name refers to the image of a “lion’s mane”, directly linked to the crinkled foliage. It is also encountered as ‘Shishi-gashira’. In catalogues, this cultivar is placed in the group of crinkled-leaved palmatums (Crispum). Some sources also mention historical or horticultural distribution synonyms (e.g., ‘Crispifolium’, ‘Ribesifolium’, ‘Minus’): these names appear depending on references and supply chains.