Acer x North Wind ='Isinw' (Jack Frost Series)

Common name: North Wind Maple / Korean Maple 'North Wind'

Description: Acer x North Wind 'Isinw' is the flagship variety of the acclaimed Jack Frost Series — an exciting breeding programme developed by Iseli Nursery over more than two decades, crossing the celebrated beauty and elegance of Acer palmatum with the outstanding cold hardiness and tough constitution of the Korean Maple, Acer pseudosieboldianum. The result is a small to medium-sized ornamental tree of exceptional garden merit that offers all the refined, palmate foliage and spectacular seasonal colour display for which Japanese Maples are so universally admired, combined with a significantly greater degree of cold hardiness, wind tolerance, and general robustness that makes it a far more reliable and versatile choice for the full range of British garden conditions, including colder, more exposed situations where Japanese Maples can prove unreliable. The deeply cut, palmate leaves emerge in spring in a vivid and eye-catching red, creating an immediate and striking seasonal display before transitioning through the summer months to a fresh, mid-green that provides a pleasant and undemanding backdrop through the warmest part of the year. In autumn, 'North Wind' delivers its most spectacular performance as the foliage ignites in brilliant shades of orange and scarlet — a fiery and prolonged display of considerable intensity and beauty that ranks amongst the finest autumn colour available from any hardy tree. Adding further seasonal interest, showy pink winged fruits, or samaras, are produced against the green summer foliage, providing an attractive and unusual ornamental detail that distinguishes this variety still further. The upright, broadly spreading habit develops with grace and quiet elegance over the years into a well-proportioned and handsome specimen tree of real garden distinction.

Other benefits: significantly hardier and more robust than standard Japanese Maples whilst retaining their ornamental elegance; spectacular spring red and autumn orange-scarlet foliage colour; attractive pink winged fruits in summer; upright and broadly spreading habit of excellent form; suitable for a wider range of garden positions and conditions than Acer palmatum; low maintenance once established

Wildlife attraction: bees and other early-season pollinators; seeds attractive to birds and small mammals

Height & spread (approx.) at 10 years: 4m x 3m

Position: full sun to partial shade; autumn colour is most vivid and prolonged in a sunny, open position; significantly more tolerant of exposed positions and cold winds than Acer palmatum, though shelter from the most severe desiccating winds is still beneficial; avoid waterlogged positions

Soil pH: performs best in neutral to slightly acid soils; pH 5.5–6.5; prefers fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil; avoid thin, dry, chalky, or very alkaline conditions

Moisture: moderate and consistent watering required, particularly when establishing and during dry spells; prefers moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil; avoid waterlogging and prolonged summer drought

Winter hardiness: exceptionally cold hardy to approximately -30°C; considerably hardier than standard Japanese Maples and thoroughly reliable throughout the entirety of the UK including in the coldest and most exposed regions