A small, deciduous, broad tree to 10 m or so tall. Bark grey-brown. Branches (and sometimes leaves) with small white dots. Leaves 8-12 cm wide with 9-11 longpointed, saw-toothed (sometimes doubly so) lobes; veins tufted in the axils below, base cordate, margins sometimes reddish. Stalk to 5 cm long. Flowers appear with the leaves. Fruit 2-3 cm long, widely spread at an angle of 90-180°.
Japan.
May be confused with cultivars of A. japonicum and A. palmatum but can be distinguished by the white-dotted branches and leaves, and the characteristic red-tinged leaf margins.
Source: (2002). Aceraceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
Compact shrub. Leaves hairless, cut halfway to base, golden and darkening with age, margins generally tinged with red. Flowers red. Formerly and incorrectly considered to be a cultivar of a. japonicum. [a. japonicum 'Aureum']
Acer shirasawanum 'Microphyllum'
Small tree to 5 m tall. Leaves 9-11-lobed, green, becoming yellow in autumn. Originated Coimbra Bot. Garden, Portugal.
Acer shirasawanum 'Palmatifolium'
Small, broad tree. Leaves 11-lobed and cut almost to the base, with the margins slightly curled under.Autumn colours from red to orange and yellow. Origin uncertain.