This Coral Bark Japanese Maple is the only non fruit baring tree in the yard. Why? Because it provides another element important for good garden design. Now that I think about it, it provides 2 elements. The first is winter color. When the leaves turn color (yellow) and ultimately fall, the coral bark is quite vivid in color and makes a bright yet subtle contrast against the burgundy colored fence. The leaves are also a good texture with their jagged edged palmate shape, but most importantly, their chartreuse color contrasts nicely with the the blue green foliage of the iris plants and fescue that are planted near the base of the tree.