I started them inside, deeje and planted them out in early June. They grow quickly - by end June 3', mid-July 5', mid-August 8' and the pic above was taken September 18. Surprisingly they took quite a few cold nights and some light frosts - but the area they were planted is quite sheltered. I landed up cutting them down before they froze. Plants are wider than 2' - some of the leaves themselves are close to 2' across. But if you plant them 2' or so apart, they'll make a nice screen - temporary trees, actually and the big leaves will intertwine with each other.

Haven't been on here for ages! Nice to read you all again. I have both a columnar crab and a Japanese Tree Lilac. I'm thinking of moving my JTL this year because I think it's too close to my evergreens. It hasn't been performing well at all. And the crab was actually a mistake - as I'd wanted a regular one. I didn't notice it's growth pattern until it was too late. Both are spectacular though, for small areas. It's just I've got big areas to fill.

I'm not a fig expert but I do grow a few figs in my "oasis". I have a couple of Brown Turkey figs and one Petite Negronne (my negrone is containerized, others in the ground). I think you should be okay. I believe figs can do well espaliered and are amenable to rather severe annual pruning. You might want to consider a more dwarf variety. Negronne is supposed to be a real dwarf. It certainly is hardy. I left mine in an unprotected container and it is pushing out a lot of new growth (Turkeys also overwintered very well this year w.o. any die back.) Good luck!

They could eventually reach 25', but they are kinda slow growing anyway, and it would have to be optimum conditions. The JP you will be getting is Acer palmatum v. atropurpureum. It is the older species, and since that time, many new JP hybrids and cultivars with greater tolerance to heat and sun have been introduced to the market. These trees grow much better in Northern zones, but I have seen a couple in the old Mesta Park addition where lots are heavily shaded that grow quite nicely, from an automobile-driving-by viewpoint. I would have to check them out closely to see if they really are doing that well in our heat. That said, they are beautiful, ornamental trees that come in dwarf varieties, every shade and color under the rainbow, and threadleaf types (A. palmatum var. dissectum), larger trees (none of them are huge) with spreading canopies, and tolerance to a wide range of growing conditions. I have always loved the Half Moon Maple, but it is a cool, Northern variety that is only hardy as far south as Zone 7. That warns me that it might not do as well here, especially in the summer, and since they are quite an investment in terms of $, I haven't purchased one. I have often seen other JPs at the big box stores, but they are usually the more commonly grown ones, and the earlier varieties don't usually tolerate our environment, so I stay away from them. In the case of JPs, I would always do my research on the Internet before purchasing one. Mine is gorgeous in the spring, but by mid-June it is getting pretty ragged - the leaf edges curl and brown - and by the end of summer it is all but burned up. I really hate that, too, because I would love to see the fall color, but there's just not enough healthy leaves left to put on a show. Susan