I have a number of Japanese Maples standing around and like to check out various nearby nurseries for their offers. From glancing at tags for some years I've gotten familiar with the common local varieties but today I found one that had me stumped. I loved the look so I bought it, but it would make me very happy to put a name to it! The tag only has "acer palmatum" and no further info, unlike the 100 or so other labeled cultivars the nursery had on sale. It was the only one of its type unfortunately. It was standing next to a mislabeled Garnet that had the tag "Beni-Kagami" on the trunk. That does appear to match with the colour and habit of this tree but not with the strange growth of the leaves, but I guess that could be a mutation? Lobes are segregated to the point of each having an individual stem, so technically it has 7 or 9 leaves per bud rather than one seven/nine-lobed leaf (see photos). This goes for every leaf on every branch, so if it is a mutation it doesn't appear to be local. I couldn't find any JM type that has leaves like this, or have I overlooked something? Any help would be appreciated! Photos:
Hi PascalK, IMO I tend to think it's a Japonicum Hybrid, rather than a palmatum. The trouble is that there are literally thousands of maples out there and so to give it a name is very very difficult, if not impossible, most of the time. There are so many requests on this forum asking to identify a maple that has lost its name tag. I know its frustrating and it happens to us all at some time. Whatever it is , it's a wonderful looking tree and should be cherished.
Hi @Sulev, hope its warming up at last for your trees in Estonia. PascalK has a very interesting tree there. Looks like Autumn colours in Spring. Maples are indeed a fascinating subject.
Thanks, Acerholic! Days are getting warmer, but nights are still cold here. But after week or so the risk of night frosts will decrease considerably. My A. platanoides trees are all in blossoms now but I have nothing as stunning like these maple photos here. Agree, it is very difficult to identify maples with numerous cultivars, varieties and hybrids by photo or even by examining the actual plant. I would be very happy if one day I can grow such beauty here even if I don't know the exact name.
Thank you very much for your helpful reply! I was thinking indeed it may have been a hybrid though the source would suggest otherwise, but who knows happens in the nursery greenhouses on occasion. I'm still not completely convinced due to the weird segregated lobes that I haven't been able to see in any photos online (including when googling for hybrids) but that doesn't mean you are wrong - some of the hybrids I could find looked to be a closer match than any specific palmatum I know or could find as you said, there are thousands of possibilities, after all. Could you share with me what exactly about this tree made you come to this conclusion? I've never seen a tree labeled as any type of Japonicum for sale here so I don't know that much about them. Is it a subgroup of cultivars like shirasawanum? I may just go back to the nursery later this week and ask them what they might know about it. I'll also put my hand behind one of the leaves/lobe bundles tomorrow and see if I can get a better shot to illustrate what I mean, I feel like it doesn't show well in the pictures. Counting the number of lobes per leaf node was hard but I think there may be fewer than I initially thought (5-7 rather than 7-9). Again though, I'll try to get a clear picture tomorrow.
Can't edit posts here - or I couldn't find a button, so please bear with me. You are probably right indeed. I did some more googling and though the way the lobes are arranged still look rather unusual to me, I found it looks overall pretty similar to A. japonicum "green cascade". The colour and habit of the tree are totally different so it is probably a hybrid indeed, giving it its reddish out-of-autumn colour. I also did some more research on the background of "japonicum". I didn't actually know that it is considered a separate species, over here all JMs are labeled as "palmatum" or rather, sold by cultivar name added after palmatum (if any latin is there at all). I know to recognise the forms of shirasawanum but didn't know that japonicum" was also a truly separate group. Interesting indeed! Thanks for enlightening me :) I will definitely treasure this beautiful tree, it's kind of a blast to have no idea how its colour, shape and size will develop from here on out.
Hi @PascalK, pleased you were able to research Japonicums after my suggestion, I do like your tree, it is interesting indeed. You might now become a collector of the Japonicum's, if so you will not be disappointed, their Autumn colour is spectacular IMO. Glad I was of help.
Good morning @zfrittz, it's a lovely Spring day here, hope it is for you also? Interesting choice as I do have Beni Hogoromo and will check again. Went and photographed it and have posted it here.
Here the temperature has dropped quite a bit, thank goodness, because it was very hot for this date, and rain is expected tomorrow. the Beni Hogoromo that you have put, is a little more delayed than that of PascalK, but I think it is the same, although with maples you can always go wrong, two plants of the same tree and change from one to the other, depending on the sun, the water , of the fertilizer, and who knows what else. Have a good weekend and take care, that things look bad.
I tend to agree with LovesOfMaples and zfrittz. Wait for few weeks if it starts to turn into rusted red then green toward summer then it could be Beni Hagoromo by the look of the leaf structure.
Hi @Atapi, I've looked at mine again and my confusion with Pascals photo is I don't know when his photo was taken. The ground around the pot looks parched, as in Summer. My Hogoromo is green tinged with red along the serrated lobes and dark green in Summer and then orange / red in very late Autumn. Lost name tags are a nightmare in our hobby, especially at a nursery. @LoverOfMaples and @zfrittz and you are probably right, so I humbly bow to the majority. And I better get new glasses lol.
Is Tamukeyama the same as Beni hagoromo? Some sources are saying, that they are the same: Acer palmatum var. dissectum 'Tamukeyama' Japanese maple 'Beni-hagoromo' 'Beni hagoromo' Care Plant Varieties & Pruning Advice Acer palmatum Beni Hagoromo - Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Tamukeyama') - Garden Plants Etc.
@Sulev, good evening Sulev, no they are totally different. But I can see where they might be confused as such.
Beni Hagoromo! The red leaves will turn green during the season, but it definitely look like a Beni Hagoromo with young leaves.There are very few Acer palmatum cultivars with leaves divided completely to the base and they are green (as far as I know), like 'Koshimino'.
Acerholic, wow your BH is a bit different than mine, yours is very dense of leaves together from the branch like Mikawa or Tattoo. Very interesting!
Hi @Atapi, yes it is quite dense, I have it close to my Mikawa Yatsubusa and that's where you can see the difference. Very good observation from you.
Is it grafted? This is a very common seedling type, when the seed parent is Hagoromo our Koshi mino (or no doubt others). They are more or less pretty, this seems like a nice one. What we can say for sure is it is Acer palmatum Sessilifolium Group. P.S. the edit button is on the lower left of your post.
