Japanese Maples... So Many Choices
Acer palmatum "Aoyagi"		Acer dissectum "Crimson Queen"

    In the summer we are faced with the task of ordering all of our shrubbery for the next spring.  If you wait too long, you will have nothing to sell.  Until this year, I always had the nursery staff order many of the items including our selection of Japanese Red Maples.  This year I have played a more active role in the ordering.  When we got to a supplier with an extensive line of Japanese Red Maples I decided to do my homework.  They have 97 varieties from which to choose.  I began reading Japanese Maples by J. D. Vertrees.  This book is a must for the library of any "Japanese maple" fan.  Notice I omitted the word "red" from my list reference of this maple, as has Vertrees.  The colors, sizes, and shapes are endless.

    I have generally described the Japanese maples as having two categories.  The first group are the palmatums (Acer palmatum) and the second is the dissectums (Acer palmatum dissectum).  The palmatums are generally more upright, growing up to 30 feet tall, and possessing leaves with broad lobes which have smoother margins as compared to the dissectums.   The dissectums are generally mounding in habit growing up to 10 feet tall (at best), and possess leaves with deep lobes which are fine, delicate, and deeply serrated as compared to the palmatums.  These finer leaves can experience leaf scorch from the heat of the summer without even watering and some afternoon shade.  Such scorch greatly detracts from the beauty of the plant, but rarely causes long term harm.

    Vertrees' book carries this breakdown much further. He describes 7 classifications of the Japanese maples (page 51).  The first two classifications are palmatum and dissectum.  The next two classes are the deeply divided leaves and the linearilobed leaves.  The deeply divided group encompasses palmatum plants which are generally more upright, but possess a leaf much like the dissectums, though usually not as serrated.  The linearilobed group has are palmatum plants with deeply lobed, very narrow "finger like" lobes of the leaves.  The last three classes encompass many maples displaying a wide array of characteristics described as dwarf, variegated, and unusual.  Additionally, there are many other species of Japanese maple such as Acer japonicum and Acer shirasawwanum, to name two.

    Another great feature of Vertrees book is an appendix which features a well laid out chart addressing height and form.  "Form" beaks down the maples into 4 categories - upright, spreading, mounding, and upright shrub.  Some of these guys are really "maple bushes".  Where I grew up in West Virginia, one might refer to them as "booshes".  Vertrees further identifies those with exceptional sun tolerance or exceptional need of shade.  The dwarf trees are identified in the chart, as are those worthy of companion planting, container planting, or being trained into bonsai form.  The container designation does not necessarily mean the plant will grow in a clay pot on the front porch, however, one knows that it has a compact root system.

    Using this reference, you can buy an upright palmatum with a maximum maturity of 12 feet and bright geen leaves such as Acer palmatum 'Aoyagi' or maybe an Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood'  with deep red leaves and a maturity of 25 feet.  How about an Acer palmatum 'Kamagata' with red tipped leaves and a maturity of 5 or 6 feet.  I whole-heartedly recommend taking up Japanese maples as a hobby.  They are fascinating, beautiful, and varied.  Until next week.
 
 

                                                                                            Andy Lynn