Hi i've been researching trees for a while for this area and figuring that Paperbark maple might be my best option. Looking for front yard tree, zone 5b, tree will get full sun all day, clay soil , high PH approx 7.5, tree location will be southwest corner of house 15 feet away from foundation. Want tree that is free or pest and disease resistant. My concern clay soil since paperbark maple doesn't like wet feet-- soil drains moderately well. But also sun scorch in summers, Im on a water meter and i don't want to pay a fortune to water this trees needs. How often will i need to water this tree if its not raining? I also don't plan on wrapping this tree in the winter. Know one seems to be planting this tree?? I'm looking for a tree to give me some shade for my one story home front room. What do you think??
Acer griseum, beautiful year round tree, believe they are generally grown from seed, so priced accordingly. Some discussion here www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=6996 A bark mulch, not against the trunk, should help reduce water requirements and benefit the tree.
Mine grows well in a clay soil but is in some shade As Chimera says, it is a stunner, but it is expensive and a slow grower
Mine is on clay in full sun, does very well, good drought resistance and no leaf crisping. pH closer to 5.5 though. It is a very undemanding tree. I can't lay my hands on the source to see how it does with alkaline soil, though. The exfoliation of the bark seems to be variable, I've seen some that are less than spectacular this way. Mine appears about the middle of the range, better on older wood (as is always the case I believe). Great tree, fall colour can be positively neon. Thanks for the pics, Sam. -E
I bought mine as a very small thing about 6 years ago and it's a good 7' tall now and nicely branched. It wasn't expensive at all, I think it came from Mountain Maples. I have a Triflorum that I put in as a twig, too, and it must be 9' at least and equally gorgeous. Girard's Hybrid is a nice tree too. Mine get full afternoon sun to no detriment, but no clay here. One advantage of putting in a smaller tree is that watering is much less to get to the an established state.
Thanks Jacquot, I hadn't heard of this particular cross. Looks very attractive, there seem to be a few cultivars in the US: "Gingerbread," "Cinnamon Flake," perhaps others. Anyone seen these in Europe? The disadvantage of small starters is that there's less strength in the plant if conditions aren't ideal, or of course if the local wildlife chomps it there's nothing left... But the watering issue is a big point, especially if summer is hot, for sure. -E
Do you think its ok to plant the paperbark maple 7 feet from my neighbours ashphalt driveway? I know my neighbour worries about that. The trees that they are offering at the nursery are 6-7 feet tall already selling for $154.00. How much should i water weekly, since are summers reach 80's? Also another local nursery said i could spread something over my grass a 1 time treatment and my soil wont be as alkaline anyone heard of this? I thought of adding this so the pb maple would be in a more acidic environment.
They are probable talking about elemental sulfur. It will be used by soil bacteria and converted to sulfuric acid, and lower soil pH... for a while, but eventually it will end up back where it started unless you repeat application. The sulfur is not expensive though. As for location, I would move it further from the asphalt and closer to the house. Some trees are a danger to foundations, but I have never heard of these being considered one of those. And as for watering, probable no more than one good watering a week at most. Even when in the 90's here, they get water at most once a week, and probable more like every 10 days. Arktrees
That doesn't seem like an unusually high price for a tree that size. To my knowledge the roots are more fibrous and shouldn't be a problem at all. Just to note about the Girard's, it had the most intense red fall color I have ever seen. I was thinking about the soil and amending with peat moss, too. I put peat around certain plants every year, too--as well as Hollytone, but I wouldn't use that around maples.
