I'm down here in Alabama, so different climate, but just wanted to add that my 'Mt. Airy' finally put on a show this Fall after several years of ho-hum color. Fall color has been unusually good here, anyway, and the Mt. Airy did its thing too. It looked downright surreal, almost like a painting!! I had always been disappointed in these after being suckered in by the accolades from Dirr. For some reason, they don't color as well here in Alabama as they do over in Athen, Georgia where Michael Dirr is located.

>I have both in my collectionAlways keep in mind that when you acquire a plant under a name it may not represent the full extent of material that has been grown under that name. This becomes important when making comparisons or descriptive comments. The '-----' you got from ----- may not be the same as the original or even fit the contemporary concept of that variety. Old, Latin name cultivars from the 19th century are often not possible to link with certainty to plants being grown today under the name. Multiple different clones may be in circulation when a name has been used a long time. I read the account of 'Irish Gold' when the name was founded, don't remember how 'Zebrina Extra Gold' came into it. It is possible 'Irish Gold' was supposed to replace 'Zebrina Extra Gold' as a name for the same cultivar. Around 1994, when I went to England a nursery there sold me separate forms under the two names, which I grew for a short time and then discarded. As I remember it the 'Irish Gold' - of that supplier - had reddish or bronze tinting of the new growth that was not so apparent in the form provided as 'Zebrina Extra Gold'. One of similar appearance to 'Zebrina Extra Gold' may have been sold here as 'Canadian Gold'. Or that name may have been used for something else, perhaps a form of Thuja occidentalis. Or both usages of the name may have occurred. I think the last time I saw plants under the name they appeared to belong to the eastern species.

The Nootka might have been traded as 'Glauca'. It's said to be a type that pops up in seed beds, with the result that multiple different clones will probably have been circulated over time. Plants I've seen under the name here have had the same foliage structure while not being terribly more blue than the one shown. Based on how it appears here plant you are asking about could also just be an unselected seedling.

Here are a handful of cuttings earlier this year from my A. Blaze. The plants are still leafing out again and they are not getting enough sun to bring out the reddish color. (click on "next") They are suspose to be dwarfs - under 3 foot. We'll see........cheryl Here is a link that might be useful: A, Blaze