Growth Habit & Size
Upright
Upright full-moon maple; do not infer weeping branches from the dancing-peacock name.
PUNGO MAPLES
Virginia Beach Japanese Maple Nursery
Mai Kujaku
Acer palmatum
● In Stock
Cultivar Description & Characteristics
Mai Kujaku, meaning Dancing Peacock, is an exquisite weeping laceleaf cultivar with finely dissected, cascading green foliage. The spring leaves emerge in a light, cheerful green that creates a soft, feathery waterfall effect over the branches. During summer, the dense canopy matures into a rich, deep green before turning brilliant shades of gold and amber in fall. Its graceful weeping habit adds unmatched elegance to shady garden corners.
10-Yr Height
8.0
10-Yr Width
6.0
Seasonal Foliage Spectrum
Spring: Light Green
Summer: Deep Green
Fall: Gold and Amber
Sun Tolerance Ratings
Morning Sun
8 / 10
Afternoon Sun
4 / 10
☀️ Morning Sun Guidance:
Light, cheerful green spring foliage creates a soft feathery waterfall effect.
☀️ Afternoon Sun Guidance:
Weeping laceleaf benefits from 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 Mai Kujaku
- Cultivar origin
- Japan
'Mai Kujaku' belongs under Acer japonicum, rather than Acer palmatum, and is widely treated as the Japanese name for 'Aconitifolium'. Van den Berk Nurseries identifies it as an old Japanese cultivar and explains that its Japanese name means dancing peacock. Malverleys records Japan as its origin and 1888 as its introduction year. Separately, Kew documents publication of the botanical name Acer japonicum var. aconitifolium by Meehan in 1888; publication of a name does not establish when the plant was originally selected. The reviewed sources do not identify its original selector, verified parentage, or original collection. Accordingly, the selection year remains undocumented. Its large, deeply divided leaves and vivid autumn colors explain its enduring popularity as the fernleaf fullmoon maple.
Explore the sources behind this story
Maillot-Érable — Mai kujaku classified under Acer japonicumVan den Berk Nurseries — old Japanese cultivar; Maiku Jaku synonym and dancing-peacock meaningMalverleys Garden — raised in Japan; introduction year 1888; Japanese name and foliageKew Plants of the World Online — Acer japonicum var. aconitifolium Meehan published in American Gardening 9:140 (1888)USPTO Patent Public Search — official portal accessed; cultivar-specific registry results not verified; patent status left nullUSPTO Trademark Search — official portal accessed; cultivar-associated registration not verified; trademark name left null
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