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I came across this plant yesterday (14th May) and was wondering what it might be? Would anybody know the scientific name and if it's indigenous to the UK (personally I doubt it is)? The plant grows in an Asian style garden near Cumnock, Scotland.

enter image description here

Close up of leaves:

enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ I keep seeing this in the Hot Network Questions, misreading it as "What is the name of this red planet?" and thinking, "It's Mars, duh." $\endgroup$
    – David Richerby
    Commented May 15, 2017 at 22:49
  • $\begingroup$ I'm pretty sure the sun is the only red planet /s $\endgroup$
    – nelomad
    Commented May 16, 2017 at 0:36
  • $\begingroup$ Yes this is Acer Palmatum . We have one in a container in our garden which is twenty years old and does look amazing when in full leaf. It is completely hardy though hard late spring frosts might affect leaves already out. $\endgroup$
    – Norma C Dawson
    Commented May 16, 2017 at 10:02
  • $\begingroup$ Red? Something wrong with your photo or your colour vision. $\endgroup$
    – David
    Commented May 16, 2017 at 20:45

3 Answers 3

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This is the "Acer palmatum" or Japanese maple, which shows a wide variety of different leaf forms (from here):

enter image description here

Specically you found "Acer palmatum dissectum 'Red Dragon'", for more information look here (picture also from this site):

enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ Wow. Thanks for the quick answer. I am well impressed. $\endgroup$
    – Johnny
    Commented May 15, 2017 at 14:37
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Looks like a cultivar of the Japanse maple (Acer palmatum). I assume that is why you have found it in an Asian stlye garden. There are various cultivars that differ by color and shape of the leaves, as you can see in this picture form Wikipedia:enter image description here

Image source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_palmatum#/media/File:Acer-palmatum-ssp.jpg

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It's an acer dissectum ( spelling may not be quite right!). It is Japanese and one of a number of similar plants from there. Becoming popular in UK. Needs slightly acid soil, PH of about 6. semi shade and shelter from winds

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    $\begingroup$ Welcome to Biology.SE. Why do you answer a question that has already been answered and provide the same answer (without references, and actually borderline wrong as this is not A. dissectum - which does not exist - but A. palmatum in the dissectum variant) as the accepted answer? Your answer as is might be down-voted or deleted. Please take a look at the tour and the guidelines for good answers. Thanks! $\endgroup$
    – AlexDeLarge
    Commented May 16, 2017 at 7:59

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