Growth Habit & Size
Upright
Upright tree with very fine strap-like foliage.
PUNGO MAPLES
Virginia Beach Japanese Maple Nursery
Koto-No-Ito
Acer palmatum
● In Stock
Cultivar Description & Characteristics
Koto-No-Ito translates to Harp Strings, perfectly describing the exceptionally thin, thread-like green lobes of its foliage. The spring leaves emerge with a delicate light green hue often brushed with soft bronze tips. As summer progresses, the fine texture creates a bamboo-like, graceful appearance in the garden. Autumn completes the season with a brilliant transformation into bright golden-yellow tones. Its unique texture provides wonderful contrast against broad-leaved plants.
10-Yr Height
6.0
10-Yr Width
4.0
Seasonal Foliage Spectrum
Spring: Light Green
Summer: Green
Fall: Golden-Yellow
Sun Tolerance Ratings
Morning Sun
8 / 10
Afternoon Sun
4 / 10
☀️ Morning Sun Guidance:
Delicate light green spring hue brushed with soft bronze tips.
☀️ Afternoon Sun Guidance:
Thread-like fine texture necessitates afternoon shade protection.
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 Koto-No-Ito
- Cultivar origin
- Japan
'Koto-No-Ito' is a Japanese maple associated with nurseryman Koichiro Wada. Seattle Japanese Garden explicitly credits Wada with naming and introducing it in Japan in 1938, and Érable du Val de Jargeau likewise attributes the 1938 introduction to his nursery. These accounts document introduction rather than the original selection event; they do not establish who first selected the plant or when. Maple Ridge Nursery also credits Wada with naming it for its narrow, straplike foliage. Commonly translated as 'harp strings,' the name evokes the slender leaf lobes. Seattle Japanese Garden describes an upright, vase-shaped tree whose fine spring foliage becomes green, followed by golden autumn color. No verified parentage, controlled cross, or original collection accession was located.
Explore the sources behind this story
Seattle Japanese Garden — Maple Collection; naming and introduction by Koichiro Wada in Japan in 1938Érable du Val de Jargeau — introduction attributed to Koichiro Wada's nursery in Japan in 1938Maple Ridge Nursery — Wada naming attribution and harp-strings interpretationSeattle Japanese Garden — In Bloom: Koto no Ito; foliage, upright vase-shaped habit and autumn colorUSPTO Patent Public Search — official portal accessed; cultivar-specific search results could not be verified, so patent status remains nullUSPTO Trademark Search — official portal accessed; cultivar-associated registration could not be verified, so trademark name remains null
📊 Inventory and Pricing
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Pungo Maples Onsite Inventory
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