Acer palmatum 'Crippsii'

Discussion in 'Maples' started by HMBrown, Jul 17, 2013.

  1. HMBrown

    HMBrown Active Member

    Messages:
    35
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Hants, UK
    The purpose of this thread is to help re-establish the identification of Acer palmatum 'Crippsii' since for a decade or two the trade has been selling an incorrect plant, not a linearilobum (see separate thread "Misnomer - NOT Acer palmatum 'Crippsii' ".

    To this end I attach my recent note in the Maple Society Newsletter, Summer 2013, the note now being in the public domain. (There is a technical hitch in that the expanded thumbnail is still not readable, you need full screen - help!).

    The picture of a plant SHHG 1976.4166 U which appeared inside the back cover I have now placed in the UBC Maple Photo Gallery (Sir Harold Hillier Gardens).

    Additional references to the real 'Crippsii'
    {P} = see post below:

    {P} WJ Bean 8th Revised Edition Supplement, Trees & Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles, 1988
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Jul 29, 2013
  2. maf

    maf Generous Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,116
    Likes Received:
    1,874
    Location:
    Northamptonshire, England
    Thanks for posting this. I've converted the newsletter scan to text below, probably the best way of making it easily readable. I think I caught all the computer generated typos from the conversion process but please let me know if I missed any and I will put them right.

     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2013
  3. maf

    maf Generous Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,116
    Likes Received:
    1,874
    Location:
    Northamptonshire, England
    I wonder how many plants of this original form are left in the world? Might be quite rare now, especially if the true form hasn't been offered in the nursery trade for a long time.
     
  4. Houzi

    Houzi Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    572
    Likes Received:
    77
    Location:
    Kent England
    There is a nursery in Wales listing it with the correct description but they haven't replied....mind you that isn't to say they haven't lifted the description from elsewhere.
     
  5. HMBrown

    HMBrown Active Member

    Messages:
    35
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Hants, UK
    1) WJ Bean 8th Revised Edition Supplement, Trees & Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles, 1988

    "Acer palmatum
    Linearilobum Group
    In this small group the leaf is divided almost to the base into 5 or 7 narrow lobes, which are finely toothed but not cut. In the typical cultivar the leaves are green, but the name 'Linearilobum' is not clonal, as there are several slightly differing forms under it.... Others are:

    'Crippsii', - Leaves red when young, later brownish red, cut into very fine segments. A seedling raised by Messrs Cripps which received an Award of Merit in 1903 under the name A. palmatum linearilobum purpureum gracile Crippsii - 'a sad burden' the committee remarked. It is a weak grower."

    Also in the Index to the Supplement.

    2) Krussman G

    Crippsii (Hillier 1928 ) of the linearilobum. lobes nearly grass-like,
    entire margins, bronze red. Ornamental but a sensitive week growing form
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2013
  6. HMBrown

    HMBrown Active Member

    Messages:
    35
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Hants, UK
    Houzi, I think you and I had the same experience. My site still says 'An elegant, slow growing form, with bronze - red foliage deeply divided into finely cut lobes' - they did not answer last year.

    But you have given me an idea - see post below.
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2013
  7. HMBrown

    HMBrown Active Member

    Messages:
    35
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Hants, UK
    I agree with maf, 'Crippsii' is likely to be rare - I changed my Note to assume that and asked for the date of planting instead. I know one person who thinks he picked one up about 10 years ago when Hillier Nurseries were clearing out. One of my gurus thinks we need to find a new source of propagation and re-start selling it.

    Houzi, I suspect that Welsh website is sort of frozen, perhaps produced by a contractor, and exists as a trawl for new business. They may not want to get involved with niceties. However they are in my RHS 2005-2006 RHS Plant Finder, though not one of the 13 nurseries that offered 'Crippsii' back then.

    That gives me the idea - it would be nice to contact each of the 13 (or current equivalent), and ask about 'Crippsii', and give the expectation that as RHS listed suppliers they must want to give some detail.

    That being said, RHS Wisley Nursery politely said last year they did not propagate 'Crippsii' themselves but would happily supply provenance details if I ordered a plant (biggish for a three figure sum in £, or GBP).
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2013
  8. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

    Messages:
    3,407
    Likes Received:
    3,451
    Location:
    Normandie, France
    I seem to recall that Wisley is supplied by Esveld in Boskoop. There may be a link to that plant in the thread somewhere, but as I don't see it, here it is again:

    http://www.esveld.nl/htmldiaen/a/acpcri.php

    Certainly doesn't appear to be "original" plant, which from your pictures quite resembles Villa Taranto to my eye (not suggesting they are the same).

    Thanks for the valuable service in posting your article both in the newsletter and here!

    -E
     
  9. HMBrown

    HMBrown Active Member

    Messages:
    35
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Hants, UK
    Thank you for your comments, Emery. I am afraid my choice of three threads has caused you some confusion - I was trying to keep discussion of the imposter to the thread 'Misnomer - NOT Acer palmatum 'Crippsii' ', where Esveld are mentioned.

    This week the real 'Crippsii' at SHHG measures 3.7m high, compared with 3.4m in October 2012, and 3.7m wide.
     

Share This Page