Acer palmatum 'Villa Taranto'

Hi K4,

Currently I am using a "Miracle Gro" tree and shrub mix and add enough perlite to make it much more aerated. This is seeming to work well but I'll try your mix and see how it goes.

Thanks!
David

 

My VT is small and slow but also sturdy. I'm optimistic about spring 09 with VT.

But my comment is about K4's mix. Last fall HD had a 1/2 price deal on that african violet soil. I bought it all and worked it into my mix maybe 25-35%. My observation is that it collapsed before the end of the following year's growing season. Maybe this occurred because I used humate, not sure. But it does seem that pro-mix with AV soil is too peaty of combo and not likely to hold up very long. I'm a fan of pro-mix too but this year I'm using a mix heavy on leaf mould and shredded bark, with just a bit of pro-mix biologique and some seashore soil.

 

Interesting conversation about the soil! I have found that my plants look happier now that they're all in the perlite-amended soil. I think that I might just buy some Mycchorrizae myself and add it in when I mix it. I'm trying to make the perfect soil for my trees while keeping budget in mind, because I am acquiring a lot, LOL.

David

 

Villa taranto has grown slowly for me, but that's fine. I am in no hurry, although I would have left it in a container longer had I known it was so pokey.

 

Spring '09

 

Winter,

That has to be the PERFECT spot for a JM! Very dramatic! Can't wait to see it fully leafed out...

 

Thanks, K4.

This is how it looks now...

 

Hmm. Just got back from a nursery and their VT's look completely different than mine. Lots of red, like the photos at the start of the post.

 

Your garden looks nice Winter. That tree has a lively color, very appealing.

The tree I have labeled as VT doesn't look like that. Here it's not so upright and the overall hue is brownish green, the leaves are sturdier and more openly spaced.

 

Hey Poetry,

Thanks for the compliment.

Well, I think this is another tree I'll need to enjoy for what it is - whatever that may be.

The tiny little nursery I got this tree from sold me a Shin deshojo that was sick. I took very good care of it and it just puttered out and died. So they gave me store credit. At that time the only thing they had that was on my wish list was the VT. So I picked it up. And while I'm enjoying it, I'm frustrated because I've put a lot of effort into "painting" my garden with color and shapes. And the three JM's I've planted in that area of the garden have all been disappointing in some respect. I'm feeling pretty discouraged at this point.

But a happy accident is the way the sunlight streams through the light leaves. And I like how when I'm on the path I see it contrasting with the red JM in the background. Hmm. I'll have to do some rethinking. Maybe I can fit in a third triangle so that I have a red linearlobum triangle and a green one.

Oh, and on a bright note, hubby bought me an Amber Ghost and a Pixie today. Well, let me rephrase. Hubby bought me two cute little trees with Amber Ghost and Pixie on the tag. So far they seem consistent with descriptions!

 

Wonder if reflected heat and sunlight from the rock would be affecting the maples poorly. Just a thought.

 

That would definitely be something to consider if I lived in a warmer climate. But I live in the Pacific NW and this stream/pond feature runs through the beginning of a ravine in my property. So if anything my JM's will need more light. But I'm hoping the trees themselves will thrive there because the two old established JM's seem happy.

My disappointment has more to do with me being a hasty buyer. I bought a "Koto ito komachi" that is at best a KIK Japanese form. I put in an Osakazuki Aureum for its spring yellow color, but no yellow. And now, the third tree I added to the area, is the one discussed in this thread. Oh, and I almost forgot. Last fall I purchased an "Osakazuki" that turned burgundy instead of red and the leaf shape was wrong. So I dug that up and forced the nursery to take it back. And all four trees were from different sources. So I'm just feeling down and like that area of my garden is jinxed. I'll get over it. Eventually. Sigh.

 

Yes, sometimes it's hard to get the right amount of light and shade for these maples to look their best . 'Villa Taranto' is also more green in the shade here, but will be more red leaved with nearly full sunlight. The stems look healthier all around in some shade though, no bark sun scald or fried leaves.

 

BTW, this is what the nursery's VT looks like:

 

Winter,

Don't be too hasty to dis the Villa Taranto in your ravine. One thing I noticed with my grafts was that the low light of the studio made the colors come out quite different than the trees planted in the garden. Some of the red leaved varieties were completely green, and some of the varigates showed almost no variegation. You just came through a long, cold, dismal, DARK (VERY) winter, and that tree is in quite a bit of shade. Give it some time to perform. Remember, the trees at the nurseries always look ideal because they are grown ideally...

Chin up!

 

Thanks, K4. I will.

And thanks for the info on the greening in the shade, chimera.

 

Villa Taranto in October

Of the Group 5 b ( Linear Lobed) I think Villa Taranto has the best color fall, however I have seen only a few in this section, of the common ones Villa Taranto stand far and above.

Summer color r outstanding as well

 

Well, my tree marked Villa Taranto did develop some red at the top of the tree. The first two pictures are the original tree.

But I'm just not satisfied that it really is a VT, or if it is, that it is a good example of a VT. I saw another tree at the nursery that looked very, very similar to my supposed VT. The nursery lady agreed that it is often confused with VT. It was a Filafera purpurea.

As an experiment I potted the supposed VT and put it in more sun. And I've picked up a Villa Taranto from the local nursery that seemed to be performing correctly in the spring and put it in the previous location. It's the third, fourth, and fifth photo. It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

Winterhaven, For what it's worth, here one of four 'Villa Taranto' only set a few very small seed in 2007. A tree which seems to be 'Filifera purpurea' {it was labelled 'Filifolium purpurea' and have found little information on 'Filifera purpurea', nor photos of a relatively mature tree} sets seed each year and has larger mature leaves, it's about 5 years older. The 'Villa Taranto' trees seem to put out more large lobed leaves on the young growth and haven't been as vigorous trees in height and width. Somewhat difficult to tell apart at certain growth stages.

 

Very interesting. Thanks!

 

May 2008, May 2009

 

Very pretty!

Neither of mine did that for me this year. Maybe even my sunniest spot isn't sunny enough. :(

Oh well, I'm still enjoying them.

 

I have found Villa Taranto to be a little more inconsistant in color than many trees, even thought many of the trees come from the same growers. I have foun location has been a big factor in color and moisture in the soil. I have not really figure which location creates which affect but I can say it does differ a lot from sunlight. Villa taranto is still a favorite spring tree and i always try and have one in the front row.

 

My experiment:

I put both trees from post #43 & #47 in the same growing conditions this spring/summer. They look the same, which is to say not very red, but better than in the really shady location. What a difference location can make!

This pic is the original tree.

 

I thought this looked different, reminded me of a cactus