Anyone have a Japanese Maple Tree?

libby74

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I want to buy one, but before I spend that kind of money I'd love to hear from people who actually have one. I know I can find all kinds of info on the web and in my gardening books, but I'd really appreciate first-hand info. I know they grow relatively slowly, and I believe are best as an under-story tree. Any gardeners who can give me some advice?
 

zissou'smom

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You could always try Verdant Forums!

The ones in my other neighborhood in Cleveland all died of a crazy fungus or something. So I'd check about that. They are pretty though.
 

swampwitch

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We have one in the front of the house! It's green right now, but in the Autumn it turns pumpkin orange and goes great with the Jack-O-Lanterns we put outside. Then, the leaves turn even darker to a red before they fall off (usually after one good Pacific storm with 100 km/hr winds). It lets in light all winter because the branches are completely bare then.

I don't know how slowly it grows because it was already here when we moved in five years ago. It's a great tree!
 

catsallover

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Yep, we have one that we replaced a tree (that went down in a storm) with. Ours is kinda a burnished green, and turns really pretty shades in the fall. My BIL is a landscaper, and he likes them. Other than that, I don't have any advice- there are so many kinds to choose from! Mine is one of the larger ones (my dad grew a bunch of them, and gave one to me and my sister). Ours is about 10 ft.
 
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libby74

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I want a tree that's going to stay fairly small (not over 4 feet), so limits my choices. Also, they are so pricey! I can get one at K-Mart for about 1/3 of the cost that a nursery would charge, but then my selection is really limited. Ugh! Guess I'd better do some research---and save my pennies.
 

AbbysMom

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You can see a few pics of mine here -





Those photos were taken last September. The leaves just came out on it and they are currently a dark red. They will green up a bit.

It is very low maintenence. We just trim it a bit every year. I have no idea what type it is though.
 

footersownsme

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i dont know how much help this will be but my family has one. i remembering my father tell me that his best friend gave it to him as a present either when he got married or when they had my brother, so its either 27 or 30 yrs old. I also know that by the time i was 6 (which was 9-12 years later) that same tree was only 3' tall. That tree is now close to 12' tall....this is 27-30 yrs later. It is the most gorgeous tree in the yard. Great coverage in the summer time and bare to the bone in winter. As everybody else stated it goes from green to the deepest maroon i have ever seen. quick childhood memory....late spring early summer my brother, sister, and i would pick the seeds and have fights with them....hehe
I do remember my father each year taking a few branches off til it has created this umbrella effect. Sorry i dont know that much bout trees, father did that all when i was living at home i helped where i could and now i live in an apartment. I dont know how much this helped but i thought i would share the little bit i did know.
 

kittiesx2

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I have a red lace leaf (I think that's what it's called) Japanese Maple.
I bought it at Costco about 10 years ago for around $20

It was about 2 feet tall at the time and only had a few branches but now it's about 3 1/2 feet tall and probably 5 or six feet across! It just leafed out... it's PRETTY!!

Here's a pic that I took this morning just for you

P.S. Excuse my weeds
 

gailc

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Were abouts do you live in IL?? I think they should do ok for you. Up here near Green Bay, WI they are marginal but I have had one for about 11 years.
They like partial shade and a lighter soil (well drained) I think the cut leaf cultivars are the prettiest I would like to try one however no one sells them here. I would prefer to get one from a nursery vs a big box store as the nurseries pay much more attention to them (ie watering). If you buy one from a big box store I would buy one from a fresh shipment vs one that they have had for a while-again watering-if they are on those plastic black pots-on day when its sunny and only about 70F the roots can really cook and dry out-they should really be watered several times/day which from my experience doesn't happen.
"Bloodgood" seems to be a pretty common cultivar I have "Trompenburg" which will turn green towards the end of the season.
If you have any more questions let me know.
 
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libby74

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Were abouts do you live in IL??
I'm in west central Illinois, 5 blocks from the Mississippi River, 120 miles north of St. Louis, so I'm in zone 5.
Abbysmom and kittiesx2---your trees are gorgeous!

I bought it at Costco about 10 years ago for around $20
I am so jealous! We don't have a Costco anywhere around here. I've seen the trees at KMart and at the local nurseries. I thought about telling my DH that's what I wanted for Mother's Day, but figured this is something I'd better pick out myself.

And GailC, thanks for the tips. I've heard of 'Bloodgood' (I watch a lot of gardening shows) and thought it was absolutely beautiful. I agree, the cut leaf varieties are the prettiest.

Thanks for the tips and the pics (and BTW, the weeds are excused
)
 

minxie

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I have two - one with burgundy colour leaves and one with orange coloured leaves. All I can say is that they are great and dont need loads of maintenance....just water (and every year I add some plant nutrition liquid). I think they are a very hardy and attractive plant and grow to fill a fairly large space over time.

I bought mine on ebay.
 
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libby74

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I bought mine on ebay.
I'd thought of that, but just hadn't gotten around to looking yet. Thanks for reminding me.
 
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