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What type of Japanese Maple in colder region?

14 years ago

I live in Southeast Idaho and am a zone 4. I love the Japanese Maples. Does anyone have these in a cooler region and are successful with them? What variety would you suggest. I have heard that a 'Korean Japanese Maple' is a zone 4. It is a green leaf. Anyone have that variety or another that would do well?

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Comments (7)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
14 years ago
Most cultivars of Acer palmatum - what most folks consider a Japanese maple - will be a bit iffy in zone 4. There are some posters here in colder zones that have had success with specific cultivars and I'm sure they'll chime in with their experience. But there are several other species of Asian maples that will offer a quite similar appeal but are more cold tolerant than A. palmatum. The Korean maple, Acer pseudosieboldianum, is just one, but Acer shirasawanum and A. japonicum are also considered more cold hardy than A. palmatum.

Here is a link that might be useful: Maples for cold climates
kaitain4
14 years ago
Gardengal is right. Of the palmatums, only Acer pseudosieboldianum is Zone 4 hardy.

Have you considered growing JMs in pots? You could plant dwarf varieties and then over-winter them in a garage or protected space. I know several collectors who do this with success in colder climates.

Regards,

K4
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I don't think you have to move right to questioning his competence. I would check first what assumptions each of you is operating under. If you have given him instructions to produce a certain kind of environment in the yard, shade may be an essential part of that and perhaps he can't produce any other source of shade in the short term and is concerned you'll not be happy with the outcome if there isn't enough shade. Or something. He may also be making some assumptions about how much you want to water your plants. I de-shaded the north side of my house with the removal of a tree and it does get sunny as the sun veers around in the afternoon. New trees are just growing in enough to make an impact 4 years later. If there is a chance you will be removing the big tree at some point within 5 years, the pot is a very good idea for another reason - you'll have to get the little maple out of the way of falling tree parts. They do grow well in pots, especially if the pots are big enough. KarinL
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With some notable exceptions, ID'ing a specific cultivar of Japanese maple is extremely difficult. Even JM experts will be reluctant to commit. There are some 900 registered cultivars and differences can be very subtle, especially with young trees. Is there a graft evident at the base? Ungrafted trees or seedlings are never named cultivars - only generic Acer palmatums.
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I don't know where you are in terms of proximity to towns/cities, but a good nursery that has a wide range of plants should also have larger JMs. Around here, I can think of 4-6 nurseries off hand, in 3 different cities, that would have 3-6' weeping JMs - at a suitable price of course! I think the biggest one I saw a few weeks ago, which was gorgeous, was just under $1,000. Mostly, the smaller ones run from $150 to $600, depending on size, form, the rarity, and the nursery! If there is a particular nursery you have a relationship with, ask if they can find one - just give them a budget and size first. There are also any number of back-yard growers, especially around Hendersonville and Asheville. I think I would call the local county extension agent - s/he oversees the local Master Gardeners group - around here anyway - and the one here keeps track of nurseries of interest. Wherever you find it, you will probably have to pick it up yourself, or PAY to have it delivered, depending on distance. Don't forget that JMs are very sensitive to wind, so wrap it well in a tarp so it doesn't get burned if it will be in the back of an open truck. And don't even bother to bring it home until you are ready to plant it, after you have moved in and any workmen have moved out - you KNOW it will be the one tree a contractor's truck will back into! Acer palmatum is the species - there may be a specific cultivar name for your variety, which is why I suggested posting on the Maple Forum.
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I think you mean Bloodgood, and I'm a bit late to this conversation, but they will look like the picture I am sharing: Or this... Or this... These are all from Acer Palmatum 'Bloodgood' and germinate successfully from samaras (seeds) that get cold stratified naturally (or in a fridge for 90ish days) and then grow into seedlings (shown in all of my pics). You can graft other cultivars (scions) onto these, which would make these seedlings your eventual rootstock (after seedling grows for about 2 years or 1/8 in). Or these seedlings could be used for bonsai, or just planted as is and they would just be considered Acer Palmatum Red Japanese Maple, not a Bloodgood unless it's grafted. Hope this helps (8 years later)!
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garcanad
14 years ago
I experimented with a few JMs at my zone 4 cottage; one Bloodgood, and a couple of green leaf root stocks. They were planted more than 6 years ago in exposed and very dry and very sandy locations amogn the weeds, and were neglected without any manual watering etc. They survive but they remain at less than 3 ft tall. I suspect if I give them a more protected location and water them a bit in dry season. They may do much better. Here is how the Bloodgood looks like now:
{{gwi:1045598}}
carrie4
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks! I know the bloodgood will not make it here, but I am going to track down and see what the Korean Maple looks like. I'm not crazy about just the 'green' color. Anybody have any ideas about a delicate or interesting color smaller tree?
picea
14 years ago
Fagus sylvatica( European Beech) is listed as zone 4. There are 2 or 3 purple cultivars that might interest you. Purpurea Nana, Ansorgi and purple pendula. Coenosium Gardens website has nice pictures of these cultivars. I have all 3 and the one most similar to an upright red japanese maple would be Purpurea Nana. It is slow growing with dark purple leaves.
basic
14 years ago
Carrie,

The most cold hardy A. palmatum is likely Robinson's Red, which can be purchased from Girard Nursery. I was hoping Mike/Greenthumb from Minneapolis might chime in, but not sure he visits here anymore. Anyhow, he's been growing this one for several years, and it has done quite well for him. He recently posted a pic on another forum and it looked to be 10'-12' tall, with no significant winter dieback. Last winter was brutal, but it made it through just fine with no protection. The other one that seems to put up a fight against our winters is A. palmatum 'Emperor I'. Buy one of each and let us know how they compete.

Bob

Here is a link that might be useful: A. palmatum 'Robinson Red'
kbecker95_wi_rr_com
12 years ago
the bloodgood maple dos not grow in east troy wisconsin zone 5a

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