New foliage on the Coral Bark Japanese Maple emerges light green with a hint of red, maturing to a vibrant green through the summer before transitioning to yellow-gold in the fall. Young branches display brilliant coral-colored bark that becomes even more vivid in winter. The plant has an upright, vase-shaped growth habit. Thrives in a moist, organically rich, well-drained soil. Grows best in dappled shade to maintain its colour. To promote new stem growth with better colour, prune out some of the older branches. Mulch well, but avoid heaping mulch against the stem.