Q: Can you grow this tree in a container? It is presently in a 5 gal. nursery container.

A: This variety of Japanese maple was introduced in Japan way back in the late 1700's. It is a beautiful tree, with new growth coming out crimson red, which then turns purple.

The young branches are maroon with white overtones, and the leaves are deeply-cut (dissectum is the proper term for this). Fall leaf color is scarlet, and its mature height is about 12'.

It does well in hotter climates such as in the Sunbelt states.

Yes, you should be able to grow this tree in a container, but try to put it into as large of a container as possible and place it in the center.

This way it has a large volume of soil for the roots to grow into, plus this large volume of soil will help insulate the roots against winter's cold temperatures.

If you can't find a large container, you may have to prune it regularly so that the crown does not get larger than what the root system can provide for.