This Japanese maple is a large deciduous shrub with an upright, dense, spreading canopy, and its beauty is not only due to its elegant leaves, but also to the small spring flowers of deep purple-red with yellow stamens, gathered in delicate drooping clusters. These are followed by bright red, brown-winged fruits that are very attractive when mature. This variety is an upright, compact shrub with somewhat twisted branches covered in bottle-green bark. Its leaves are crinkled, deeply lobed, and intensely green. In autumn, they turn yellow-orange, making it excellent for bonsai. It grows fairly rapidly when young, but slower later on. It is cold-hardy but sensitive to late frosts and particular about soil: the ideal should be cool, loose, moist yet well-drained, slightly acidic, and clayey. Exposure should be half-shade to sunny, sheltered from strong winds. Partial shade becomes indispensable in sandy soils or in hot, arid locations.