I am a new member and this is my first post. I was directed to this forum in search of an answer about the problem with a Japanese Red Maple at my home, similar to that of Stubbs1911. It never seems to be "purplish", and if it does color, the color fades quickly. Attached are some photos. The other twist is that there appears to be two different shaped leaves in the tree. It was bought & planted about 8 years ago by a "professional" landscaper in the front yard of my home. Full sun light, well drained and watered by automatic sprinkler froma well. It is 4' tall and we trim it so it has a canopy with about a 6' spread. All other shrubs,i.e. Azaleas, Rhodedendrons, Euononyms (?) and Yews, in area are healthy. Any suggestions?
Follow the source of the green (different shaped) leaves to the trunk and remove the growth completely with clean clippers. You'll likely find it starts near the bottom. This will allow the tree to direct its energy to the part you want - the grafted (red) portion. This probably won't address the color issue but it will stop the tree from directing energy to undesirable growth. I cannot help you on the color issue because I don't know what cultivar this is and therefore what color its supposed to be. Others may know. See what happens after removing the undesirable growth. The other answer could be light, of course, but I don't think you want to move the tree. It actually looks quite healthy.
No, the understock should not be influencing the color of the grafted scion - but the shoots from the understock should come off the trunk as soon as possible and yes, those palmate leafed shoots do take nutrients and water flow away from the rest of the tree. The Maple does look pretty nice right where it is. A fine landscape plant in that setting. Then again I like trimmed up, well manicured dissectums. Spring and Fall coloration of this Maple is imperative to know as there are some red dissectums that will green out like this during the Summer months, regardless of how much or how little sunlight they get. Even Crimson Queen down here are starting to green out, even with unimpeded morning sun from until midday and shortly after. Our Ornatum in high shade has been green for some time. My Oregon Garnet in morning shade, afternoon sun is greenish with bronze overtone in well lighted areas of the tree and the leaves are green where the leaves get minimal light. The books do not tell us adequately well what our red Maples should look like during the early to late stages of Summer. Most of the photos we see in the books are either Spring or Fall color as the brilliance of color usually fades out in a lot of Maples by late Spring. Not a good time to impress people with a photo of a Crimson Queen compared to the early Spring color or a mid Summer Osakazuki compared to a brilliant Fall colored plant of it. The Summer coloration pales in comparison which is why we see so little photographs of Maples in this stage of growth but we need to see these photographs to better identify what Maple we have later on. As Summer color can be just as important in determining what a particular Maple is as the Spring color is in some instances. I'll add this now that a fertilizing of a Maple in the very early Spring just as the trees are starting to leaf out and before the leaves have fully expanded is a good time to help perpetuate some of the red Maples to retain their red color longer in a growing season in full sun settings.. Jim
