- K aze ' ▁The ▁leaves ▁of ▁Ben i - K aze , ▁( J apan ese ▁for ▁Red ▁Wind ) ▁are ▁green ▁throughout ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁growing ▁season ▁but ▁as ▁cool ▁weather ▁approaches ▁red ▁p ig ments ▁flush ▁into ▁the ▁leaves ▁turning ▁them ▁bright ▁red ▁to ▁re dd ish - pur ple ▁in ▁aut umn . ▁ ▁It ▁aver ages ▁ ▁to ▁ ▁in ▁height . ▁H ak one ch lo a ▁mac ra ▁' N icol as ' ▁Develop ed ▁in ▁France ▁by ▁Oliv ier ▁B enn ato ▁Che z , ▁this ▁cultiv ar ▁is ▁basically ▁a ▁d war f ▁version ▁of ▁Ben i - K aze , ▁only ▁reaching ▁ 1 5   cm ▁( about ▁ 6 ") ▁or ▁ 2 3   cm ▁( 9 ") ▁in ▁blo om ▁( acc ording ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁pat ent . ▁ ▁This ▁information ▁is ▁not ▁c ited ▁by ▁most ▁sell ers ▁of ▁this ▁plant ▁who ▁state ▁greater ▁average ▁height s , ▁although ▁my ▁professional ▁growing ▁experience ▁ver ifies ▁the ▁pat ent ▁info ). ▁ ▁The ▁cool ▁season ▁color ▁var ies ▁from ▁orange ▁to ▁red ▁sh ades ▁and ▁is ▁most ▁pron ounced ▁in ▁aut umn . ▁ ▁Var ieg ated ▁fol i age ▁colors ▁Var ieg ated ▁fol i age ▁color ▁variations ▁include : ▁ ▁H ak one ch lo a ▁mac ra ▁' A ure ola ' ▁This ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁common ▁var ieg ated ▁cultiv ar . ▁ ▁The ▁fol i age ▁is ▁strip ed ▁bright ▁gold ▁and ▁apple