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
Japonica Plants Nursery 