Acer palmatum 'Kandy Kitchen'

Here is Acer palmatum 'Kandy Kitchen'. Photo made 4-14-04.

 

At first I was skeptical of this cultivar, but the variety of color, espcially the light reds and pinks that are appearing in the leaves really make this tree a stunner. I might be putting it at the top of my list of favorite dwarf brooms.

Pictures are from 5/1/05 and 5/13/05.

 

I just noticed that not only is the fall color a very intense red on this plant, the bark color is also as such. A nice combination and as the plant gets older the constrast between new and old growth should be great for a fall show.

I realize that this characteristic is common among related plants, but something about this little guy just seemed eye-catching. Maybe it is the rain.

MJH

 

This dense broom changes colors throughout the spring, colors that are always interesting and arresting. The purples seen on this photo are real, probably resulting from the filtered light in which this plant resides.

 

Acer palmatum 'Candy Kitchen'

Acer palm. 'Kandy Kitchen'

 

Re: Acer palm. 'Candy Kitchen'

Oh beautiful! where/whic is the source?

 

Re: Acer palm. 'Candy Kitchen'

'Introduced by Stupka Nursery, Poulaski, Pennsylvania'

Photo taken: 22-05-2007
Location: Esveld Nurseries, The Netherlands

 

I have to say that as much as I like the tree, I get tired of them dying. I seem to be replacng these trees for lots of people.

 

I couldn't agree with you more. My Kandy Kitchen died this year as well, and it's just been dragging along for the past couple years. The brooms are getting onto my black list, I'm afraid. They don't grow with much enthusiasm, and they tend to have lots of die-back, and sometimes they just die for no apparent reason. They are too picky for me, I'm afraid.
mapledia

p.s. For the last 2 years, my "elizabeth" looked just awful, and I thought it would die because it didn't perform well and failed to thrive. I did nothing, and this year it looks sensational. Go figure.

 

I have done well with Elizabeth with no dieback in the four years. This year is the best red color, I just posted a photo of mine today. As for Kandy kitchen, I have thrown away at least 5 or 6 plants, I really like 'English towne' or Brandt's Dwarf

 

I think there is a consensus about Kandy Kitchen. I have been through a couple of them, the last one I thought I had conquered and then it up and died. My Elizabeth has been touch and go for a couple of years, but it looks okay this year. I am suspecting many of the broom and "broom-like" maples don't make very good potted plants when young. There is probably some "critical mass" they need to reach for stabilization. I have often wondered if there is not some root growth or rootstock suppression that is in-play. One needs a very strong rootstock for these types of maples without promoting too much vigor in the graft....hmmm, we can wish.

 

I will try for the third time with this tree. So far death has been the outcome. I have it in a warm bed with afternoon shade

 

I was planning on getting a Kandy Kitchen but based on the comments that have been posted about the frequent death rate, I will pass. I do want to post that I have a couple of Skeeters Broom and they are amazingly beautiful and hardy. The fall color is spectacular. I also have Matthews Broom which I got as a baby and it has grown into a lovely small tree in 2 years. I might get Twombleys Red Sentinal instead of the Kandy Kitchen. Any thoughts about this variety?

 

I really like kandy kitchen and now I know a location in the garden where they can survive I feel better about buying and selling them. I will say there are several other red dwarfs which are much better for use around a garden. Aratama, Brandt's Dwarf,Elizabeth, English Town, Fireball and Shaina are all great little red dwarfs. Pixie and Skeeter's Broom are both large growing so called dwarfs. Skeeter's broom tends to grow too big for locations most people want for a dwarf. I have seen a few of them which are 12' tall and 12'. Pixie is a little smaller at a size of about 8' tall and 6' wide but then again I have one 14' tall and 10' wide.
Now Twombly's Red Sentinel is a full size tree growing about 15' tall and 10' wide. I have several of them this size, they are not rare but just old in this size.
There are some other great small red trees like Rhode Island Red, Oregon Sunset and Adrian's Compact. These trees stay small but have larger red leaves unlike the dwarf leaf trees.

PS. What I read about Mathew is it is a green leaf dwarf so it is very different than Kandy Kitchen and the likes.

 

It is so much fun to post something and then have someone reply giving me more information than I had before posting. I didn't realize that Kandy Kitchen was considered a dwarf. I think that some of the posts referred to it as being in the "broom" family which is why I posted about Skeeters Broom which I adore. One of mine has the most spectacular color you can imagine - all summer long. I live in Bellevue, Wa. It is about 9' tall and narrow, maybe 5 feet with a beautiful branch structure. The other which I bought as a "baby" has a beautiful color also but is less intense red/scarlet although the exposure is the same. It also has a beautiful structure. I buy my trees at Wells Medina or Northwest Nursery. My Pixie I also purchased as a "baby" and it is gorgeous with a beautiful shape and the coloration is spectacular. It is about 10' with a beautiful narrow canopy. I have several true dwarfs - Oregon Sunset, Sharp's Pygmy, Akita Yatsubusa, Shisho Hime and Oto Hime. Matthew's Broom has a very handsome structure, good coloration in the fall and the leaves are very small. I had not been aware that the leaves would be small, but I really like the tree. I have thinned so many of the little branches to open it up and it really is lovely. I should come out sometime to see your garden and trees. I am going to purchase Orange Dream but it will be in bright light but a more shaded location. It will get early morning sunshine from about sunrise until 10/11 am from May until the fall. What do you think? I am also thinking about Shindeshojo which will get mostly sun. My soil is very rich. Please let me know what you think about these trees. Thanks.

 

I would guess I have about 70 different available dwarfs that pretty much no one has available in these sizes.
The kitchen Kandy I have is large at about 4' tall and 4' wide. It is a gem from Buchholz but nothing compared to the 6' tall 8' wide Shaina I got from them the other day.

 

AmazingMaples, can I ask where it is that you plant your Kandy Kitchens that help them thrive? I have one that I got this past spring. It's planted in my yard but I'll move it if its in a bad spot. I'd hate to lose it. Thanks :)

 

I have it planted in a very warm dry bed. It does get 5 minutes of watering every day but the soil is on the dry side. The tree is protected from all wind and sits next to the house so the soil seldom freezes.
I have kill a few of the trees in the past but have had good luck with it in this spot. I say the tree is best in greenhouse type conditions.

 

Do you think I'm better off potting it up and moving it into my garage this winter? Should it stay in the ground? I'm in CT zone 6 on the a/b line. I don't have a spot like what you described. It's the shelter from the wind...I'd have to construct some kind of shelter to block winter winds. Its not too windy of a spot but it does get some wind once the nearby shrubs lose their leaves. Can this acer do ok in a pot? I don't mind babying it. I have 56 maples and I don't mind babying my favorites in pots. Most of mine are in the ground. I have a Ruby Stars coming that I can put in the spot Kandy Kitchen is currently in.
Sorry to bother you but as much as I google I can't find info from people who actually grow this tree.

 

Here is my kandy Kitchen in the middle of summer, it has gone more to the green side. It is in summ most of the day.


As for having it in a pot, that is good in one way but pots tend to be more work than in the ground.

 

So ironically after asking the above question I moved my tree to an even more open spot. I figured if it was going to die, let's get it over with. We had 2 of the coldest winters ever here in CT (record breaking cold) and this tree is one of my healthiest..go figure. It sits amongst my rock garden plants. Maybe the heat from the giant rock ledge helps keep it warm in the winter.

 

I've just taken a photo of my Kandy Kitchen and saw that there are no photos on this thread for 5 years, so I thought I would add 3 of mine. Spring and Sumner 2020.

D

 

27th July 2020 and still more growth. The greens and oranges are coming in now.

 

7th August 2020, rain through the night thankfully, as it's going to be the hottest day this year in the UK. I will post my maples during and after this heatwave.
I am hoping the pretty colours continue through to Autumn, but with this heat who knows!!

 

11th August 2020 still very hot and in fact yesterday was the hottest I've ever seen in my garden. Ground temperature hit 48° C by my trees.
They are all now suffering. But I will continue the Summer diary as requested.
What colours my Kandy kitchen is producing right now. Can't stop looking at it !!! Lol