Good evening everyone. I would appreciate some help here in my search of an Acer for a friend of mine that would not be bothered by wind. I'm not restricting my search to Acer Palmatum but to Acers in general. Ideally it would be sturdy, fast growing, not bothered by wind, rain and salty air...and quite remarkable in its changing colors. 4/6 meters high. An Acer V shaped splitting low into several trunks would be a dream come true. I know...It's a lot.. but who knows if this gem or something close exists ?
Acer pseudoplatanus is by far the best for not being bothered by wind or salty air, and is sturdy and fast growing, but it has poor autumn colours and gets to much more than 4/6 metres. Acer campestre is slightly less good with wind and salty air, but does have slightly better autumn colour.
I don't remember seeing vine maple near the beach, here in its native area. I think using that one might backfire. A smaller-growing garden form of sycamore maple might work out better.
I also think circinatum would be a mistake. Why not A. tartaricum ssp ginalla? (A. ginalla for Michael ;)) I've seen them near the ocean, deals well with wind, brilliant fall color, pretty spring flowers. There are some forms of pseudoplatanus var atropurpureum that are smaller, but I don't recall seeing a selection. Good with salt, but not much for fall colors. Some pseudoplatanus do make a fine yellow, however, even if to large for the job. -E
I agree with Emery. There are a number of ginalla cultivars to choose from. Truncatum could also be an alternative Gomero
I agree with Ron about Vine Maple. Mostly seen inland coastal and inland in Oregon rather than seen native to the coast. Sycamore Maple is a fine choice. In cooler areas that do get a definite Fall season the yellow to golden Fall colors can be good. Another Maple that is wind (both cold and heat) tolerant for us here is Trident Maple but not all cultivar forms that have the waxy cuticle will be warm to hot wind and hot sun tolerant however. I really don't think ginalla will like sustained salty marine air with warm to hot winds if that air helps lead to a saline to alkaline soil condition. If the soil stays on the acid side then okay I can go along with it up to a point. I do know that Amur Maple does not like dried salt residue or Calcium deposit from overhead sprinkler watering on the dry leaves for any length of time around here with our heat and hot winds (the Lime residue on a warm dry leaf leads to lobe burn and tip and margin scorch in areas with warm to hot wind conditions. In cooler areas leaf burn and scorch are not nearly as much of an issue). Jim
Thanks Jim. You always give detailed answers. I ( and I'm sure I'm not the only one ) appreciate this. Fabrice.
Hi Fabrice, I have a garden by the sea where it is quite windy from October to April/May. We don't really get hot windy days very often. We do get salty fog and mist year round. I have a pair of A.P. Matsugae that have been happy in an exposed location in lg. pots for about 8 or 10 years.
BTW ginalla often forms a multi-stemmed tree. WRT Jim, I don't think hot winds are such a problem in France. Anyway on Ile de Groix I have seen large and healthy ginallas used as a windbreak, so I really don't think there is much of a problem here with that choice. Coincidentally also on Ile de Groix, in a cleft in the cliff following a stream down to the ocean, I saw the prettiest natural pseudoplatanus atropurpureums I have seen anywhere. Just gorgeous to come on a grove of them like that in natural habitat, and in a wild place. -E
