Beautiful five-to-nine-lobed leaves emerge early. The plant grows 9 feet in height with a spread exceeding its height, and it is highly admired for its wonderful horizontal branches. Use the Japanese maple as a specimen plant. May and June bring small reddish-purple flowers. The samaras, or winged fruits, mature in fall and turn a rich red. This maple is one of the cut-leaf or lace leaf varieties. The foliage emerges as red-orange before turning purplish-green in midsummer. Fall color is bright red. This lovely small tree, native to the Far East, can be grown only in very protected areas if you live in Zone 5. It is an exceptional small ornamental maple.