I am fairly new to the Japanese Maple craze but I am now completely addicted. I finished building our new home 2 years ago and to save money, I did all the landscaping. I started with 5 JM because they are popular and are good for the landscape. Not really knowing what I was doing or how I would later be affected, I did not pay attention to what I had purchased. Now, I am much more careful and have increased my collection to 12 JM. I have identified all but one of the original 5. I have attached some pictures as I could not figure out how to post them on the website. I have a book by J.D. Vertrees & think that it might possibly be iijima sunago but I am not sure. It has 5 different colors of leaves right now (end of May). The bark of the tree is green w/ white, vertical lines running almost the entire length up (also visible in the pictures). All the shoots are also green. I do appologize for the size of the pics. Any help that could shed some light on this cultivar would be greatly appreciated. It is mostly due to this website that I have expanded my collection of JM. I have a Seiryu arriving this week.
Hi Acer, Not sure either about 'Iijima Sunago', the leaves seem to be more deeply dissected on your tree than what I've noticed here. Your photos are sized well. Here is a photo from May 26/09. The smaller pinkish leaves at lower right are the youngest growth.
It's the 'Iijima Sunago' here, will have a closer look at the bark and underleaves this afternoon. It has some very large leaves at times. Has your tree set seed ?
'Iijima sunago' bark for comparison. A large leaf measured 14cm. {5 1/2"} long x 18cm. {7"} wide tip to tip.
chimera, Thank you so much for your help. On the pics you just sent, how old is that maple as it looks fairly large.
Acer, you're welcome. It's 20 years plus, about H5m. x W5.5m {H15' x W17'}, about 12cm {5" diameter} caliper. It came from Duncan and Davies out of New Zealand. There is some more information in the Photo Gallery of other members trees, www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=8472 you may have already seen.