The Bloodgood maple is one of the most commonly planted purple Japanese maples anywhere. They are by far the hardiest, and most tolerant of full sun. Bloodgood maple grows as a small tree, often multi-stemmed with a rounded canopy rarely reaching 20'.
Leaves are purple or greenish in the shade, opposite, deciduous, palmately lobed but only shallowly, with fairly wide triangular lobes being lightly serrated.
Fruit in summer is a nice addition, bright red in large quantities. Samaras in pairs, wide spreading, maturing brown and falling individually.
Great fall color.
Misidentification:
There are several purple japanese maples but this one has pretty shallowly lobed leaves.
Location:
Aptos
317 Clubhouse Drive
Capitola
4585 Opal Cliff Dr (lots of great specimens) Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz
221 Ross St (excellent specimens)