J.D. Vertrees, 2nd edition: One of the better variegated palmatum types... The basic color is a rich, deep, shiny green that holds very well into the Fall. The variegations are extremely diverse. The new Spring foliage is bright pink, white, cream, or a combination of these and may include various sized areas of green. ..The main impression of Spring growth is often pink... Many combinations of color occur on the same plant. ...Vigorous but does not become rangy. It will become an upright, round topped tree of 5-6 meters in 15-20 years.
According to Yano's book and the Vertrees/Gregory book they are synonyms. However the opinion has been expressed in this forum by someone who has been around Japanese maples for longer than most that they are in fact different cultivars. See this thread:Orido nishiki vs Oridono nishiki. (Please note I do not grow either of these cultivars myself and have no personal opinion on the matter.)
Great thread - thanks. I posted the four photos some time ago. I lusted after that tree at the nursery for over a year. I finally talked them into a price I could stand and it now lives in my yard. The tag claimed Orido nishiki. I've been trying to take photos of it this spring but it's so tall I haven't been able to get photos of leaves in the crown. And the lower portion has been slower to leaf out. Edit: I went out and looked at mine. In the branches, but not in the trunk, I could faintly see the golden stripes referenced by mr.shep and also I saw what looked like rose striping between the yellow and the green. One branch was particularly colorful with pink hues. When I examined it, I saw a significant but apparently healed wound just before the color change. The leaves I would say are approximately the same size as those of Beni shichihenge's, maybe a little more? I'll have to look tomorrow. The crown has almost no pink in the leaves but does display white variegation; the lower branches have leaves with strong pink accents. As I mentioned, they were about a week to ten days later in development than the rest of the tree. I would take pictures right now, but it's very overcast. I will say that the tree looks lovely. When I look at it the light streaming through the tree makes it look like it went to the hairdresser and got a really good platinum foil job. I actually watched this tree at the nursery as much as I could in order to compare it to Beni shichihenge with respect to color. Last year I felt that in the spring BS out-pinked this tree. Well, out-peached it anyway. But late in spring/early summer (I think then) this tree had a flush of pink that was breathtaking. For what it's worth, that's my recollection.
I bought an Oridono Nishiki last year ( a small tree at about 4 feet tall) It certainly looks nothing like the photographs above Apart from that I too have no opinion on the matter :)
Photos taken today. Leaves are definitely bigger than Beni shichihenge's. Time permitting I'll measure, but no promises.
How close do these compare to Butterfly on a general basis? I have a good offer for an Orido Nishiki but it would next to my butterfly and as a general tree they are both twiggy variegated JM. Will they look too similar next to each other?
Well at the end of the day in hi summer I guess you will have 2 green&white plants but that's about the only similarity in my view. You're right,Butterfly and the so called Butterfly group of maples all have that twiggy growth,very upright with horizontal branching quite hard to achieve and small 'sickle' shaped leaves.I personally wouldn't put Orido in the same group.It has larger leaves which are darker green with a lot of pink&white on new growth.Together with bright pink new branches it's a very pretty colourful plant while growing.Also it doesn't have such a twiggy growth pattern and branches more normally so a better tree form is possible.However it will need some shade whereas I believe Butterfly is pretty sun tolerant. So yes there's similarities but they're also different.Perhaps a completely contrasting plant between them would look best. Sorry I don't have recent photos,these are 4yrs old but shows the colours when growing well...don't think it's so bright now :)
It really is a beautiful tree. The pink is very cool. She's holding it for me for a few days so I will think about it. I could find another spot for it I guess. I have plenty of shady places but it would look really great next to my house. :). Thanks for sharing the photos
