Beautiful five-to-nine-lobed leaves emerge early. The plant grows 7 to 12 feet in height with a slightly narrower 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. Foliage is gray-green with white margins, sometimes with a hint of pink. White portions of the leaves turn scarlet or magenta 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.