Beautiful five-to-nine- lobed leaves emerge early. The plant grows 18 feet in height with a similar spread. Use the Japanese maple as a specimen plant. May and June bring small reddish-purple flowers. The samaras, or winged fruits, mature in fall and turn a rich red. The foliage emerges as purple and turns red in the fall. This lovely small tree, native to the Far East, can be grown only in very protected areas if you live in Zone 5. It is an exceptional small ornamental maple.