Hi Cadence, You have many options. You may want to think about what style of 'red maple' you like, meaning the weeping cultivars or the upright growers.If its weeping style you want, i dont think there is one that wouldnt work. Just keep a ballance between pot and tree size. Dont stick a tiny tree in a huge pot.Heres a green variety i grow in wood planter i built called ap 'green mist'.The photo is 4/5yrs ago.

Hi alley_cat, Thanks so very much for taking the time to post your photo. Wow! I love your Maples they look soooo pretty. I really like your planter that you built. It's perfect for your tree. Yes, The tree you have in your planter is what I am looking for. Is this tree an upright? or will it willow out later. I'm not sure which one I should go for. I wouldn't want the upright to grow through the canopy on the deck. lol.

I like the height of yours. I don't think I should have a tree that will grow too tall. Thank you alleycat.

Cadence, Spring is coming soon! A trip to a good nursery will let you see many choices and help make your comparisons. Thats half the fun! and there is no wrong !.AL

Oh yes...SPRING! I can hardly wait.
Thanks again for all your help and yes, I'll go and take a look for a tree at the nursery soon.

you don't have to specifically get dwarf varieties. many of the bonsai maples can grow large if allowed to grow in a natural setting.

like alley cat said, don't use a large pot for a small tree. if you want a large decorative pot, plant the tree in a smaller pot and place that into the large pot.

also, don't use potting soil that has fertilizer in it. it'll only cause your trees to grow quickly.

every 2-3 winters repot your trees. a little root pruning will help keep its size.

Agree with previous post - I have about ten varieties of ornamental maples (palmatums,bloodgoods, and others) in ceramic pots from one to four gallons to a 15 year old 7 ft Acer Japonica (moon leaf) in a 24" crock. Most of my other maples are 2-4 ft and tend to stay that way if you repot every few years and prune the roots (as noted above). They don't seem to mind being pot bound. They reside on a rooftop garden in Brooklyn NY. If you put non dwarf varieties in larger containers they will grow accordingly.

Interestingly, they have been remarkably hardy given the 100� temperature swing in the NE. When under 15� i take the smallest indoors till the weather passes. Most do not receive full afternoon sun in summer.

Well for something that is beyond the normal red JM's you should also check out acer ukigumo..do a google pic search on it and you will probably be amazed as I was ha..ukigumo means floating clouds in Japanese..it is a nice lil tree that will in like 15 yrs get tallish but you can top it so it spreads and you will be amazed by the colors! It will go from green, to green with pink, to green, pink and white blotches to mostly white on the leaves! It will have a different look to it ever year! It stays green with a few hints of pink until it is 5 yrs old or somewhere around there..IMHO one of the best JM's around especially for a small pot like what I have mine in..i had to hunt it down to get the tree because it is not one that is normally offered but i found one from Oregon Nurseries I believe for a decent price for a 15" tree..just a thought..