Acer palmatum 'Ukigumo'

Discussion in 'Acer palmatum cultivars (photos)' started by Elmore, Feb 19, 2004.

  1. mapledia

    mapledia Active Member

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    alex66, I strongly urge you to find an Ukigumo right away. Don't wait till autumn. I have 3 Ukigumos in my garden and feel these cultivars are truly outstanding. Each Ukigumo of mine displays a very subtle pink at the margins, but only for a short time in April. This pink color fades quickly, giving way to the parchment color/white and green spots characteristic of this maple. It's hard to describe one of these trees back-lighted by the sun because it does, indeed, appear to float, and I feel this cultivar deserves more serious attention. It's a highly desirable form. This photo was taken on July 10, 2007, and this Ukigumo lives in bright filtered light.
     

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  2. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    mapledia in Italy this cultivar is not avaible!And the summer for shipping (from Esveld) is not good period,but many tank for your advice,i order two Ukigumo !!!Ciao alex
     
  3. mapledia

    mapledia Active Member

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    Ukigumo is a rather dignified, elegant upright V-shaped tree. Mine is on a steep slope, and when I see if from below especially when it's backlit by sunlight, it does indeed look like floating clouds. It's a splendid addition to any garden.
     

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  4. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    The first two are at one nursery the last is at another.
     

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  5. maf

    maf Generous Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    I saw this example of Ukigomo at Westonbirt at the end of April. Despite being small and surrounded by mesh, I understood immediately and perfectly why its name means 'Floating Clouds':
    Ukigomo3.jpg Ukigomo2.jpg Ukigomo1.jpg
     
  6. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Ooooh, aaaahhh. Great photos!

    I bought one of the ones I found at the two nurseries. Of what I saw, the one I brought home had the most white and just looked different to me from the others. And based on what a nurserywoman said I believe this example was from a different supplier. It's not as white as that one, though. WOW!

    The middle of the three photos I'm posting is shot looking up from underneath the tree. Something that seemed different to me about this one compared to the others I saw was that the leaves tip in different directions, as you can see in the third photo.

    All right, I have to cut myself off from the forum. If I don't get some of my work done I'm toast.

    TTFN
     

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  7. mapledia

    mapledia Active Member

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    Oh, people, good for you for getting excited about 'Ukigumo.' This plant is so neat. Mine are finally (!) just now leafing out in southern Oregon, and I cannot wait to see them fully show their beauty in the coming days. This is a really original plant ... nothing else is quite like it. I've found that placing it where you can see it backlighted creates a very special drama in the garden.
     
  8. maf

    maf Generous Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    I just need to buy one now. I don't have any room for more JM's, I don't normally like variagates apart from Sango Fu style and some Reticulates, but I would make an exception for Ukigomo, it is that good a plant. They had some in the plant shop at Westonbirt but they were expensive and I didn't like the look of the graft union on any of them, so I passed and I still regret it.
     
  9. mapledia

    mapledia Active Member

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    Dear maf, Just keep looking and you will find the right one. I have a little over 450 JMs in my garden (three are Ukigumos), and this is truly a stellar plant. It never disappoints, and it's just wonderful throughout the growing season. But if the ones you see don't look right to you, you are smart to let them pass. But do keep looking and you'll find one that looks just right. I'm convinced you will not be disappointed with this Star in your garden.
    - mapledia
     
  10. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    maf, thanks again for the beautiful shots. My tongue is still hanging out.

    Re: regret... that is my biggest fear when I see a tree that I like/love... that I'll pass and not see the equal again. So I've overcompensated the other direction and have trees I wish I'd passed up! Long time JM people seem to think that restraint is the better way to go, that a better example of a cultivar usually will come around. I'm sure a great floating cloud will come your way again... eventually.
     
  11. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Today I visited a new nursery. As we wandered around I saw a pale floating mass in the distance... You guessed it Ukigumo. And it was my turn to understand immediately and perfectly why its name means "Floating Clouds." Wow!

    Only had camera/phone and it doesn't do it justice. But here's what I got.
     

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  12. sasquatch

    sasquatch Active Member

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    May 2009
     

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  13. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Emerging leaves on same tree as in post #31
     

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  14. mapledia

    mapledia Active Member

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    Winterhaven, isn't this just the most marvelous thing to see? Ukigumo is such a delight. Mine are a bit behind because after a very warm January/February, we're having nights below freezing now so all growth has stopped. But I am keeping watch over my Ukigumos because when they do leaf out fully, I try to find time to observe them when they are backlit by the sun. At those times, they do indeed appear to be "floating clouds". This is a most special cultivar.

    mapledia
     
  15. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Yes! I'm loving it.

    We're having a similar weather pattern so all growth has slowed but not stopped. I feel like these trees are like burlesque fan dancers. Their leaf teases are killing me!

    I put mine in a rather interesting spot created by the previous owners when they put in a septic reserve drain field. In my yard there is a high plateau (the sandy reserve drain field) that, in that area, drops off rather steeply. But then there are mature trees at the bottom. I put Ukigumo at the top of the slope above where a Laurel tree creates a large, dark, negative space. And then, at one point in the evening, the light streams in from the side and it just glows.

    Right at this moment the effect is somewhat diminished because we trimmed Laurel branches off a powerline and trimmed the nearby Hawthorne for health. So a lot more light reaches Ukigumo than when I planted it. But, in a few years, the Southern Magnolia and the blue evergreen of unknown parentage I planted will get big and create shade.

    Which brings me to a question. Under what conditions will we get the best results from our Ukigumos? I had it in my head that more shade would likely encourage more white. But I read online somewhere else that to get the best white more sun would be helpful. According to this source the best color (well, lack thereof) would be at that point between sun burn and not. Any thoughts?
     
  16. mapledia

    mapledia Active Member

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    winterhaven: excellent question. I wish I had a decent answer. I have three ukigumos: one in a very shady spot, another in moderate filtered light, and the third one in very bright filtered light with some direct sun. Last year, the best color appeared on the one in the very shady spot; the year prior, however, the one in moderate filtered light proved to be the star performer. Unfortunately, the one receiving the most light in my yard has been disappointing each year, and I'm thinking of relocating it.

    I think your placement of your ukigumo is truly inspired. One of mine lives high on the side of a steep ravine where it receives late afternoon light, and when that light hits it, it is breathtakingly beautiful. The entire tree appears to float, and it's a show-stopper. I wish I could say I planned this effect, but the fact is that my placement of the tree was accidental and I was just lucky this time.
    mapledia
     
  17. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Are all three from the same grower and are all three about the same age?

    Thanks. Wish I could say it was as planned as it sounds, but it actually came about as the result of a disagreement between hubby and myself. I wanted to plant it actually IN the dark area and he said I wasn't going to hide "his" tree. So we compromised and I like it better than my idea.
     
  18. mapledia

    mapledia Active Member

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    Winterhaven, all three of my Ukigumos are from the same grower. They are not the same age, however. The shady-area tree is quite large, at least 10 years old; the moderate light one is 7 years old; and the one receiving bright sunlight is 4 years old. And while all are healthy and robust, I get the best white/cream background leaf color from the two older plants in shadier areas. Could be lots of things, though, besides amount of light. The two older trees are in areas with far better drainage and better quality soil than the tree receiving lots of bright light.
    mapledia
     
  19. amazingmaples

    amazingmaples Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I find that by giving them the least amount of sun I get the whitest leaf. The more sun mine have received the stronger the pink hue comes out. I love them when they are taller and the sun shines through them in early morning, They glow like a light bulb. They are a truely fabulious tree. No matter where you put them they still stand out from other palmatums.
     
  20. winterhaven

    winterhaven Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Great feedback. Thank-you Barbara, Charlie.

    J
     
  21. amazingmaples

    amazingmaples Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    here is a photo from last year of one of my big Ukigumo which is about 14' tall. It is fun to hear peoples comments when they see the tree.
     

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  22. mapledia

    mapledia Active Member

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    Enclosed is a photo of Ukigumo taken May 14, 2010. Floating clouds, indeed.
     

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  23. maf

    maf Generous Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Some great colouration on my 'Ukigumo', purchased mail order last summer. Pictures taken in the early evening light, about 7.30 pm, 19th of May, the white looks quite ghostly:
    Ukigumo1.jpg Ukigumo2.jpg Ukigumo3.jpg
    Also some incredibly huge reverted leaves, unfortunately, but almost exclusively on a single branch. (No, that is not two different trees in the next picture!) Still undecided whether to remove reverted leaves or the whole branch. At the moment I am still watching it to see how the newest leaves at the ends of the reverted shoots develop.
    Ukigumo reversion1.jpg Ukigumo reversion2.jpg
     
  24. amazingmaples

    amazingmaples Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    maf, one Ukigumo I bought in winter without leaves came in with the similar leaves. I had the tree for four years and it only produced the green leaves. I finally sold it a day or two ago for $50 after i had bought it for over $300. I still believe it is best to prune out the bad growth, in my case it was the whole tree.
     
  25. STi

    STi Active Member

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    small fry.
     

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