Acer palmatum 'Red Dragon'

This is a photo of my 'Red Dragon" taken in April 2003. This tree was planted in the Summer of 2000 and retains its deep red color all season, finally turning a bright scarlet in late November. Only draw back is its extremely slow growth - about 6-8 inches (height) in three years!

 

The slow growth means it will keep nice proportions with the hostas as they grow too
Always look on the bright side :)

 

That looks very nice.
I just purchased a Red Dragon, planning to plant it, but wanted to get as much info about it as possible. I wasn't quite familiar with it.

I know most Japanese Maples are slow growing, and looks like this is really slow. I don't mind though, it's very pretty.

cheers,
Susan

 

My Red Dragon

I didn't want to upload my images twice, so I'll just link a thread that contains my new Red Dragon.

http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=6535

 

I'm about to plant my Red Dragon this week. It's my prize acer.

 

Hey everybody!
Red Dragon, is, by far, one of my favorite dissectums. The leaves are pleasingly coarse, and the red holds all season long...It's also the first maple I EVER GOT!!! I think I looked for it for like 3 years before I found it at www.worldplants.com for $15. As most of ya'll have said, mine grows very slowly too, but still looks very good. I'm very new to the forum thing, and the maples, as I got Red Dragon last year. I don't have very many varieties right now, but my wish list just doesn't stop growing...we all know how that happens...
-David-

 

I guess we are not the only ones who love the Red Dragon. The above tree was stolen from my front yard last week. It was may favorite tree out of over 30 cultivar that I own, and cost $300. This tree was in my garden bed right out side of my kitchen window where I also have located a Shishigashira, Crimson Queen, Red Pygmy and a Seriyu. All of which I bulted to the ground with stakes and cable. I also installed motion sensors around my garden and green house. The reality is I was being watched. They knew the tree was planted under a year ago and that the roots have not established yet.

TO EVERYONE:

Please be cautious to whom you give your address to. Also, watch your neighbors landscapers. In the past I did notice them drive around and check out my garden.

 

This is a photo of my Red Dragon taken May 16, 2007. I'm very happy with this cultivar and with its good color throughout the year.

And I'm very distressed for RJJ that his Red Dragon was brazenly stolen from his yard. I think he makes a good point for us all, however, that we should keep our addresses hidden and try to protect our special trees from theft. Perhaps a sign at the property's entrance "beware of snakes" or "biological contamination area" would deep the predators at bay. I find infra-red motion sensor lights are effective (at least against deer), and web cams are helpful to deter potential robbers because you will at least have a picture of the thieves to show police.

Mapledia

 

Time has a way they say...I replaced my Dragon. Now 1 of 70 cultivar I managed to collect in the past 2 years and it is by far the most magnificant. This photo was taken the first week in November '07.

This tree was planted in my back yard, it will become the focal point in my new garden.

So far no more theft.

mapledia - I actually have beward of dog signs with no dog. It does have an effect on people that see them. They tend to take caution.


Happy Holidays!!!

~RJJ

 

Well this year my Red Dragon is not surprising me...it has grown VERY stubbily, but still looks beautiful. It is small (a 2-year) but hopefully it will get a move one sooner or later. The leaves are very pretty, so that makes up for the slow growth.

David

 

Here's my little red dragon enjoying its first spring with me.

 

Paxi, that's an interesting form of plant protection (and a very nice photo, too).

 

Oh this is actually to protect it from the humans! The guy that whacks the weeds doesn't really care what gets in his path so ...

 

Hey everyone,
my Red Dragon is already showing a little green on the leaf...but it is in full sun for about half the day. It almost seems to be a speckled green, not a really big amount, but it is small enough that it really shows...what should I do? It is already also showing the very slightest tip burn, and that is disconcerting, as it is supposed to be very sun-tolerant.

Thanks,
David

 

From what I've heard it isn't one of the more sun tolerant dissectums. I'm just going on what I've read, not experience. Mine is growing under a couple of beech trees and shows some green coloration, but it holds significantly better than my other red dissectums.

 

Thanks. Hope that it will show truer characteristics as it ages (it's only 2 years old). Here is a picture of the spring coloration last year...it was beautiful! David

 

Just had a thought: I don't have any other red dissectums besides Red Filigree Lace, and Red Filigree Lace is holding a deeper red color MUCH better...and it looks to be about 2-3 years old. It is also looking more vigorous than my Red Dragon, too.

David

 

Red Dragon is one of my reddest JMs. Definitely the slowest growing. Mine is growing in a spot where the sun is a little too intense in the afternoons, and I should move it.

 

I have a pair of Red Dragons in the back yard. Other than some breakage early this year in the midst of the heavy winter snows, these have been wonderful beacons of color, as well as providing beautiful background and texture to the garden. You may notice that the garden doesn't have the best weeding. I'll apologize in advance for that. I'm going to post several pix of different varieties I have for now. Looking forward to the spring when I plan to be far more organized in my gardening and in the record of the 60+ varieties of Japanese Maples I have.

It is possible, by the way, that this has been confused with another variety. It is not unusual for this to happen in the chain between the grafter, the grower, and the nursery. If you believe this to be the case, please let me know and I will do what I can to correct it.

 

Red Dragon is my favorite dissectum, great color and branch structure and a slow grower, perfect for my small garden. Pictures taken this spring and summer.

 

Red dragon definitely could be confused with another variety, although it is less common because it is relatively new compared to many other dissectums. Unfortunately, I find it difficult to distinguish these varieties unless grown side by side in the same growing conditions for some time.

Probably a selection from Inaba shidare (not red select), the leaf shape is similar but the color is on average more burgundy as opposed to deep purple. The leaves are often twisted slighty giving the tree a slightly more messy or course appearance when compared to inaba shidare, tamukeyama, and crimson queen. The habit seems more compact than inaba shidare (also less pendulous as it matures), but with more structural character than varieties like crimson queen. Color retention in summer should be superior to any other red dissectum currently on the market (particularly in partial sun/shade), but leaf dessication is more problematic in hot dry situations.

 

How to train your dragon

My Red Dragon .. I have been letting it grow uncheck .. branch structure looks pretty messy (I was wondering if you think I should do some major pruning). Anyway, I wanted to share this two photos :)

 

Looks like it has a great over-all shape, but I would encourage some pruning to thin out the "bird's nest" look going on in the interior. Just the small limbs - make it more open.

 

Thanks! Spring time is only month or two away. So as soon as the those buds start to swell, I will try some thinning. Thanks for the feedback.

 

i would have to put this on the top of my list for red dissectums