Red foliage this spring has been redder than red.

The cooler and wetter than average spring has given us leaves that are uber lush with foliage more vibrant than ever.

Top of list of red-leaved trees are Japanese red maples. These ornamental maples are hardly tree-like but can eventually reach heights of five metres.

Foliage is small and finely cut, giving a delicate appearance. Colour is bright crimson red early in spring, slightly losing luster by mid-summer and into fall.

With the number of Japanese maple varieties rumoured to be about 1,000, I would guess that nearly half would be red or shades of red.

The most popular is Bloodgood with an upright growth habit, often with multiple stems, making it more of a large shrub........

© Sarnia Observer