Frogs’ hands and floating clouds – the names of Japanese Maples

One of the classic plants of the Japanese garden is the maple, Acer palmatum. The common Japanese names for maples are ‘momiji’ derived from ‘leaves turning red’ or ‘kaede’ derived originally from ‘frogs’ hands’. Autumn trips to the mountains to see the beauties of the changing leaf colours are called ‘momiji-gari’, maple leaf hunting.

There are thousands of cultivars, many with poetic and beautiful names. Here are some Japanese words used in the names of Japanese maple varieties.

Ao – blue-green

Ba – leaves

Beni – deep red

Fu – variegated

Gasa – umbrella

Hime – princess or little

Ito – fine thread

Kin – gold

Koto – a stringed instrument

Maiko – dancing girl

Murasaki – purple

Nishiki – brocade, by extension variegated or textured

Niwa – garden

Ō – large

Ryū – dragon

Sango – coral

Sei – blue-green

Shidare – cascading

Shigure – soft rain

Ukigumo – floating clouds

Yae – double

Yama – mountain