On Thu, 12 Dec 2013 16:50:26 +0000, Jeff Layman wrote:

On 12/12/2013 10:06, echinosum wrote:

'Emery Davis[_3_ Wrote:
;996347']OnThere are various red barked maples (rubescens, some
palmatums, x conspicuum) that are showing well now as well as the many
snake barked maples (tegmentosum, pensylvaticum, davidii, callipes,
forrestii, rufinerve, grosserii etc) which are beautiful and
changeable throughout

the winter and spring.

Acer palmatum "Sangokaku" also known as "Senkaku" is perhaps the most
famous for its winter bark colour, the colour goes really vibrant in
the winter and tones down in the summer. They are rather fussy plants
and you have to treat them right, I've lost a lot of Japanese maples,
including my first attempt at growing Sangokaku. Though my present one
is looking happier than any other Japanese I've grown before.

I assume that you are referring to AP "Senkaki". What makes it fussier
than other AP varieties? I've got one which I intend to plant next
spring. It's currently in a pot.


Actually there is a 'Senkaki' that exists in Japan, but we don't have
this cultivar in the west by all accounts. Everything that was sold in
the west as 'Senkaki' is actually 'Sango kaku', which has a more upright
growth habit as I understand it.

'Sango kaku', or any of the red stemmed palmatums, are fussy because they
are very prone to pseudomonas (black spot) bacterial infections in early
spring. I've found the toughest of these to be 'Eddisbury', a British
introduction, but in fairness the spring colour is not as good as SK.

It will be joined by AP "O-kagami", and "Crimson Princess". I already
have "Shindeshojo", "Okushimo", and "Beni-schichi-henge" in the ground.

'Okagami' is a very lovely cultivar, unfortunately I had a big one (maybe
15 feet) that got verticillium wilt and died over a few years. I keep
meaning to replace it.

The only AP which has died on me was "Baby Lace" - it was still in its
pot and lasted 3 weeks after I bought it. I doubt I will buy it again,
as it seems to be the most difficult of all AP varieties, being a
witches broom. Did look fabulous, though, so one day I /might/ change
my mind!

I tend to steer clear of WBs, too much trouble for me.

echinosum's comment, I sometimes don't bother to follow the de Jong
classification, which is not universally accepted. It's easier to say A.
forrestii in place of A. pectinatum ssp forrestii (even if I agree with
that classification) and A. davidii ssp grosseri var hersii is a bit long
winded for anyone! I agree with you, for the purposes of the ng, A.
hersii is just fine. (In my case I really was referring to A. davidii
var grosseri.)

It's been estimated that only 1 in 3 Japanese maples, planted in the
ground, survives...



--
Gardening in Lower Normandy