Growth Rate
Slow
Moderate
Fast
Moderate
Moderate growth reported by Buchholz Nursery; rates vary with growing conditions.
PUNGO MAPLES
Virginia Beach Japanese Maple Nursery
Ariadne
Acer palmatum
● In Stock
Cultivar Description & Characteristics
Ariadne is a captivating reticulate cultivar noted for its intricately patterned leaves that display prominent darker veins against lighter green backgrounds. Spring brings out delicate peach and pink tones along the leaf margins, giving the plant an ethereal quality. In summer, the foliage settles into a mottled green pattern with creamy highlights before turning brilliant shades of crimson in autumn. It makes an exceptional accent plant for shaded woodland gardens or decorative containers.
10-Yr Height
6.0
10-Yr Width
5.0
Seasonal Foliage Spectrum
Spring: Peach Pink
Summer: Mottled Green
Fall: Crimson Red
Sun Tolerance Ratings
Morning Sun
8 / 10
Afternoon Sun
4 / 10
☀️ Morning Sun Guidance:
Morning light highlights delicate peach and pink tones along the leaf margins.
☀️ Afternoon Sun Guidance:
Best placed in shaded woodland settings to protect its patterned, reticulate foliage from strong heat.
Image highlights cultivar traits and is not exact photo of available stock. Image is property of Pungo Maples, unauthorized use prohibited.
Get to know your maple
Growth Habit & Size
Upright · Spreading
Upright small tree with a spreading crown; sources describe both aspects of its form.
What do these growth habit terms mean?
More than one term can apply. Branch direction, crown shape and size describe different characteristics, and the outline can change as a tree matures.
- Upright
- Main stems and branches emphasize upward growth. An upright tree can still develop a broad canopy.
- Spreading
- Branches extend outward to form a broad canopy. The tree does not have to be wider than it is tall.
- Weeping
- Branches or branchlets arch or hang downward. The tree can still have an upright trunk.
- Rounded
- The crown has a rounded outline. This describes the overall shape rather than the direction of each branch.
- Dwarf
- A cultivar with a smaller natural stature than typical forms of its species. Dwarf describes size, not branch direction or a fixed height limit; it does not automatically mean slow growth.
For example: Bloodgood can grow upright while developing a broad, rounded canopy with spreading branches.
Learn more: NC State plant forms · Bloodgood profile · RHS trees for smaller gardens
Roots & heritage
The story behind Ariadne
- Cultivar origin
- Plantentuin Esveld, Boskoop, Netherlands
- Discovered / selected by
- Plantentuin Esveld; individual selector not documented
- Introduction year
- 1991
Ariadne is a Dutch Japanese maple selection associated with Plantentuin Esveld in Boskoop. Esveld's own cultivar description explicitly states that the nursery introduced it in 1991; this documents introduction, not the year the original plant was selected. The nursery also explains that it was named after the author's daughter, while Broken Arrow Nursery identifies her as Cor van Gelderen's daughter. These accounts support an Esveld origin but do not identify an individual selector, a controlled cross, or either parent. Esveld highlights its distinctive muted pink spring foliage and contrasting veins, placing it in the Reticulatum group. The Royal Horticultural Society recognizes Ariadne as an accepted cultivar with deeply divided leaves and coppery orange-pink spring coloration. Patent and cultivar-related registered-trademark status remain unverified; no royalty or public-domain conclusion is drawn.
Explore the sources behind this story
Plantentuin Esveld: Ariadne; original-introducer account documenting the 1991 introduction, daughter namesake, and reticulated foliagePlantentuin Esveld: contact and nursery location in BoskoopBroken Arrow Nursery: Ariadne; selection from Esveld and naming after Cor van Gelderen's daughterRoyal Horticultural Society: Acer palmatum 'Ariadne'; accepted cultivar name and botanical descriptionUSPTO Patent Public Search; official registry consulted, without a verified Ariadne maple patent recordUSPTO Trademark Search; official registry consulted, without a verified cultivar-related registrationCIPO: Ariadne, application 1177245; unrelated Linotype record, not evidence of trademark protection for this maple
📊 Inventory and Pricing
● Live Data
Pungo Maples Onsite Inventory
| Size | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Gallon | $55.00 | AVAILABLE |
