Acer palmatum
"Acer palmatum" is a deciduous shrub or small tree reaching heights of , rarely , reaching a mature width of , often growing as an understory plant in shady woodlands. It may have multiple trunks joining close to the ground. In habit, its canopy often takes on a dome-like form, especially when mature. The leaves are long and wide, palmately lobed with five, seven, or nine acutely pointed lobes. The flowers are produced in small cymes, the individual flowers with five red or purple sepals and five whitish petals. The fruit is a pair of winged samaras, each samara long with a seed. The seeds of "Acer palmatum" and similar species require stratification in order to germinate.