Winter 2004-'05 Newsletter

Fellow Plant Lovers,   

 As we bounce in horror from mild weather to freezing again and again, I’m still grateful that I live in North Carolina.  What a tremendous test for the hardiness of new plants!

Just when we think that we won’t be able to stand another week of vicious cold, the sun shines. We warm our arthritic bones for several days in a quick reprieve. Then we awake shivering because it was too warm to remember to turn the heat on when we went to bed. So we arise in the night to hunt blindly for the thermostat. The morning jump start must be bearable.

Failing all else, North Carolinians are flexible people.

Unfortunately, our plants don’t have a thermostat within reach. They have no access to a weather forecast. Although flexible, they require more time for adjustment. The sudden changes are tough…even on the sturdiest of our staple landscape plants.

For the plants that we are constantly trialing in our area, life is a crap shoot. Although it has been in the ground for a number of years, my beautiful 15’ Michellia (a magnolia relative) has browned from top to bottom. She went from almost 70° to 14°. Ouch! Remember her in your prayers. She’s a lot like me. We exist where we shouldn’t.

A quick thanks to all who jumped over/through the mud during all of our construction projects last year.  The dedicated gardener is the reason for our existence. You’re a very special crowd.

This newsletter is a bit different. I want to introduce you to our many amazing Asian maples. I’ll return to our regular "ooh-aah gotta have it"  format in spring.

                                                                                                                        Happy Gardening,

                                                                                                    Karen

(Acer barbinerve ) -            Ht.: 12-15'        Zone:  5            This small, slow growing maple offers dark green 5-lobed foliage with red stems when growth flushes each spring. Smooth gray bark and brilliant yellow fall color are characteristics that make a great maple for the smaller garden space. Hard to find specimen.

Trident Maple            (Acer buergeranum ) - Ht.: 20-30'        Zone:  6        A super ornamental with attractive deep green foliage. Bark begins to exfoliate from the orange-gray trunk when 2-3" in diameter. This slow grower makes a great patio tree or bonsai subject. Its canopy offers red and orange tones in autumn.

 Hornbeam Maple  (Acer carpinifolium) -           Ht.: 15'-20'        Zone:  4-7           A rare and unusual Asiatic maple with atypical foliage, it resembles the American Hornbeam. Deep green foliage on this vase-shaped multi-trunk beauty turns a deep rich gold in autumn. Performs well as an understory tree in areas with other trees already established. Offers a startlingly different look for the maple collector.

 (Acer caudatum ssp. ukurunduense ) -         Ht.: 20-30'        Zone:  2            Upright flowers and a downy underside to the leaf make this maple hard to mistake for any other.  One of the hardiest and most adaptable of the maples.

'Flame' Amur  Maple  (Acer ginnala 'Flame')    Ht.: 15-20'          Zone:  3        This maple is often used as a deciduous shrub because of its tendency to be multi-stemmed with slender, arching branches. The samara seed pods are a brilliant red, as is this adaptable plant's outstanding fall color. Terrific as a specimen, patio plant, or for screening or naturalizing.

 Paperbark Maple  (Acer griseum ) -    Ht.: 15-25'    Zone:  4        Exfoliating cinnamon-red bark in paper-thin sheets make this 'Garden Aristocrat' a tree for the garden that makes a statement. This slow grower offers beautiful red shades in the fall and a terrific winter silhouette.  

'Henryi' Maple (Acer henryi ) -   Ht.: 20-30'    Zone:  6        The 6" pendulous racemes make this tree a startling "spring bloomer" in the landscape. The arching canopy of this interesting specimen from China changes to shades of reds and yellow in fall.

<Samaras of Acer henryi

 Full Moon Maple  (Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium')        Ht.: 8-10'      Zone:  5          The deeply lobed leaves of this slow-growing beauty are enticing to even the most discriminating of gardeners. Delicate drooping clusters of red "flowers" in spring amidst the beautiful bright green of the foliage are a showstopper. Not to be outdone by other garden ornamentals in autumn, this maple offers up crimson shades with yellows and oranges throughout. It will stop you in your tracks!

 Red Japanese Maple (Acer japonicum cv. 'Atropurpureum')      Ht.: 15-20'      Excellent reddish-purple color in spring and fall make this ornamental tree a treasure for the small garden. These are seedling varieties and ability to maintain red color throughout the heat of summer varies from tree to tree.

Manchurian Maple  (Acer mandshuricum ) – Ht.:30-40'     Zone:  5        An outstanding maple for its fall color and upright-spreading crown, this rare trifoliate maple from NE China and Siberia is insect and disease resistant. Deep green foliage turns early in fall to a brilliant shade of rose-red. A nice choice for a slow growing small shade tree. 

'Beni Kawa' Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum 'Beni Kawa') - Ht.: 15-20' Zone: 6         'Beni Kawa' offers bright green foliage on a multi-branched form throughout the season and gold fall color. The interest for this plant, however, is in its ability to dominate the winter landscape with brilliant red bark on all of the previous season's growth. Put this one where seeing it will cheer you through the drab days of January.

 'Beni Schichihenge' Maple (Acer palmatum 'Beni Schichihenge') - Ht.: 6-8' (Slow grower)  Zone: 6  This delicate-looking small tree should be planted in a focal area or container where it can be admired. Strongly variegated leaves are accented by pink and white margins which hold well into the summer.  

(Acer palmatum 'Hefner's Red Select') -  Ht.: 15'      Zone:  5-8        Wow…what color! Hefner's Red Select has been chosen because of its ability to stay red throughout the season. A slow grower with an excellent, full branching pattern, it was developed by a NC nurseryman in the Hickory area.  

Koto No Ito Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Koto no ito') Ht.: 6'   Zone:  5 – 8           Bright green bark peers through foliage so declicate that it appears shredded. Many people have mistaken this lovely slow-grower for bamboo. The light green foliage appears with a slight edging of purple in spring and cascades downward to create the effect of moving water when a breeze blows through. One of my favorite Japanese maples.

 (Acer palmatum 'Orido Nishiki') -    Ht.: 15' - 18'     Zone:  5-8       The best of the variegated Japanese maples on the market, variegation is very diverse on the spring growth and ranges from bright pink to cream to white. The basic underlying color of the leaf is a rich, deep, shiny green that holds well deep into the fall season. This Japanese maple will slowly become an upright, round-topped tree. Great as a specimen in a circle drive or entry area.

 Red Baron Japanese Maple  (Acer palmatum 'Red Baron') Ht.: 15'    Zone: 5-8               This lovely Japanese maple will become well known for its ability to hold its beautiful burgundy-red color, even in shade. Strong grower and excellent leaf shape, this can be used as an understory tree where color is desired.  

Trompenburg Japanese Maple  (Acer palmatum 'Trompenburg') -           Ht.: 15'            Zone:  5-8       This cultivar has an unsual 7-9 lobes to each leaf which roll under at the edges. Rich, deep purple-red color lasts well into late summer when it hardens off to a deep reddish-green. Fall color is a vivid crimson. Form of the Trompenburg will be upright until mature, when it will begin to broaden slightly. This maple promises to become a landscaping  favorite. 

'Crimson Queen' Dissectum Maple  (Acer palmatum dissectum 'Crimson Queen') -       Ht.: 8-10'      Zone:  6                        Vivid crimson-red new growth in spring always draws attention to this maple. Known for the color and  beauty of its cascading branches, the Crimson Queen is tougher than she looks. Ours (at the back corner of the greenhouse) withstood being under 5' of flood waters for nearly 2 days! She came to live here shortly thereafter…

 Red Select Dissectum Maple  (Acer palmatum dissectum 'Inaba Shidare') -     Ht.: 8-10'   Zone:  6     One of the fastest growing of the dissectum-type maples, 'Inaba Shidare' is also known for its ability to maintain its red color in the heat of summer. Also one of the more cold hardy cultivars, it will offer up red to crimson fall color.

 'Seiryu' Dissectum Maple  (Acer palmatum dissectum 'Seiryu') -            Ht.: 10-12'       Zone:  6        Atypical for the dissectums, 'Seiryu' has a more upright, vase-shaped form. Its small rounded head gracefully holds finely cut, bright green foliage through summer. Autumn brings shades of golden-yellow shot with orange-red tones. Another standout for a focal point or container plant.

 Tamukeyama Red Laceleaf Japanese Maple  (Acer palmatum dissectum 'Tamukeyama') -           Ht.: 6' – 9’   Zone:  5-8               Less deeply cut foliage makes a bolder statement than some lacier cultivars. Tamukeyama is one of the oldest of the laceleafs (recorded as early as 1710) and produces crimson-red new foliage that becomes a deep red/purple for summer. Fall color on its strongly cascading form is a superb scarlet.

 Virdis Green Laceleaf Japanese Maple  (Acer palmatum dissectum 'Viridis') -Ht.: 6'   Zone:  5-8         Deeply cut, lacy foliage holds lovely bright green color well through the summer. Fall color is yellow splashed with crimson, and sometimes a vivid orange.

 Waterfall Japanese Maple  (Acer palmatum dissectum 'Waterfall') -    Ht.: 8-10'   Zone:  5         Considered the best of the green-leaved dissectum maples, 'Waterfall' has larger leaves than other varieties that hold up well in Zone 7-8 heat.Fall colors range from golden  to gold shot through with red. A spetacular maple for the collector, patio gardener, or that special focal point in the landscape or garden.

 Korean Maple            (Acer pseudosieboldianum ) -        Ht.: 18' - 24'        Zone:  3-8           This lovely Asiatic maple offers beautiful blue-green foliage throughout the season and unbelievably brilliant fall color in red, yellow and orange. The most cold-hardy of all the Asian maples that we grow, it survives -40 degrees in the extreme winters of NE China. A definite favorite for the garden.

 Redvein Maple  (Acer rufinerve ) - Ht.: 15-25' in US    Zone:  5 or 6                 This stripe-bark maple is a terrific understory tree for our area. In addition to the winter interest of this beautiful bark, deep green foliage changes to yellow-orange in fall offering color even in shaded areas. This rugged maple is extra hardy and highly adaptable.

 Golden Full Moon Maple            (Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum') -Ht.: 10-12'  Zone:       This beautiful maple literally lights up the garden with its' brilliant golden foliage. It is one of the few golden-leaved plants that maintains its' color throughout our summer heat.

Manchurian Striped Maple            (Acer tegmentosum ) –  Ht.: 20-30'     Zone:  5 or 6            A small oval-shaped tree,  the Manchustriped Maple is an alternative to achieve the look of "striped bark" in the garden. More adaptable than our native "Snakebark", the unusual pale green leaves turn golden yellow in fall. Good understory plant.

 (Acer tegmentosum x 'Davidii') -            Ht.: 20-30'        Zone:  5 or 6                 A hybrid of the Manchustriped Maple developed at Camellia Forest, this tree is similar in characteristic to the species, but has proven to be a more rapid grower and may be slightly more adapted to the Southern climate.  

Three Flower Maple  (Acer triflorum ) -     Ht.: 15-25'            Zone:  5           Mike Dir describes this beauty as a "real treasure for the discriminating gardener". Spring brings  clusters of three "flowers" from which its name is derived and exfoliating tan to cinnamon brown bark displayed against the deep green of its foliage is hard to beat. Rich shades of yellows and reds in the fall make this an outstanding specimen maple with year-round interest.

Korean Maple  (Acer tschonoskii ssp. koreanum ) -        Ht.: 15-18'        Zone:  Zone 4          Exposure:  Full sun - Part Shade      This small statured maple is grown for its beautiful bright green foliage with serrated edges. Red leaf petioles and the reddish purple tones of the younger branches provide a super contrast to foliage, as well as winter interest. Beautiful golden yellow shades in fall are often tinged with red. Seed for this lovely specimen was collected in North Korea.