Tree species information :
Acer palmatum [ Japanese Maple ]
Acer
Latin name for Maple.palmatum
refers to the palmate veination and lobes of the foliage.
Size: 15-20 feet with an annual Growth Rate of less than 12 inches. Habit: Rounded or mounding habit. Single or multi-trunked. Leaves:
Opposite, simple, 2 - 5" long, deeply lobed usually 5 but sometimes 7 and 9 lobed. Lobes being lance-ovate to lance-oblong in shape, acuminate, subcordate doubly serrate. Color varies on cultivar. Culture: Well drained acid soil and partial sun or shade. Full shade in Zone 8. Utilization: An ornamental tree good around water features, as a foundation accent plant, or as a focal point in the landscape. Propagation: Seeds can be sown directly in the soil before it dries on the plant. Dried seeds need to be soaked in 110f water for 2 days then stratified at 40f for 3-5months. One can have good success with cuttings taken in July, dipped in root hormone and then placed in moist perlite and misted frequently. Disease and Insects: Scale and aphids can be a problem but usually not seriously. Sun scald is not a disease but can be a problem in sunny locations. Climate Range: Zone 5-7; 8 in shady sites.
Japanese Maple is one of the finest exquisite small trees for texture, form, foliage, and fall color. Leaves may be green or red, normal or cutleaf, where normal is about seven lobes with sinuses that are deeply cut almost to the top of the petiole, having palmate veination, and where cutleaf is repeatedly dissected, creating a lacy, ultra-fine textured appearance. Paired samaras have wings that are incurved, but often sparsely borne and not ornamental habit may be upright-spreading, vased, or weeping, depending upon cultivar, but usually with a slow growth rate.
Acer palmatum is the standard amongst small ornamental trees with respect to its many attributes and cultivars, being a true investment in the landscape, especially where space is limited or a focal point is needed.
Form
small ornamental tree
the species form may slowly mature at 20' tall by 20' wide, but the numerous cultivars are always much smaller
growth habit is variable from upright rounded, horizontal-vased, or weeping pendulous, depending upon cultivar, and often becoming densely twiggy with age
slow growth rate
Culture
full sun to full shade, but usually best in partial sun to partial shade
prefers rich, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils, but is moderately adaptable to more adverse conditions
propagated by cuttings grafted onto rootstock, rooted stem cuttings, or seeds
Maple Family, and prone to several diseases, including Verticillium Wilt (individul branches die, and eventually the whole plant may die), stem cankers (individual branches die), and pests (including cosmetic leaf damage from Japanese Beetles); also prone to seasonal leaf scorch that occurs with drought
abundantly available, in both container and ball and burlap forms, with many cultivars
the shallow and fibrous root system quickly regenerates and spreads upon transplanting, but is subject to drought stress, even in established trees
sometimes prone to Winter dieback at the stem tips or frost damage in early Spring
Foliage
opposite, with green, bronzed, red, or purple emergent leaves, depending upon cultivar
each of the 5 to 11 (often 7) lobes is narrow, serrated, and acuminate (but not incised), with the leaf displaying prominent palmate veination
sinuses between the lobes are narrow and often extend halfway or more to the top of the petiole
fall color may be pale chartreuse, vivid orange, brick red, or fluorescent flaming red, depending upon cultivar and sun exposure
Flowers
clusters of red to purplish inflorescences in late May and early June are often hidden by the foliage
Fruits
two samaras per stalk having incurved wings, in pendulous clusters from the stems, often becoming red by June and July, and maturing to reddish-brown in October, but often sparsely borne or absisced by this point
Twigs
green, brown, red, or purplish, depending upon cultivar, with the Winter buds almost valvate
Trunk
the specimen may be single-trunked and branching low, grafted onto a single-trunked standard, or multi-trunked
green bark when young for green-foliaged types, otherwise brown bark for red-foliaged types and eventually turning to brown-gray for all types
Function
focal point, specimen, foundation, entranceway, or raised planter small tree
Texture
fine texture in foliage and when bare
thick density in foliage and when bare (except in youth, when it is much more open, or very old age, when some forms may become open again)
Assets
many cultivars are available that differ in foliage-color, cutleaf character, and growth habit
layered branching and dense twigginess contribute to the ultra-fine texture with age
generally adaptable to shady conditions or sunny locations
usually has vibrant fall color
Liabilities
slow growth
expensive (resulting from slow growth rate at the nursery, and high demand)
occasional dieback or cosmetic damage may occur due to various pests (Japanese Beetle), diseases (Verticillium Wilt), stresses (drought), Winter freezes, or Spring frost damage
Habitat
zones 5 to 8
native to the Orient
Alternates
specimen small trees (Acer pensylvanicum, Cornus drummondii [treeform], Crataegus viridis 'Winter King', Picea orientalis 'Skylands', Picea pungens glauca 'Fat Albert', Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera', Viburnum lentago [treeform], etc.)
red-foliaged small trees or large shrubs (Malus 'Prairiefire', Malus 'Purple Prince', Prunus x cistena 'Big Cis', Prunus cerasifera 'Mount St. Helens', etc.)
small trees or large shrubs with good fall color, ornamental branching, and relatively fine texture (Euonymus alata 'Compacta', Parrotia persica [treeform], Viburnum prunifolium [treeform], etc.)
Variants
many Japanese Maple cultivars have either crimson-red-purple foliage in Spring (most turn to green-purple or bronze in Summer), or are deeply cutleaf (dissected types), or are dwarf forms, or have a combination of these traits; some are pendulous to cascading, and all are slow-growing and fine-textured; two representative cultivars that are common are noted below, although many more exist:
Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' - best for holding its red-purple foliage color all Spring and Summer when placed in full sun, lightening to a vibrant red-orange in Autumn, and maturing to 15' tall by 15' wide
Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Atropurpurem' - dissected foliage is dark red when new, fading to bronze by late Summer, having a mounding and twisting habit with bright orange fall color, maturing at 8' tall by 10' wide
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Japanese Maple
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/trees/japmaple.html
1. Q: I was given a japanese maple tree (sucker) the leaves were red but now are turning green. It is in sun most of the day why are the leave turning green.
A: Sometimes when a tree is young and fast growing it "loses its color". When the plant slows its growth it may color again for you. Also, shrubs (nandina) and trees (Japanese maple) which are known for color will not color well when planted in areas with too much shade.
2. Q: Early this spring, my husband planted a Japanese Maple in our front yard. The tree is about three and one-half feet tall, 3/4 diameter. All summer the tree has looked healthy, but within the past few days all the leaves died. There appears to be insect damage to the lower base of the trunk. The damage involves a circular trail zigzaging up and down and around effecting the bark. There appears to be no entry hole into the trunk; however, the tree appears to be severly damaged and perhaps dying. Have you any idea what the problem might be? Is there anything we can do to try to save the tree?
A: Before planting a Japanese Maple make sure you have a suitable location which is an area which gets morning sun and afternoon shade. A hot western exposure allows the excessive heat to destroy these tender maples. Then you have to modify or change the soil from the clay-type, alkaline soil to a high-organic, acid base media. This usually requires excavation of existing soil and replacing it with a mixture of two-thirds spaghum peat and one-third washed sand or potting mix. Then plants should be fertilized often with an acid-base water-soluble fertilizer such as Miracide. Even in the most desirable conditions, during periods of extreme heat the leaves are prone to hot-weather scorch. I imagine that the growing conditions were not suitable for the plant and after it began to decline, secondary (prior to death) invaders such as borers, which attack weakened trees, were present. These usually do not cause the death of trees. Properly prepare the planting environment and give this tree another chance -- the color and beauty they provide are worth the effort.
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