Acer palmatum ‘Butterfly’ is an upright deciduous shrub or small tree with pretty variegated foliage of 5-7 lobed green leaves, irregularly margined with silvery-white and light touches of pink on the edges in spring. Some leaves may have no markings, while others may be solid cream. Acer palmatum 'Butterfly' is the Japanese maple for you.

Understanding the Context

Buy this Butterfly variegated Japanese maple tree online with confidence at our online Japanese maple store. Acer palmatum ‘Butterfly’ is a vase-shaped, small tree with small, dainty, variegated (green and white) leaves with a light tinge of pink. In fall, the creamy margins become a blazing magenta. Acer palmatum ‘Butterfly’ has small, mid green, serrated leaves variably variegated with white.

Key Insights

Some leaves will have a thin white edge (pictured) while other leaves can be mostly white or mostly green. ‘Butterfly’ is an upright, shrubby form with variegated foliage that typically grows to only 7-12’ tall. Palmate, 5-lobed, deeply divided leaves (to 3” long) are gray-green with creamy white margins that are often edged with pink in spring. There does appear to be two different cultivars being sold under the name 'Butterfly', while they are similar there is enough difference to indicate that they are distinctively different cultivars. One has pink and yellow variegation in early spring while the other one is pink and creamy white.

Final Thoughts

Acer can be deciduous trees or large shrubs with paired, often palmately-lobed leaves and small flowers followed by characteristic winged fruits. Many have fine autumn colour, and some have ornamental stems Japanese maple 'Butterfly' is recognized for its delicate variegated foliage and requires attentive care to maintain its ornamental value. Particularly sensitive to direct sunlight, japanese maple 'Butterfly' thrives in a dappled shade to prevent leaf scorch.