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Japanese Maple 'Butterfly': Variegated Foliage Resembling Fluttering Wings

Japanese Maple Butterfly

Butterfly variegated leaves

Butterfly form

Butterfly bark

Overview

Japanese Maple 'Butterfly' (Acer palmatum 'Butterfly', also known as 'Kocho-No-Mai') delights with its unique variegated foliage. The leaves are gray-green with creamy-white margins that often blush pink in spring, resembling a flutter of butterflies. This upright, slow-growing cultivar adds a touch of whimsy and light to shaded garden areas.

Botanical Profile

Family: Sapindaceae (sap-in-DAY-see-ee)
Genus: Acer (AY-ser)
Species: Acer palmatum (pahl-MAY-tum)
Cultivar: 'Butterfly'
Synonym: 'Kocho-No-Mai'

Cultivation Advice

Grow in USDA zones 5-8. Prefers dappled shade or morning sun only; full sun can bleach the variegation. Needs moist, well-drained, acidic soil. Protect from strong winds. Water consistently. Variegated cultivars may be less vigorous; avoid heavy fertilization.

Design Ideas

Use 'Butterfly' as a specimen in a woodland garden, in a container on a shaded deck, or as an accent in a mixed border where its variegation can brighten dark corners. Pair with solid green foliage plants for contrast.

Japanese Maples: Japanese Maple 'Shishigashira': The Lion's Head with Curled, Crinkled Foliage; Japanese Maple 'Nicholsonii': Deeply Cut Purple-Red, Also Atrodissectum; Japanese Maple 'Nuresagi': Wet Heron with Dark Purple-Red Foliage; Japanese Maple 'Okushimo': Upright Green with Crinkled Leaves, Also Crispum; Japanese Maple 'Seicha': Green Tea Variegation, Also Aocha Nishiki; Japanese Maple 'Shindeshojo': Brilliant Spring Scarlet, Also Shin deshojo; Japanese Maple 'Matsuyoi': Evening Twilight with Variegated Foliage; Japanese Maple 'Trompenburg': Upright Red with Rolled Leaf Margins; Japanese Maple 'Kasagiyama': Kasagi Mountain with Variegated Foliage; Japanese Maple 'Nomura': Classic Red with Many Synonyms

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