Need Help Identifying Japanese Maple

8 years ago

This maple is in Plano, Texas. I've posted a picture of its leaf.

It sits under a live oak, but gets a pretty good amount of sun. It came out almost pink in the spring. Stayed pinkish red through the wettest month in DFW history, and stayed this red through the 100+ degree, no rain days in July and August.

What kind of maple is it? Owner didn't know. She just said she bought it at Calloways.

Thanks.

Pic from today:

Pics from mid-July:

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Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years ago
From the appearance and your description, it looks a bit like 'Shindeshojo', however I would be very hesitant to assign it a specific cultivar name. With the huge number of registered cultivars on the market and the very close similarities many of them share it is virtually impossible to ID a Japanese maple with any degree of certainty. As one very reputable JM source states: "There are things that are absolute in life such as death and taxes.
Unfortunately being able to visually identify a specific Japanese maple
cultivar with 100% certainty isn’t one of them. There are several
reasons for this. First, your tree may be seed-grown guaranteeing that
it is not a named cultivar. Many older trees that may have been grafted
lose there graft “markings so it is impossible to tell whether they are
seed grown or not. Second, many Japanese maples are similar to each
other in color, leaf type and many other visible ways. The actual
differences in many cultivars can be very subtle. Even with the ones
that are VERY distinctive you cannot guarantee an ID although you could
give a “likely” ID. There are also many differences brought about by
environmental conditions that could also make the actual subtle
differences in appearance even more obscure. Finally, the number of
different cultivars that have been produced over the years is
astonishing and may possibly number a thousand. A person would be hard
pressed to know all of them in any intimate way. In my opinion it be
unethical for even the most expert old-time Japanese maple grower or
even J.D. Vertrees himself to give a 100% guaranteed ID on any Japanese
maple.
privatejapanesemaplesanctuary
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Sweet Little JM.The Text above posted by Gardengal really explains things clearly.A Lot of Garden Centres now on the Japanese Maple Tree Cards have the word "Mixed" assuming both the Variety and sometimes the Origins of the Tree are unidentifiable.Just feel like sitting on that Bench with a Good Gardening Book & a Latte...

Enjoy your Lovely Japanese Maple

Stephen,Cheshire.UK
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Looks like it is "Waterfall" Viridis. The full name is Acer palmatum Waterfall Viridis. "Dissectum" in the name (if it is there) means the lacy, finely dissected leaves. Congratulations, you discovered the magic of Japanese Maples! Very easy to get hooked on, collect them. Visit the Maple Forum , you can find beautiful pictures in the Gallery section.
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It's definitely not Beni Otake - that is a linearlobum type with very narrow, bamboo-like leaves. In fact, the name translates to "red bamboo" :-) Did you plant the tree or did it spring up on its own? That would make a difference but generally, with very few exceptions, cultivars of Japanese maples are extremely difficult to ID. The differences between individual cultivars can be very slight and even JM authorities are hesitant to assign specific ID's. I can tell you that based on the current growth habit and the spacing of the branches with respect to trunk diameter, this will grow into a good sized tree, probably 15-20 feet, perhaps more. Looks a bit like a Bloodgood clone/seedling.
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With nearly 1000 registered cultivars, many with almost imperceptible differences, it is virtually impossible to accurately ID a Japanese maple other than those that are extremely unique. Even JM experts are not inclined to assign specific cultivar ID's. And a great many grown and/or sold are seed grown so no identification beyond just the species exists. It would certainly help to see a photo of the tree in its entirety but I'd suspect this may be a laceleaf full moon maple, Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' - the leaf is not very characteristic of any Acer palmatum. Did the tree not come properly tagged and identified?
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I don't think it has Verticillium Wilt. I believe it just partially dried out sitting above ground in the nursery yard. The only thing that kept it alive it was that it received an occasional sprinkling of water and it managed to send a few roots down into the gravel and soil. The top drew water faster than the small rootball could supply it even though for the most part the rootball was moist. Look at the large green weeds growing out of the burlap. They have been there for quite some time. The tree is salvageable, but it will be a long time before it will look presentable.......if ever. Being alive and looking good can be two different things. Japanese maples are tougher than most people realize.
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Maplesthebest
8 years ago
It looks like suminagashi to me. There's some vids on youtube of that. One with quite a close look at the leaf.
Mike McGarvey
8 years ago
I have a couple grown from seeds that look like it. ;-)

Without a nursery tag, nobody knows for sure....and sometimes that's suspect.

Mike

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Need Help Identifying Japanese Maple

Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

privatejapanesemaplesanctuary

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