On Wednesday, 23 May 2012 22:40:16 UTC+1, Emery Davis wrote:
On 05/23/2012 12:55 AM, maggie jo wrote:
my acer palmatum atropurpurlum (I think thats how you spell it) is 43
years old and about 16 ft high and14 ft wide (rough estimate)
What age can these trees reach?


There are a few reputed to be over 1000 in Japan although I'd have to
fish through Maple Society newsletters to find the examples. Someone
mentioned one that had supposedly reached 500 recently.

Yours is unlikely to reach over 100 unless you live in a Shinto
monastery... I think our climate is too wet and not cold enough for
them to reach any really great age or size. Time will tell, they were
introduced only around 150 years ago.

The correct name for your tree is Acer palmatum var atropurureum, FYI.

HTH

There was/still is one in my old work garden that I reckon was best part of 100 years old. That one is the 'disectum' form and has made a rather elegant oversized bonsai shape not as big as the op's plant.

Rod