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Acer palmatum 'Beni Otake'

Also Known As

Acer palmatum 'Beni Otaki'
Acer palmatum 'Red Bamboo'
Bamboo Leaf Japanese Maple
Beni Otake Japanese Maple
Red Bamboo Japanese Maple

Plant type

tree

size

H: 12'-24'
W: 8'-20'

planting zones

6a-9b

More Options

Acer palmatum 'Beni Otake' plant details

Acer palmatum 'Beni Otake' is a broadleaf deciduous tree with burgundy and red foliage. Attracts beneficial insects and birds. Grows well with sun - shade and even moisture - regular water. Does well in average, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something humidity tolerant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Acer palmatum 'Beni Otake'

Plant type: tree
Plant family: sapindaceae
Foliage: deciduous burgundy and red
Mature size: 8 FT - 20 FT - wide, 12 FT - 24 FT - tall
Uses: fall color, small tree

GROWING CONDITIONS for Acer palmatum 'Beni Otake'

USDA Zones: 6a - 9b
Sun exposure: sun - shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: humidity
Soil needs: average, rich and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Beni Otake Japanese Maple is an upright tree that has deeply lobed red leaves. It holds it color well through the summer. Beni Otake means 'Big Red Bamboo' in Japanese. This is a dwarf variety that fits perfectly in the ground or a container. The fall color is fiery red. Beni Otake Japanese Maple will bring years of enjoyment to your landscape. Very little pruning required for this cultivar.

By: Maples N More Nursery

The translated name of this exquisite maple is 'Big Red Bamboo', that is a perfect description of this beautiful maple with its deeply-lobed red leaves. This vigorous, bushy 10-12' variety features an upright habit. The foliage emerges deep-red-purple in spring and carries the color all summer before turning crimson in fall. This cultivar makes a delightful specimen. S-PSh/M

By: Forestfarm

Beni Otake' has long, purple-red leaves that have the same elegance and shape of bamboo leaves. The leaves create a similar effect to the laceleaf type Japanese Maples except without the frilly leaves. Trees will grow mostly upright with well developed branches and dense foliage that retains the red color through the summer better than many other varieties.

Plants require very little pruning to look good but a little bit of selective pruning goes a long way to taking a plant from 'good' to 'gorgeous.' We have found that this variety looks best when grown as a multi-trunk tree with the lower branches removed. Wait two or three years before removing the lower branches so the tree doesn't look unbalanced with a skinny frame and large top, after two or three years the trunks will be thick enough to provide visual appeal on their own.

Care and Receiving Your Tree

Like with other plants that are shipped bare root, you should plant your tree as soon as possible. When planting be sure to spread the roots out a little so they are not clumped together at the bottom of the hole. Japanese Maples want the top of their root crown to be covered with just an inch of soil - be careful not to apply heavy mulch directly on top of the roots as this can suffocate them. Water heavily as soon as you plant your tree but after that be careful not to overwater this beautiful specimen - Japanese Maples prefer long but less frequent watering. During the growing season we water our established trees for two hours once per week, depending on the climate and how hot/dry the weather is (maybe a little more frequently during the hottest part of the year and less frequently during spring and fall when it is cooler). If you are growing your Japanese Maples in containers be sure to use a well-drained soil mix (not peat or compost based, bark based soils do best) and water whenever the soil starts to dry out.

Japanese Maples do best when fertilized in the spring, we recommend a slow release pellet like Osmocote Plus in April. Don't apply fertilizer later than mid-June because it will encourage too much late season growth that will not have time to harden off enough for winter. The exact formula doesn't matter too much, we usually use 15-10-10 but any other works fine for Japanese Maples. Osmocote is the brand we use because it releases steadily for several months and so there is very little risk of over-fertilizing your plants.

By: Red Panda Nursery

Beni otake is a medium sized red maple in the Linearilobum Group. The name in Japanese is ‘Big Red Bamboo.’ This fast-growing upright tree has dark red leaves and a growth habit that some suggest looks like bamboo. Beni otake often has flowers changing to seeds or samaras as they are known on JMs. The dark red foliage is outstanding in the spring. Summer may show some fading, but this only enhances the overall appearance of bamboo like leaves adorned by red samaras [seeds]. Fall color is crimson red with reddish colored bark that is especially attractive during the winter months. This cultivar grows to around 10′ in 10 years. Eventually, Beni otake may reach 12 to 14′ at full maturity. The growth habit is very nice and evenly balanced making Beni otake a wonderful addition to a smaller garden area. Once established this cultivar is hardy to USDA zone 5. Note: 1 gallon Beni otake maples will be available spring 2018.

By: Eastfork Nursery

This upright grower has a nice bamboo-like appearance, making it a graceful feature in the garden. The purple red straplike leaves are very attractive.

By: Garden World

A bushy, upright Japanese Maple with a distinctive layered bamboo-like appearance. Leaves are narrow-lobed and dark-red in spring and summer. Fall color is brilliant crimson-orange. Name means "big red bamboo" in Japanese.

By: Maplestone Ornamentals

Acer palmatum 'Beni Otake' - An upright red linearlobum Japanese Maple. Leaves are very narrow with no indentations. Plant is columnar with horizontal branching. Looks like just like bamboo. Fall color is red.

By: Kigi Nursery

Aptly named. A delightful cultivar among the hundreds of others out there, its modest stature (to 10 ft. in as many years) and brilliant autumn color display distinguish it from varieties that ultimately grow much larger.

By: Heritage Seedlings

Straplike red leaves account for the name of this vigorous, upright Japanese maple, which means "big red bamboo." Leaves emerge deep purple-red and retain their color well through the summer. In fall, the large leaves with pointed tips brighten to crimson.

By: Conifer Kingdom

Linearilobum group -red -Purplish-red leaves are strap-like and grow in a layered effect to give the plant a bamboo-like appearance. The leaves hold red color in the summer and and are a brilliant crimson in fall. Beni otake is a vigorous grower averaging about 1 foot of overall growth per year, and will eventually make 25' tall tree. In Japanese the name means 'big red bamboo' but this tree is actually of American origin.

By: Fantastic Plants

Deep purple-red narrow leaves hold color in summer. Fall vivid crimson, bushy growth habit. Zones 5-8.

By: Lael's Moon Garden

Purple-red strap-like leaves have a layered appearance. Red colors throughout the summer turning vivid crimson in the fall. 'Beni otake' translates to mean "big red bamboo".

By: Bloom River Gardens

LINEARILOBUM, red. An outstanding newer form of A. palmatum. It is an attractive, upright-grower, with a bamboo-like appearance. For grace and beauty in your landscape, this purple-red, narrow-leaved cultivar is perfect. Suitable for small gardens.