We bought a Acer palmatum var. dissectum 'Tamukeyama' on closeout last fall. It has overwintered in our garage just fine. However, we've noticed at the top of the tree are three long branches with none of the branching of the rest of the tree. Is it common for A. palmatums to have branches that seem to revert to something different than the rest of the tree?
Not if you purchased it from a nursery and not a BIG BOX store.... take it back... One does not need to be an expert here, but one must look at the source of the product and verify if it is sound and with reliable provenence.... So many non reputable dealers ship their inferior products en mass for the cheap and cheerful crowd, but ending up with truly dreadful plants.
No, not suckers. Will work on the picture. The odd branches are extensions of the top branches. Perhaps they are because of different care of the tree later in its existence in the retail world than at the nursery. There is no graft bulge and it is awfully high up on the tree to be be grafts, anyway.
Tamukeyama is a fairly low growing bush, otherwise I would probably stake them as leaders. They could always be pruned off if they are upsetting you too much..... It is hard to make a decision without a photograph
K BARON, Why post an impetuous reply to a thread that is not in your area of expertise? Chuck, JM's do develop shoots that look and are sometimes shaped differently than other branches. Sometimes they are reversions but if you're just noticing it now, in winter, it's very likely just a branch that looks especially out of place because it's newer growth. My understanding is that it is possible for any cultivar to revert although some are less likely than others. A branch on a tree in the National Arboretum might revert the same as a branch in the HD garden section. You can make a more informed judgment when it's fully leafed out.
Just my 2cents, I've never seen reversions on 'Tamukeyama'. That's not to say you don't have some sort of sport or broom, but I've never seen one before on 'Tamukeyama'. Photo??
I don't think varieties like tamukeyama would "revert", as tamukeyama was likely a seedling. A true reversion usually occurs in variegates and sports, where the plant returns to its original form. New sports and mutations are a possibility, but a bit unlikely. My guess would be that it is either vigorous summer growth, or growth from the understock.
If your Tamukeyama was fertilized and well-watered, it could have just sent out some extra vigorous shoots. Wait and see what it looks like when it leafs out this spring. If the leaves are different on the longer shoots, it could be that the tree was mislabeled at the store, assuming that these are not shoots coming from below the graft. You say there is no graft "bulge" but is there evidence of a graft. If the tree does not have a graft, it is highly unlikely that it is a Tamukeyama.
As others have said, it is probably just vigorous shoots caused by overfertilization and the particular growing conditions this tree was subjected to. If you are interested in increasing the height of the tree then they will be very useful. (I used to own a youngish Tamukeyama that had been trained to an upright shape, approximately 4 feet tall. The colour was very dark for a dissectum and it was really a great tree with potential to look even better with age. Unfortunately I rather foolishly gave it away several years ago.)
I hope to post a picture soon. The image needs some help jumping from the camera to the CPU. The graft bulge is very low, near the ground, and the odd branching is four feet above it. I am trying to be patient waiting for the buds to leaf out. Thank you for the reassurances.
Here is my worrisome Japanese maple, labeled Acer Tamukeyama. I note how the branches at the top greatly differ from the branches that are closer lower down. The leaves have just started coming out but with snow today back into the garage it goes.
They look like typical vigorous shoots caused by high fertilization. nothing to worry about, they should revert to normal growth this season. If it was my tree I would choose one and stake it vertically to become the main leader.
Those look quite normal to me Tamukeyama is a strongly cascading plant. I would leave them alone and let the plant do what it wants to do .... grow into a beautiful natural shape
