Acer palmatum
It is grown as an ornamental tree in gardens for its foliage and autumn colour, but is seen far less commonly than "Acer palmatum" (Japanese maple). A number of cultivars have been selected; the lighter-coloured "A. shirasawanum" cultivar 'Aureum' is very widely grown, much more common in cultivation than the main species, and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.