Do not leave out in a pot when it gets below 15 degrees, put it in an unheated garage. The wind especially can accelerate the chilling of the roots, which will die if they are at 15 or below for any period of time. In your zone, that is very likely to happen.

You FOUND this!? Amazing! This is a Japanese Maple; probably 'Bloodgood' or 'Moonfire.' (Acer palmatum atropurpureum). It's a small tree that will tolerate as low as zone 5. But, when you decide to plant it, see if you can put it in a spot that doesn't get too hot or too cold. It like moist, acidic soils. I had one of these growing in a yard of mine in southwestern Missouri. I bought it from a garden center. The label said full sun. I put on the west side of the house. But, it got too hot for it. So, I would ask around your town what experience they have with Japanese Maples. If it wasn't already November, I'd say plant it. But, maybe you ought to let it go dormant. When the leaves are gone, put it in a cool, not cold, place like your garage. When the ground thaws, plant it. Don't let the soil get too wet until it begins to photosynthesise. The bud break on this plant is awesome, and takes a while. Do you know what a fern looks like when its leaves open? That is somewhat like the bud break here. Good luck. Oh, this is a guy and a gal. Hehe.

Looks like Acer p. Trompenburg to me.

This looks like Japanese 'Red' Maple Atropurpureum. If grown from a seedling and not a graft I'm am sure of it.

I have 100 or so seedlings that look exactally the same.

Grancru

Sorry Gerry,
Sink the pot in the ground and mulch it. It will do just fine outside. It is definatly Japanese 'Red' Maple Atropurpureum.

Grancru

"metromaples" is a professional. So, when he/she said it was a Trompenburg, I was curious. But, I don't think it is a Trompenburg. Click here to see a picture of a Trompenburg. The Trompenburg seems to look like some kind of cross between the var. atropurpureum and the var. dissectum. But there are so many cultivars. Can it be identified for sure? I don't know. Anyway, if you want to see a Trompenburg, click here.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dsfp%26p%3DAcer%2Bpalmatum%2BTrompenburg&h=365&w=548&imgcurl=www.worldplants.com%2Ftromp1.JPG&imgurl=www.worldplants.com%2Ftromp1.JPG&size=88.3kB&name=tromp1.JPG&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldplants.com%2Ftrompenburg.htm&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldplants.com%2Ftrompenburg.htm&p=Acer+palmatum+Trompenburg&type=jpeg&no=19&tt=26&ei=UTF-8

That's a big address. It's just a result of a yahoo search.

Agree with Grancu's over-wintering advice, but would add: Sink container in ground against a heated building out of sun and wind and mulch. Protect the plant with hardware cloth or chicken wire if you suspect there might be a rabbit in your state.

Al

Sorry I have not been back here in ages, the post from Al reminded me I even had this post out here still.

I ended up digging a trench to bury the pot in, along with some roses, filled it in and then let nature take it's course, so far they are well insulated with 8 inches or so of snow, if the level falls to much, and I am sure it will because we have unstable winter weather, I will perhaps put some straw over them when I can see them again.

Al's advice about the rabbit(s) is good, and I forgot about the fluffy little monsters. We have several that like to nest in the yard, so cute when you uncover their nests, and they do get bold when they are not afraid of people. Had a small oak coming up 3 years ago, got "trimmed" the first year, protected the second and nothing this year, but it has made a decent recovery and is about 24".

Thanks for all the advice and fingers crossed that it makes it thru winter and spring.

Gerry