I just realized there was a maple forum (who would have thought)...so I posted my question over there. If you have a suggestion though I would still love to hear it. - Lyn

I have a suggestion on Japanese Maple.
I've noticed that some nurseries can be deceptive on them, they are grown from seed or grafted, and for instance if a 'Bloodgood' is grown from seed it will be a lot green in the hot months, a grafted (more expensive) one will be the real deal, red all the time, except of course Winter.
I've found it helpful to just ask and of course look for the graft union if you can identify it. I've seen big $150 ones being hawked as 'Bloodgood', and when I asked they said "grown from seed".
I've been mulling over WallyWorld's 1 gallon 'Bloodgood's, they have what appears to be a graft union and they are moderately proud of them at $19.96 apiece.

Bloodgood is an upright tree. It sounds as though what you want is a weeping one, of which there are many, with variations in leaf shape and degree of variegation and color. Height and width are also variable, from a maximum of no more than 4', to a mature height of over 15', and from 3-5' in width to 25'.

As Shortleaf suggested, do look carefully at any tree offered to you. While seedlings can be very attractive trees, if it is a named form, it SHOULD be grafted. And if it is expensive, it should be both named and grafted, or very old/big and very attractive.

Any of the bigger/better nurseries in your area should stock and carry various named forms of JM - big and little, upright and weeping varieties. I can think of 8-10 off hand in this area who have good selections or who specialize - "this area" includes 3 decent cities within an hour's drive, in 4-5 different directions. Prices range from just under $1,000, for a very large, very attractive weeping, red, cut-leaf one (at a high-dollar nursery), to $20 for a one gallon 18" red-green variegated, cut-leaf seedling (from a back-yard grower). Most are in the $75-300 range.

Sources range from 3 people with "hobby" nurseries in their back yards, growing their own, to professional full-service nurseries, who buy from growers, and from very pricey to very reasonable. Look around, ask around, and you should find a good, reliable source. Wallie's World or the big box stores can give you a relatively inexpensive source for the common ones, but look at them carefully as the level of care may be pretty poor - try to get them fresh off the truck.

One way to get a few names in your area may be to ask at your county extension agent's office. The local Master Gardeners are the ones who usually "man" the desk/phone, and they frequently have a list of local nurseries and sources. They may not rank them (opinions are verboten), but they can probably give a list - I know the ones here have one, at least.

Tamukeyama is one of the toughest dissectums and should be available locally. Japanese maple that add a different texture and might be of interest are Acer Japonicum Green Cascade, Acer palmatum Koto-No-Ito and Shishigashira.

If you want some of the more rare maple that might be a better fit for your landscape design Della Conway of J&D's Nursery ships 3 gallon plants that are very nice. Her number is 434-349-5351. Greer Gardens and Whitman farms also have larger size plant available. It would be a long trip but in Cincinnati Lake View Garden Center has a large selection of japanese maples to.

Correction,
J & D's Backyard nursery's Number is 919-732-7363. She is tops for customer service. David

There are books that are picture-books for JMs. You might ask through your library and get lucky enough through inter-library loan to get a copy. (I've seen them but have no names or titles, so can't be specific. Try looking through Timber Press's list of books.) Otherwise, you could try googling for the desired height/width and maybe the color, and see what comes up, to get names. I don't now remember if the maple forum has a photo gallery or not. Looking through a catalogue for a specialty nursery, like Mountain Maples, might also give a whole lot of ideas and photos. Armed with names of cultivars you like, you might see if a local nursery can find a source or two.

I was busy on Friday, and hit two plant sales, one of a group of local growers (in Asheville), and one at a public garden in Hendersonville. The public one had only a few JMs (at least by the time I got there after noon), but there were 3 growers/sellers at the "local" one. There will be another public garden one tomorrow, in Spartanburg, in the opposite direction, which I think I will pass on, but I am sure that your area will have something similar - just keep your ears open, and read the ads in your local newspaper(s) carefully! Good luck!

I went to Wal*Mart today to look again at the Japanese Maples. They have 'Tamukeyama' 'Crimson queen' and 'Bloodgood' here in Independence, Missouri (Kansas City suburb). It looked like they were selling them for $19.96 for one gallon and $29.96 for 2 gallon plants.

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