Japanese maple, scientifically called Acer palmatum, is a popular tree with over 1000 available cultivars or varieties. Features are as follows: Prefers full sun to partial shade While some prefer full sun, others prefer those spots that only see the sun's rays for a couple of hours each day. Drought tolerant: Will tolerate dry conditions once established. A combination of its ability to survive in drought-like conditions along with its vibrant foliage makes it a common choice for use as a landscape accent tree. Easy care: Not picky about soil types and thrives when planted both in warmer climates where it can be outside year-round and cooler climates where it can be kept in a pot and brought inside for the winter. Easy to transplant Seedlings and smaller specimens (less than 6 foot or 1.8 meters) can be dug up and moved without much effort while larger specimens (6 feet/1.8 meters and over) generally take too long to recover from being moved, making it difficult to successfully t...