Growth Habit & Size
Upright · Spreading
Upright tree with a broad, spreading mature canopy.
PUNGO MAPLES
Virginia Beach Japanese Maple Nursery
Dark Ghost
Acer palmatum
● In Stock
Cultivar Description & Characteristics
Dark Ghost is an intriguing member of the famous Ghost series, featuring unique dark purple foliage with contrasting black veining. The delicate, slender leaves emerge in spring with an almost gothic darkness that immediately captures attention. Throughout the summer, the dark coloration remains stable, adding moody sophistication to shaded garden beds. Autumn brings a stunning shift into vibrant hues of magenta and fiery red before leaf drop.
10-Yr Height
8.0
10-Yr Width
5.0
Seasonal Foliage Spectrum
Spring: Dark Purple
Summer: Near-Black
Fall: Magenta Red
Sun Tolerance Ratings
Morning Sun
9 / 10
Afternoon Sun
4 / 10
☀️ Morning Sun Guidance:
Captures the gothic darkness of its dark purple leaves and contrasting black veins.
☀️ Afternoon Sun Guidance:
Ghost series traits require shade from harsh afternoon sun to avoid leaf damage.
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
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 Dark Ghost
- Cultivar origin
- Buchholz Nursery, Gaston, Oregon, United States
- Discovered / selected by
- Talon Buchholz
- Introduced by
- Buchholz Nursery
- Collection
- Buchholz Ghost Series
Dark Ghost is a selection by Talon Buchholz associated with Buchholz Nursery in Gaston, Oregon. The nursery lists it among its own introductions, while MrMaple identifies it as part of Buchholz's Ghost Series. This establishes its selection and nursery-introduction attribution, but does not provide an exact selection date or first commercial release year. Its distinctive foliage combines deep purple coloring with contrasting veins, creating the net-like pattern known as reticulation. Autumn can bring crimson and scarlet tones. Dark Ghost shares the Ghost Series emphasis on intricately patterned leaves, expressed here through a darker palette. The sources reviewed do not establish its seed parent, pollen parent, or whether it arose through a particular cross or mutation.
📊 Inventory and Pricing
● Live Data
Pungo Maples Onsite Inventory
| Size | Price | Status |
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| — | — | AVAILABLE |
| — | — | AVAILABLE |
