Growth Habit & Size
Upright · Rounded
Upright small full-moon maple developing a broad, rounded crown.
PUNGO MAPLES
Virginia Beach Japanese Maple Nursery
Emmett's Pumpkin
Acer palmatum
● In Stock
Cultivar Description & Characteristics
Emmett's Pumpkin is a charming upright tree celebrated for its extraordinary, pumpkin-orange autumn color display. The spring and summer foliage consists of clean, healthy green leaves that provide a classic backdrop in the garden. When autumn temperatures drop, the entire tree transforms into a glowing beacon of brilliant orange and gold tones. It is a fantastic choice for gardeners looking to maximize seasonal autumn interest.
10-Yr Height
8.0
10-Yr Width
6.0
Seasonal Foliage Spectrum
Spring: Green
Summer: Green
Fall: Pumpkin Orange
Sun Tolerance Ratings
Morning Sun
9 / 10
Afternoon Sun
7 / 10
☀️ Morning Sun Guidance:
Morning light provides a great backdrop for its healthy green spring canopy.
☀️ Afternoon Sun Guidance:
Reliable grower that handles standard summer sun well before its autumn transformation.
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 Emmett's Pumpkin
- Cultivar origin
- Oregon, USA (reported)
Although sometimes listed as Acer palmatum, 'Emmett's Pumpkin' is consistently identified by specialist nurseries and botanical gardens as Acer japonicum, a full-moon Japanese maple. Its original selection reportedly originated in Oregon, where a family discovered a seedling and named it for a boy named Emmett. This account was relayed by Matt Nichols of MrMaple and subsequently published in a University of British Columbia botanical forum discussion. The account also describes an early nursery royalty arrangement, but no original agreement has been verified. The selector's identity, seedling parentage, selection date, and first commercial introduction year remain undocumented. The cultivar was available commercially by July 2008, when a collector reported purchasing a specimen from Topiary Gardens. Its broad, deeply lobed leaves develop orange-red spring highlights, green summer foliage, and characteristic pumpkin-orange autumn coloration. Patent and registered-trademark status remain unverified.
Explore the sources behind this story
University of British Columbia Botanical Garden Forums - Emmett's Pumpkin, Oregon seedling and naming accountBroken Arrow Nursery - Acer japonicum Emmett's Pumpkin, botanical identification and cultivar characteristicsJapaneseMaples.com - Acer japonicum Emmett's Pumpkin nursery catalogNorfolk Botanical Garden - 2020 Plant Sale List, Acer japonicum Emmett's PumpkinUSPTO - Official Patent Public Search, no cultivar-specific patent establishedUSPTO - Official Trademark Search, no cultivar-specific registration established
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Pungo Maples Onsite Inventory
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