In my previous post about
Acer Griseum, I mentioned that many years ago I had been hunting for small trees for a previous garden that I created. Quite accidentally, I came across Acer pseudoplatanus 'Brilliantissimum'. It's hardy to -10°C and deciduous. Like many members of the sycamore family, Brilliantissimum leaves change colour but not in autumn. In spring, the new leaves are flamingo pink, changing through yellow to mottled green in summer. It has a bushy, round shaped crown and achieves a height and spread of less than 25ft over 20-50 years. Like Acer Griseum it will tolerate full sun or partial shade and, although it is tolerant of most soil types, it still prefers moist but well drained soil. I grew mine at the higher end of a sloping garden, facing south. The clay soil in my garden was quite dry due to a nearby privet hedge that depleted the soil of water and nutrients but the tree did rather well despite suffering from that and wind burn now and then. It really is better to grow it where it can have some shelter from strong winds. In that respect, it is like the more tender Japanese Maples.
