Acer palmatum 'Butterfly'

Butterfly Japanese maple

Acer palmatum ‘Butterfly’ is a refined variegated Japanese maple prized for its crisp cream-edged foliage and compact, upright habit. Leaves emerge gray-green with clean white margins, often tinged with pink in spring. Variegation remains sharp through summer, and fall color brings soft pink, rose, and light red tones to the canopy.

The foliage is small and delicately palmate, giving the tree a light, elegant texture. ‘Butterfly’ grows slowly and maintains a neat, upright to rounded form, making it ideal for close viewing and smaller spaces.

Best grown in partial shade to protect the pale margins from scorch, it prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil and shelter from hot afternoon sun and drying winds. Hardy in USDA Zones 5–8.

Mature size:



Width: 6–8 ft



Height: 8–10 ft



Ideal for specimen planting, containers, courtyards, and Asian-inspired landscapes, Acer palmatum ‘Butterfly’ is valued for its clean variegation, compact size, and refined year-round appeal.

Plant type

Deciduous Tree, Japanese Maple

Height

10'

Width

5'

Hardiness zones

6–8

Sunlight

Partial Shade

Growth rate

Slow

Bloom time

Spring

Leaf color

Dark Pink, Green, White

Fall color

Indian Red

Soil

Clay, Loamy, Well Drained

Landscape use

Accent Plant, Specimen

Shape

Broad Upright

Bark

Smooth

Deer resistant

Yes

Drought tolerant

No

10-year height

8'

10-year width

10'