A Jaw-Dropping Japanese Maple for shade
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One of my prized specimen trees for shade is Acer shirasawanum ‘Aureum’, commonly called Golden Full Moon Maple. This awesome plant was a regal focal point in my Upstate New York shade garden (it is in the upper right corner of my garden). My
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heart ached when I had to leave it behind upon moving to Maine. One of the first things I put on my garden to-do list was to buy a new one and site it so I could easily see it from inside and outside the house. This exotic looking, slow growing tree shimmers in the shade, although it can take more sun in colder regions. It’s eye-candy starting in spring as the fan-shaped leaves unfurl and then the encore takes place in fall when the foliage turns brilliant orange and red, just like a sugar maple. Golden Full Moon can grow to 10’ to 15’. I bought mine in a 3 gallon container and after five years it had finally reached about 5’ tall. It is indeed a very slow, but steady, grower. As with many smaller-scale Japanese maples, protect it from drying, winter winds. I loved pairing this golden lady with Cimicifuga (Actea) ‘Hillside Black Beauty’ for a riveting combo. ‘Hillside Black Beauty’s lacy black leaves show well against the golden backdrop, plus ‘Hillside Black 
Beauty’s heavenly-smelling, white flower spikes are at their peak in late summer/early fall, just as Golden Full Moon is changing its wardrobe into orange and red. Vaboom!
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