Growth Rate
Slow
Moderate
Fast
Fast
Fast growth reported by Maple Ridge Nursery.
PUNGO MAPLES
Virginia Beach Japanese Maple Nursery
Tobiosho
Acer Palmatum
● In Stock
☀️ Full Sun
⭐ Staff Favorite
Cultivar Description & Characteristics
The Tobiosho Japanese Maple is a vigorous, fast-growing upright cultivar known for its exceptional seasonal transformation. It emerges in spring with bright chartreuse to luminous yellow-green leaves and contrasting red petioles, maintains a fresh, medium green canopy through the heat of summer with good resilience, and culminates in one of the most spectacular multi-colored fall displays in the plant world progressing through brilliant shades of gold, vibrant orange, and fiery scarlet all at once. Reaching a mature height and width of 22 to 25 feet with a broad, rounded form, this reliable landscape favorite provides strong structural appeal, attractive rough gray bark with red branches for winter interest, and dependable performance across diverse garden settings.
10-Yr Height
12.0
10-Yr Width
10.0
Seasonal Foliage Spectrum
Spring: Lime / Chartreuse Green
Summer: Kelly Green
Fall: Scarlet Red
Sun Tolerance Ratings
Morning Sun
9 / 10
Afternoon Sun
6 / 10
☀️ Morning Sun Guidance:
Loves gentle morning light, bringing out bright chartreuse to luminous yellow-green leaves.
☀️ Afternoon Sun Guidance:
Maintains a fresh medium green canopy through summer with moderate resilience to afternoon heat.
Image highlights cultivar traits and is not exact photo of available stock. Image is property of Pungo Maples, unauthorized use prohibited.
Get to know your maple
Growth Habit & Size
Upright · Spreading
Upright framework develops a broad, spreading canopy that can become wider than tall.
What do these growth habit terms mean?
More than one term can apply. Branch direction, crown shape and size describe different characteristics, and the outline can change as a tree matures.
- Upright
- Main stems and branches emphasize upward growth. An upright tree can still develop a broad canopy.
- Spreading
- Branches extend outward to form a broad canopy. The tree does not have to be wider than it is tall.
- Weeping
- Branches or branchlets arch or hang downward. The tree can still have an upright trunk.
- Rounded
- The crown has a rounded outline. This describes the overall shape rather than the direction of each branch.
- Dwarf
- A cultivar with a smaller natural stature than typical forms of its species. Dwarf describes size, not branch direction or a fixed height limit; it does not automatically mean slow growth.
For example: Bloodgood can grow upright while developing a broad, rounded canopy with spreading branches.
Learn more: NC State plant forms · Bloodgood profile · RHS trees for smaller gardens
Roots & heritage
The story behind Tobiosho
- Cultivar origin
- Oregon, USA
- Discovered / selected by
- Milt Tobie
- Introduction year
- 1982
- Collection
- Iseli Nursery
Acer palmatum 'Tobiosho' originated at Iseli Nursery in Oregon, where production manager Milt Tobie noticed an exceptional Japanese maple during autumn 1982. According to Junker's Nursery, the tree stood out among other green-leaved Japanese maples because of its brilliant electric-scarlet autumn coloration. The cultivar was subsequently named in Tobie's honor. Unlike selections prized for unusual spring foliage or variegation, 'Tobiosho' retains the familiar green summer leaves and upright growth habit of a traditional Japanese maple. Its outstanding feature is its autumn transformation, progressing through golden yellow and orange before reaching vivid scarlet red. The documented 1982 date refers to its selection, not necessarily its first commercial introduction, for which a reliable date has not been established. No controlled hybridization or specific parentage has been documented. United States patent and registered-trademark status remain unverified.
Explore the sources behind this story
Junker's Nursery - Tobiosho selected in autumn 1982 and named for Milt TobieOregon Association of Nurseries - Tobiosho cultivar profile and Iseli Nursery originPlant Lust - Tobiosho description contributed by Greer GardensMaple Ridge Nursery - Tobiosho origin, naming and seasonal colorationRoyal Horticultural Society - Accepted botanical name Acer palmatum TobioshoUSPTO - Official Patent Public SearchUSPTO - Official Trademark Search
📊 Inventory and Pricing
● Live Data
Pungo Maples Onsite Inventory
| Size | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|
| — | — | AVAILABLE |
| 10 Gallon | $145.00 | AVAILABLE |
| — | — | AVAILABLE |
| 10 gal | $145.00 | SOLD |
| 10 Gallon | $145.00 | SOLD |
| 15 Gallon | $185.00 | SOLD |
| 15 Gallon | $175.00 | SOLD |
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