Floris van Breugel / Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) leaves floating in a small pond in late autumn in Seattle's Washington Park Arboretum. Washington USA

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Palmate or Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Leaf in yellow from a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, Qingchuan County, Sichuan province, China

Tony Wu / Japanese maple (Acer sp) leaves, showing autumn foliage. Near Lake Kawaguchi-ko, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, November.

Ernie Janes / Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) Hoveton Hall Garden, Norfolk, England, UK, May.

Kirkendall-Spring / Hosta (Hosta sp) and Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) leaves with rain drops, Kabota Garden, Seattle, USA, May.

Rob Cousins / Group of Japanese maple trees (Acer palmatum dissectum) showing autumn colour, Old Arboretum, Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire, UK, October

Philippe Clement / Traditional tea house along pond and Smooth Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) showing leaves in colourful red and orange autumn colours at Japanese garden in Hasselt, Belgium October 2011

Philippe Clement / Japanese maple leaves (Acer palmatum) in autumn colours, native to Japan and Korea

Philippe Clement / Japanese maple leaf (Acer palmatum) in autumn colours, native to Japan and Korea

Philippe Clement / Japanese maple leaf (Acer palmatum) in autumn colours, native to Japan and Korea

Philippe Clement / Japanese maple leaf (Acer palmatum) in autumn colours, native to Japan and Korea