Here is an Acer japonicum that I grafted in '96. I don't know where I got the scion. Does anyone recognize it as a cultivar? The smallest new growth, as it emerges is pink, leaves unfolding to a medium green. By fall it is mostly defoliated and brown as it's present location must get too much reflective heat. I plan to move this 3' japonicum to a more hospitable location soon. I am sure it would be larger if it was better sited.
The tree in your photos looks very similar to an A. j. 'O taki', although the leaves do not look quite "deeply toothed" enough. I have an 5-7 yr. tree I purchased from a local grower this season and it, being very upright in form, has reached about 7ft with a very narrow spread. The new growth is pink to yellow and covered with fine silvery hairs. It tolerates full-sun relatively well with noticeable leaf-burn in the margins. This tree seems to require greater than average water (as far as maples go). Its fall color this season is brilliant, with crimson oranges and yellows all present. The most wonderful is the showing of new foliage as the existing leaves darken. You might measure the leaves and see if they are in the 6-7cm range, another good indicator that you might have an o'taki or very similar cultivar. In any case, give it a good home and wait for the next fall to come. Good Luck, Michael
japonicum Thanks for your input. I was looking at some pictures and it looks a lot like 'O isami'. But you know how books can be. I have both 'O isami' and 'Otaki'. They are small. Maybe when they get larger I can match this one up to it. It could even be a seedling that got loose into commerce, but I doubt that. I originally had it tagged Dancing Peacock when I first did it. I know better now.
If you ever find yourself in Vancouver, the David C. Lam Asian Garden at UBC Botanical Garden is well worth visiting. The garden has a significant collection of species maples, as well as a number of Japanese maple cultivars, including Acer japonicum 'O taki' and A. japonicum 'O isami'. Both of these wonderful plants are about 30 years old and they face each other across a path.
More pictures Here are two more pictures of this unknown A. japonicum . These showing the pink new growth. Also a picture of a young 'O isami'.
