'Osakazuki' is a very famous cultivar known for its intense crimson color. It is one of the oldest cultivars, having been listed in catalogs since the mid-1800's. All Japanese maples have good fall colors but the experts claim that 'Osakazuki' has the greatest vigor and most intense color of all of the Japanese maples. 'Osakazuki' has large leaves that seem to give the tree an air of orderliness. For most of the growing season the leaf color is a rich green. The leaves do not burn easily and have a durable texture. The beautiful fall color has been likened to that of a "burning bush". Even at dusk the color seems to glow. 'Osakazuki' grows rapidly for the first few years then slows down. This cultivar grows 7-10 ft. tall in 10 years and can reach 20 ft. in extreme old age. This upright tree becomes more branched and forms a round top as it ages. Since the leaves sometimes "cup" at the base, this cultivar is termed "saki-cup-like leaf", or 'Osakazuki'. This cultivar is outstanding in most everyway. When given a backdrop of green or yellow it is even more spectacular. Recommended by: United States National Arboretum. Awards: Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
