Acer robustum

Discussion in 'Maples' started by decumbent, Jan 19, 2006.

  1. decumbent

    decumbent Member

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    Is anybody growing this species? I've got one, but it is young and hasn't put on much growth. I'm trying to get an impression of its rate of growth and eventual form. Thanks.

    Scott
     
  2. mendocinomaples

    mendocinomaples Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Hi Scott,

    I have A. robustum and is is beginning to take off nicely now that it is in it's 4th year. I have found it to behave very similarly to A. palmatum here in NW CA. A nice collectors maple!
     
  3. decumbent

    decumbent Member

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    Yes, I have heard from one other source that their tree did nothing for a few years, and then finally started to grow well. That person was in Illinois. As mine was planted only last year, I guess I will have to be patient. The foliage is very nice. I have it planted near A. pseudosieboldianum and A. sieboldianum.

    Anybody know of a source for Acer pentaphyllum?

    Scott
     
  4. Hey all,

    I just planted Acer robustum this past spring. I know this is still a very rare plant, but would anybody have any approximate values for hardiness? I'm in zone 5 in the Syracuse, NY area. I'm not extremely worried about it this year, as we have had a pretty consistent zone 7 winter so far, with the exception of a very brief cold snap and low of -8F. (Some Ostrya virginiana in our woods have even started to leaf out!)Any ideas on what the outluck for the future might be with occasional lows of about -15 in a normal winter? I have seen it rated as zone 5 but one never knows with these rare ones...

    Decumbent, I have seen Acer pentaphyllum being offered by Forestfarm in Oregon, which is actually the same place I got my Acer robustum and several other rare maples. Happy hunting!


    Pteroceltis
     
  5. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    I just bought a 7 foot Acer Robustum from ForestFarm, and was wondering if anyone had additional feedback or observations from their experience with this specimen. There is little information in the literature about it, other than its rare.

    Thanks!
     
  6. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    beautiful maple! ,if i'm lucky this autum i received one by www.esveld.nl
     
  7. Daniel Otis

    Daniel Otis Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    I've grown Acer robustum for 5 or 6 years, but until a couple of years ago it was in a pot, and I brought it inside in the winter. Then I gave my tree to a friend and it has spent the last two years outside in the ground in a highly exposed location, subject to full winter sun (although not winter winds--it's on a SE-facing slope). So far, it has come through beautifully, without even twig dieback. They haven't been cold winters, but it has certainly been below zero. I'm in Ithaca, NY, zone 6, although my friend is more 5-ish. Worth a try in Syracuse, I'd say, especially given the reliable deep snow cover.

    People might be interested to know that, 10 years or so, I received 2 A. pentaphyllum from Nancy Fiers, and because I like to live dangerously I planted one outside. It died back to the ground over the winter, and I forgot about it for a few months, but then I noticed that it had resprouted. I repotted it, and I still have it, although it is always extremely late to break dormancy--mid or late May, a month or more after the palmatums and everything else. So: not remotely hardy in zone 6, but maybe worth trying in zone 7. Nice to have something to remember Nancy by. It's a beautiful tree, highly endangered in the wild.
     
  8. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Daniel,

    Thanks for that info. Do you have any pictures you could share? I'd love to see what the flowers and the samaras look like, and also the fall color. Its good to know that it seems quite "robust"!! LOL! OK, OK; I know - bad joke...

    Thanks,
     
  9. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    I too hope to receive robustum this fall. The problem here is always the wet, I wonder if anyone has any particular insights (i.e. I've found japonicum more resistant than palmatum, etc).

    cheers,

    -E
     
  10. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    yes! after many years that i grown maples ,i agree with Emery ,japonicum vs/palmatum ,the winner is japonicum......ciao
     
  11. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    OK,

    My Acer Robustum was shipped in the summer, and the leaves got pretty badly crisped. The tree is totally fine and healthy, but the leaves looked pretty sad. So, I stripped off most of the damaged leaves, and now I'm getting new leaves pushing out. Here's what I've observed so far:

    Trunk - green bark with white striations and dots.

    Limbs - sturdy and openly spaced - not willowy.

    Leaves - palmate, with 7 lobes divided approximately 1/3 of the way to the base. Irregularly toothed. Dark green, dull and somewhat "crinkly" on the upper surface. The texure is thick and substantial. The bottom surface of the leaf is smooth and shiny. Petioles green, with just a slight tinting of red. New leaves emerge olive green, with coppery tones towards the center of the leaf. Minimal pubescence.


    I've taken a few pictures and will update with more as the leaves expand. Maybe I'll even get a little fall color!
     

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  12. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    very nice!
     
  13. spookiejenkins

    spookiejenkins Active Member

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    AUSTIN, TEXAS Y'ALL! I'm home!
    K4 I think you could write a maple book!
     
  14. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Spookie, you crack me up! I guess I could call it "Maples of My Backyard". :-)

    Here are some additional pics as the new leaves unfurl. You can clearly see the 7 lobes now. Very lovely so far!
     

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  15. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    UPDATE:

    I thought I would post some additional pics of my Acer robustum as the leaves continue to mature. As you can see from the picture, they're becoming quite large now, and have the more mature shape - closer to the drawings and printed descriptions. Leaves are 10 -11cm across. The last pic is a back-lit shot of the leaves. Quite lovely, with a tiny hint of the copper still present. I'm hoping the frosts will be late this year so these leaves have a chance to fully mature and then put on some autumn colors! They've really pushed out in a week's time!
     

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  16. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    UPDATE:

    New shots of the leaves, which are now fully mature. A very nice green, with a "grasshopper skin" kind of look. So far no fall colors at all, but I believe that's because I forced this plant to put out new leaves very late in the summer. I'm keeping this tree protected from the frosts so that, if we're lucky, it just might display some fall colors for us! Keep your fingers crossed!
     

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  17. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    i have! i have this maple!!,please Kait pics of autum color..
    grazie !
    ciao
     
  18. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Alex,

    I will be happy to post fall colors, when they happen. Hopefully the cold weather and short days will put this plant to sleep very soon now.

    Ciao!
     
  19. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Well, things are getting really cold here and my A. Robustum has not gone to sleep yet. It does, however, have a few of the original leaves on it that were fried in the shipping container, and these have now changed color. This will at least give you an idea of the color, which is a deep crimson. If the new leaves ever turn, I will post more pics!
     

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  20. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    well!thank you!
    grazie Kait !
     
  21. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Quick update - I have been able to successfully graft this tree, but the buds seem unusually susceptible to fungal attack. We'll see how it fares in the garden.
     
  22. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    I now have some decent pics of fall color on Acer robustum. More orange than last year, with a lot of color spotting, but we have had a very mild and wet summer/fall season. I'm hoping a frost tonight will not spoil everything, as I want to see this tree go through all the fall phases.
     

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  23. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    sob,sob my robustum ...:-((
     
  24. Kaitain4

    Kaitain4 Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Alex, did you lose your Robustum?? I would be sobbing too! :(...
     
  25. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Mine is dead too. Seemingly vert. sob, also.

    -E
     

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