Completely normal! ;)
Most varieties have distinctly brighter, lighter, or more variegated new/Spring foliage.
There are maples that will stay red during the Summer. Now is a good time to go nursery
browsing for species that you like. I don't advise buying maples in Summer (unless you know
that they've been properly tended). Search now, and then pick up the proper variety in Spring.

Josh

Another possibility is reversion (scion dead and rootstock sprouting). It's hard to know for sure without a picture or more info.

the simple answer.. in which i specialize.. lol .. is that green tissue is needed for photosynthesis .... and nearly all red trees ... turn green at some time during the year... as a way of producing the food that is needed to survive ... from that point.. it all becomes very complicated.. lol ...

ken

It really depends on the cultivar as was mentioned above...it seems that there are nearly a 1000 japanese red maple cultivars. Is there a database of all the japanese maple cultivars that would be interesting to see.

In the link below is the history of Japanese Red Maples which I think is interesting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Japanese Red Maple History

Here's some more info I dug up on the web:

Japanese red Maple leaves turn from red to green when the intensity of light is decreased.
Most if not all varieties of red leaf plants lose the red color if the leaves are in a shaded area. Our trees are grown close together to conserve water and help keep plants standing.This causes the new upper most leaves to become very red and the leaves that are shaded by other leaves to become green. Once these trees are given more space the red color comes back." (1)

Sorry Ken, but non-green foliage can photosynthesize as well as all-green foliage. The chloroplasts necessary for photosynthesis are still present - it is just that the chlorophyll of the green foliage is outweighed by the anthocyans that produce the red coloring. And there are many red leafed trees that never "green out" in summer. But as others have mentioned, it all depends on the specific cultivar of JM and how it is sited -- some will green up if in too much sun and others will green up if in not enough sun. In either case, it is not particularly unusual and does not indicate any ailment on the part of the tree nor necessarily a reversion in coloring. But as Brandon has pointed out, it also depends on where the foliage is emerging - above or below the graft union. Below the graft union, you may have issues.......

My red maple had been gorgeous for several years - fire red! This year it came out 'green' in is getting more luscious green color the more into fall we go.....why? Nothing has changed, no trees around it. We did however have a cooler and wetter winter in S.C. than years before....would that make a difference?

What kind of maple is it?

Maples are not known for changing colors. Variegated maples often throw solid color reversions and red leaved maples will sometimes "green up" or become more of a bronze color if light conditions are not ideal. But to change completely from red to green is rather unusual, IME.

Weather should not have any bearing other than affecting normal fall leaf color. Is it grafted? Understock can often be quite vigorous and overtake the scion, appearing as though the tree has changed color.......

Photos?

Japanese maples with red leaves usually turn green in shade. Is this your first year in this house. See if it happens next year.

Sorry, nothing you can do to change that. Except wait until fall when it usually turns a great red.

Japanese maples with red leaves usually turn green in shade

This is not completely accurate :-) It depends on the specific cultivar of red leafed JM. Some lose their red color in full or intense sun, others in excessive shade and some retain their redness regardless of the light conditions. And it's a matter of degree - even in improper light conditions, a red leafed maple will not become completely green. It will usually have a bronze cast, with an underlying red tone.

Watering and soil condition can also have an impact on foliage color, but if the tree has changed completely from red to green, I'd be more inclined to think the rootstock - almost always a green species tree - has overtaken the graft.

i have a red japanese maple that my grandkids killed. i cut it back with about 8 inches of a trunk left. just noticed that it has growth on it but its green and the leaves are shaped different. why?

You most likely cut it off below the graft union, in which case what is growing now is the understock, usually just the straight green species Acer palmatum.

I got a great looking red maple last year and this year it turned green, would love to find out why...Is it something I am doing wrong? Position, food?

Alexei, do you know what cultivar of Japanese maple you have? Typically, Japanese maples go through three different colorations - early spring as they are just budding out, midseason (summer) or mature foliage color and fall color. Many JM's that bud out bright red will fade to a much duller color in summer and some will intensify or deepen their coloring. The amount of sunlight or shade the tree receives can be a factor as well - some red leafed forms will bronze or 'green out' in intense sun while others will do the same in much shade. And others are not affected at all. Whatever the color change, it's only seasonal and not permanent and can't be altered by soil condition or fertilizer.

The only way to know for sure if the position of yours is best for maintaining color throughout the season is to identify which cultivar you are growing. Can you report back?

where are you al??? ....

this would have made a brilliant NEW post ...

it is not uncommon.. in fall ... for variegated or non-green plants.. to green up ...

i like to think its a last push ... to store energy for next year ...

since its new to you ... perhaps this is just normal .. but you dont have the years of experience to know that ... so all you can do ... is observe next year ...

ken

We have what was reportedly purchased as a rare cutleaf maple which we planted 40 years ago. It has always been red from Spring through Summer, with intensification of the red color in the Fall. This year, it was initially red, but in the past several weeks, it has become increasingly green. It is the centerpiece of our garden and the loss of the red color is very disappointing. Please advise.

harriette, we need the same type of information: where are you, what type of maple, what kind of light conditions is it growing in? Has your weather this summer been different from usual? Photos are very helpful as well :-)

ive had the small weeping kind that were red and then shot off a few branches that were totally green.... I just snipped them off and it was done. at my new house we have a huge JM that is a beautiful red in spring but during the summer it starts looking more green and then looks like a green tree with red parts. I think its normal unless it goes totally green and stays that way. Even the 100s of seedlings that sprout up each spring start off bright red and then start turning green... and those seedlings come up everywhere...lol every garden bed all over the laws and under the tree its like a miniature JM forest... lol I try and save some, the rest get cut with the grass.

Hi everyone, thank you so much for you advice, I am based in the UK ,West Midlands,Birmingham, just found it strange and reall shame that last year it was so red from the beginning( from the day I bought it) to the end of fall...I have replanted it last year into a bigger pot and put a lot of rich soil, placed it in the place in my garden that gets lots of sun 2-3 times throughout the day! But now thinking of putting it into the shade for next year! It started green with the redish ends in the spring tham green!!>>>>>>>Was so counting on it to be red! We need a lot of colour in England as the weather can be so dull! LOL

My beautifull Maple tree now is red but since i bought it in the summer it becames green . What can i do to maintain the initial red colour leaves?

Did you read the prior responses in this thread? Depending on the specific cultivar and the siting (how much sun/shade), red leafed Japanese maples can turn green or "bronze" out in summer or it may just be that cultivar's particular seasonal coloration. If it is a true red leafed form - that is, should stay red all through the growing season - then, again depending on cultivar, siting in more or less shade can help. Can't say much more unless you can tell us what the cultivar name is :-)

That is a striking tree in red. On the flip side, I find when something changes color I notice it more than when it stays the same year round.

I have the same problem. We're having a hot summer in NJ. I also have a dead section.

It is normal for them to turn somewhat green (like most red leaf things including redbud and nw maple) The rootstock could have taken over, but that is less likely.

I too have a JM that was red in the spring now is green in the summer,my question is

has any one had a JM that is now red in the summer after it has been in the garden

a year or two,just wonder if the JM turned green because of shock.My JM is in the sun and should be red all summer long.Thanks

As has been stated several times previously in this thread, a great many red leaved Japanese maples can change color in midseason to more green or bronzey-green color due to light conditions. Some will green out in too much sun; others will green out in too much shade. It all depend on the specific variety and since no one has provided that vital piece of information, it is impossible to say if this is normal or not!! But since this is a very common phenomenon, we should go with the assumption that it is pretty normal :-) Some varieties are well known for this greening.......Bloodgood for one. And, some varieties are also well known for retaining their red color all season - 'Fire Glow', 'Tamukeyama' and 'Inaba Shidare' for example.

yes I should have said there names I have a Rhode island red,Garnet,Skeeters Broom,Fire glow,Twombly's red Sentinel all are green dark green but green.Thanks

Witches.

sm120mph66, what sort of light conditions are these in?

Hi I planted the attached 2 months ago and it's going green. It's in a
sunny area 75% of day and get about 2 gallons of water daily. Planted in
May 2017.
Thanks

Please reread ALL the previous responses to this thread. Depending on selection and siting, red leafed Japanese maples may or may not retain their red coloring through summer. Some are known for better color retention but many others will bronze or green up if in much sun. Others will do similar in shade :-))

Without any cultivar identification on yours, I would assume it is just a seedling variety and so no expectation of how it will look at any given point in the season.

Mine was red last year too. It is a crimson queen ..

I have a Bloodgood maple and yes, when it's really hot, some of the leaves turn green. But they turn back red later in the evening when it cools. Must be a way to protect itself from burning.

I have a Japanese red that has suddenly turned green. We rescued the tree from a big patch of large rhododendrons (it’s believed to be a “child” of a 27 year old tree next door and is about 8-9 ft tall, no idea of age.) I planted it in the corner of my specimen bamboo garden, isolated by a bottomless old trash can to keep out the bamboo. It is watered using a soaker hose buried under 3” of shredded/ground pine which also waters the bamboo. It was doing great until I fertilized using some Peters soluble mix using an injection system and the soaker hose. Is the fertilizer changing the color? Anything I can do or should I just leave it alone? We are in Hendersonville, NC.

Tom B

Nothing wrong with your maple and fertilizer will not affect the color. Red leaved JM's often react to their individual siting by changing color during the growing season. Depending on the specific tree, too much sun or conversely, too much shade can cause bronzing or loss of the red coloration. And seed grown JM's are extremely variable in their coloring to begin with.

Not sure if this thread is dead, but I bought an Oregon sunset maple online and it arrived a few days ago with green leaves. I think they mislabeled the tree but they insist it’s the right one. Do Oregon sunsets green in late summer? Could it have been too much sun or too much shade?

I have a Pixie that is doing this. It's was purchased last year and was a root ball...it's about 4-5 ft tall. I live in Chicago. It gets shade most of the day but a couple hours of direct sun.

Any advice?

Adrian

Do new posters on outdated threads never bother to read any previous comments? Why red leaved JM's can "green out" in summer was explained multiple times previously. Depending on the cultivar, it could be too much sun.......or too much shade.

My jm is a lacy leaf beautiful red has been 5 or 6 yrs. Now new growth is green. Bottom is red but new is green. Can i prune out the green over time?

Start a new post with pix.

tj

"Do new posters on outdated threads never bother to read any previous comments?"

No.

They want an easy answer like "click your heels together three times and say Fireglow Fireglow Fireglow" and the red will come back.

Actually learning what is going on is too much trouble. But kudos to you for trying so many times.

I’ve read all the comment from the beginning in 2010. Found some Tamukeyama Japanese maple at Costco that are being stored inside in a corner. 10 gallon pots. The leaves are partially green and it is looking like it’s not getting enough water or sun. Not looking great. My question is if will it come back to red if I plant it in the right conditions. ( next to another Tamukeyama that is doing great)? Thanks!

They go from ted to hreen and back to red over the year, new growth is usually green. but for the most part the tree will remain red. i thinks its a climate thing.

This is my red maple today, 5/16/24

This is my japaneese red maple today as well, 5/16/24 here in CT.