The golden hour of the day works its most enchanting magic on something like this coral bark maple, with its chartreuse leaves and new red bark. This was one of the more expensive additions to the garden, but its unique coloration made it worth it every penny. Starting off like this, the leaves will slowly graduate to a deeper green, while the new stem growth is bright red (and reason to keep it judiciously pruned, so more appears each year). In the fall, the leaves turn an intense shade of yellow, before lightening to a pale, ghostly tone, fading almost to white as the frosts begin. In its protected corner, it gets the first and last sunlight of the day – the best illumination for showing off its colorful carriage through the seasons.
