Ojishi is dark green and stays small. It does very well in heat and full sun much like our shishigashira. Our Ojishi is approximately 20 years old. I've had it in the same spot for 10 years and it's required minimal pruning. Probably the lowest maintenance Japanese maple in my collection. Here's a quick photo taken this morning. To compare color/texture Mikawa Yatsubusa is in the background upper right corner of the photo.
It looks quite a lot like Shishigashira to me, may e slightly larger leaves? I think I'm set on a Nicholsonii now I've bought one, otherwise I'll have to try and find a place for that again now! This is the plan at the moment, the only thing I got in the ground in march was the Osakazuki - I managed to put a space through our broadband cable which slightly delayed things and then I kept changing my mind. (The cables are meant to go around the perimeter of the property but ours is diagonal across the front garden only 2" deep...) So I'm pretty set on everything here, the only 2 I'm not completely set on are the 2 on the right. I think Red Emperor will work well there to give some evening shade across the front. Eventually when it's big enough it'll give shade to the 2/3 right in front of the house which is why I've got Shirazz as an option - but for the time being that corner spot will be getting the most sun out of all the positions. Any opinions welcome! Sorry if my scribbling is illegible haha
Like this plan Chris and I would put Emperor 1 in that exact place. It takes a lot more sun and will protect Aureum from Summer heat.
Yes I'm hoping the Aureum will get sun from about 9.30-midday, and will brighten up the middle bit underneath the Red Emperor and Osakazuki. This plan in theory should give me a contrast from one tree to the next once they've all filled out. Different colours and leaf shapes. I just really can't decide on the last one by the Nicholsonii!
Very similar in leaf colours to Osakazuki. Summer and Autumn. So I see your dilemma. Red Wine might be an idea. Just a thought.
Sorry that last bit wasn't clear - I'm not too worried about the Nicholsonii being similar to Osakazuki, the latter I will be allowing to grow up to full size and the Nicholsonii I will keep 'relatively' small to stay under the front window. Nicholsonii between summer gold and something red should highlight the differences between them, it's just the last red one I can't decide. Red wine looks lovely, not one I've looked up before. Looks like it goes a deep green colour in summer though? Unless I'm being stupid there doesn't appear to be a picture thread for that cultivar in the photo gallery.
Right. The branches stay dark red for 3 or 4 yearsn but the red colour of the leaves turns to green rather quickly. I placed mine in full sun, but it got too much of an autumn colouring. Now that's it's back in full shade, most of the leaves have turned back to green, which I find surprising. I bought it for very cheap at a supermarket in England. But for the same price, or even twice or three times the price, I think one can find much nicer cultivars if you have a limited space for all your maples...
