Japanese Maples - first pics of 2012

[Schattenfreude]

I finally located my camera and got some good pics today. The trees are about 2 weeks early when compared to last spring, which makes total sense given the extremely mild winter and super warm March temperatures we've enjoyed thus far. Anyone else seeing their trees leaf out yet?

Chioshio Improved showing off in its second year here

Okushimo

Katsura

Katsura again

Kamagata - one of only 2 branches to leaf out thus far

More to follow. Only 5 pics can be attached at a time.

Kevin in KC

[Schattenfreude]

More pics from March 18, 2012

My eldest JP, Oshio Beni, is about 14 years old and ca. 15 feet tall (4-5 meters)

Viridis

Hupp's Red Willow, my smallest/youngest tree, only stands 18 inches tall. Hoping she'll put on some major growth this year!

Koto No Ito is just about ready to pop... I can't wait!

Woods #2

[Tigger]

Thanks for the pictures. Some of ours are just starting, and we have some newer ones I'm waiting to see in their spring colors!

[Chris_W]

Beautiful. You have a great collection! Wish we could grow them better here, but this spot gets so much winter wind it would devastate most of them (unless every winter was like this one). The forsythia are flowering now, and the magnolia are budding strong. Our quince have leaves and buds and so do the lilacs, but nothing else leafing quite yet.

[thy]

Are they lovely

Nothing here yet, but I can wait.....

Even if it is hard after your pics

[George Nesfield]

Hi,
Those photo's are brilliant and well worth waiting for.
The buds on my Japanese maples are just starting to swell, I should imagine four to five weeks before they pop.
George

[Schattenfreude]

Hey folks,

I'm glad to read that you enjoy the pics. Here's one of my small Sango Kaku trees that I rescued from Home Depot 2 years ago.

Sango Kaku (Coral Bark Maple)

[Schattenfreude]

Well, after 5 days of rain, the sun finally came out! Talk about a gorgeous day! Snapped a few more pics, but the breeze didn't make it easy.... came up with way too many blurry pics. But here are a few good ones that did come out:

Koto No Ito finally breaks bud

Shidava Gold showing off her flourescent leaves

Trompenburg is another of my eldest trees, probably 10-12 years old

Oshio Beni

God, how I LOVE springtime!!
Kevin in KC

[eastwood2007]

Lovely pics! I really want to do japanese maples. I looked around a little last year, but the ones I found at the nurseries were really pricey. If I felt confident that I knew how to care for them I wouldn't mind, but I would hate to kill one I spent the big money for.

I wish I had gone to my Home Depot, Kevin, as you are close enough to me they may have had the same sale going on down here south. I got my Harry Lauder's Walking Stick like that 2 years ago. I was just busy last fall, and also I'm so concerned about bringing nematodes into my gardens these days.

I hope you'll continue to show us pics as they leaf out.

[thy]

Those pics are great and the japanes marples beautiful Thank's for sharing.
I had to run out and look at the buds, so small, so thank you George for telling me I have to wait a month

I have a Trompenburg too, just a small 3 foot tree, but as far as I know it is fast growing for a jap. marple.
I have one more red one, sorry no tag and then I got a present last year, coral ark with varigated leafs, the leafs are a bit rough but the bark and the varigation made it intersting for me. Nametag:.... Different sorts of marples

[Schattenfreude]

Charla,

If you're afraid of growing a japanese maple in the ground, I highly recommend growing them in containers. Just be sure that the soil mix is well-draining and then bury the pot in the ground to overwinter it. I enjoy moving them around the garden to bring height to certain areas and in case of extreme heat or cold, they can be moved into a protected area.

Pia--- Trompenburg is a fast growing tree when younger. I feel it's a great tree that is ignored in favor of Bloodgood or Emperor nowadays.

Yet another day in the low 80's yesterday and today, so everything is really going crazy after all the rain we had last week. Yesterday I took these pics:

Jasemin (Yasemin)

Acer japonicum Green Cascade

Woods #2

Suminigashi - an upright growing red, similar to Bloodgood

Kamagata (Eagle's Claw maple)

[Schattenfreude]

Here's a couple more pics of Koto No Ito, a thread-leaf palmatum. These leaves look even more delicate than those of a dissectum:

Koto No Ito

Koto No Ito

Here's another of Chioshio Improved with it's bright red leaves:

Chioshio Improved - love the intense red of these spring leaves!

Happy spring everyone!
Kevin in KC

[thy]

Once again a bunch of great pics

I am in love with your pic of Kamagata, just stunning.

Tread JP are told to be very tender.. true or false

[George Nesfield]

Hi Thy,
I have three kamagata's dotted around in pots and they are okay, I certainly wouldn't say that they where tender as they don't get any special treatment they are just left in the garden all winter, and winter before last was the worst winter we had had for years.
George.

[Schattenfreude]

George,

I think Pia meant the "thread leaf" maples, such as Koto No Ito. I know they look delicate, but I certainly hope that they're not, for a grower in Illinois (Davidsan) writes:

One of the best linearilobum you will find anywhere. Has great shape, is hardy, and is all around great. Has more of a flowing form than many other stiffer Linearilobums . Its long leaves literally hang down giving it more of a dissectum look that is very unique. In addition, the leaves on old and new branches are different sizes. This one is a really good all around JM.

I take that to mean that they are quite hardy. This is my first year with the tree, so I can't say for sure.... especially after the extremely mild winter that we just had. Mine is planted in an area at the base of a huge oak tree and will get some morning sun as well as some late afternoon/evening sun. So I think it should like its new home rather well.

Pia, are you more concerned with sun damage to the leaves in summer or winter-hardiness?

Kevin

[thy]

George, ... do you have them in pots standing on the ground all year ?

So they are not that tender ...My next one will be a fern leaved.....

Kevin, George and I are very close in latitude, for you it will be the same as far north in Canada, but we benefit from the Gulf Stream. The only real differnce is George lives in UK western for my country and most of the rain comes from the west. From the east we get soome very cold spring temps , so I get the worst of them... You may need a map Then me mosly are up and down the freezing poing, often on a daily base, frost at nights and thaw at days ... around 40 F or a bit more

Lets take NY.. it have the same latitude as southern France... I have to wear sunprotection if going there
So our sun factor is rater low. The problems are 1: Our wind, specially in the winther times sometimes with rather low temps, but not generally as low as yours... you have had one of our mildes winthers this year
2 Our summers change a lot, most are rather cool, great for working in the garden, but sunbathing is chilly and it might be rather rainy, then it can change ower night to sunbathing temps for the next day or weeks.... we never know if we can invite friends for a BB next Saturday
Or in hosta language,... they get used to a lot of rain and a shaded= owercasted periode, then suddenly it is 90 F and not a cloud on the sky... gives some problem with the blue wax or the other way round, just giving less problems.

George, please correct me if it is not the facts for your neck of the World

Pia

[George Nesfield]

Hi thy,
Yes they are in pots dotted about the garden, not in their rightfull place in the garden at the moment as we are still in the process of getting the garden as we want it, we doing a bit at a time but we will get there sometime.
We have just had the hottest March week for years so have been getting on with the garden ,at the present time I am taking up some of the lawn at the bottom of the garden where we have put our koipond and we are going to replace it with limestone chippings to get a bit of the karasansui feel about it.
George.

[whis4ey]

Good to see the new leaf on the Japanese maples. It is certainly true that these trees are at their prettiest close up in Spring, and from a distance in Autumn
Keep up the good work