Is this an Acer Osakazuki?

Discussion in 'Maples' started by Jiter, Sep 22, 2009.

  1. Jiter

    Jiter Member

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    I wonder if someone could please enlighten me on the particular species of plant in the attached photos. I had approached my local nursery regarding the acquisition of one Acer Osakazuki (around 2 metres tall). They didn't have a tree in stock, however, they did order a tree for me which arrived 2 weeks later. I purchased the tree believing it to be an Acer Osakazuki. Now that spring has arrived in Australia, I have noticed the new leaves appearing purple in colour. I thought that the new leaf colour on Acer Osakazuki's were predominately green. Is this tree an Acer Osakazuki or has the nursery supplied me with another variety of Acer? If so, what variety of Acer is this?
     

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  2. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Osakasuki is green
    Your tree looks like something else .....
     
  3. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Sorry to be pedantic, the tree you're looking for is Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki', which is a cultivar of Acer palmatum.

    Although it is true that 'Osakazuki' leafs out in various degrees of reddishness, depending on no doubt many factors including perhaps several different varieties floating about with the same name, I don't think your tree is it. The shape of the leaves seems wrong to me. (And as Sam says the color looks wrong too.)

    Pictures of "Osakazuki' can be found for comparison at this thread:

    http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=1985&highlight=osakazuki

    HTH

    -E
     
  4. jwsandal

    jwsandal Active Member

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    Jiter-
    The actual cultivar would be a guess at this point but look up Acer palmatum 'Sherwood Flame'. My Osakazuki comes out a pinkish red in the spring and is all green by midsummer in my climate and location. Eastfork Nursery in Washington sold it to me as a unique cultivar called 'Osakazuki aureum'. Either way, I agree that your plant is most likely not an Osakazuki.
     
  5. maf

    maf Generous Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    As the others have noted the tree is not 'Osakazuki', the leaf shape in particular is nothing like 'Osakazuki'.

    There are hundreds, even thousands, of cultivars of Acer palmatum, the best chance of getting a positive ID at this stage would be from the nursery your bought it from. Of course this depends on them being honest enough to admit their "mistake" in the first place.....
     
  6. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    how my friend above write isn't Osakazuki look like shirasawanum Yasemin..however beautiful...
    ciao
     
  7. JohanAbrandt

    JohanAbrandt Active Member

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    Is there any trace of a graft union on the tree?
     
  8. sasquatch

    sasquatch Active Member

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    Greer Gardens had both Osakasuki aureum and Osakazuki rubrum. Both end up looking like the standard by mid summer, but the aureum has a yellowish hue in the spring, and the rubrum has a rose hue in spring.

    In the spring, my Osakazuki start with fairly thin lobed leaves like you have pictured, but they fatten up quickly by mid summer, as seen in a few photos from my files. And of course all the Osakazuki types are known for their incredible red fall display, as shown in the last 2 photos.

    May
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    August
    [​IMG]

    October
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Jiter

    Jiter Member

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    I appreciate the feed back and I have come to the realisation that I have been sold something other than an Osakazuki, nevertheless the colour of the leaves will provide an interesting feature to my garden.
     
  10. Jiter

    Jiter Member

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    I had a look and I couldn't find a graft union
     
  11. JohanAbrandt

    JohanAbrandt Active Member

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    Then they might have sold you a seedling, and I would suggest that you go back and ask them for a discount, because the price should definitely be lower than for a osakazuki cultivar of same size.
     
  12. mattlwfowler

    mattlwfowler Active Member Maple Society

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    This tree does resemble Yasemin at first glance to me too, but having seen it leaf out I think it is Yasemin either. Yasemin leafs out with the leaves hanging downward in a peculiar manner...I can't describe it but that just doesn't look like it to me. It could be a seedling tree, no way to tell for sure as a rooted cutting is also a slight possibility.
     

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