Hi all, We're often asked when such or such maple will leaf out, in this or that area. Difficult questions that of course depend on local climate and conditions. But we can note that for example katsura is generally earlier than orange dream; ginalla is very early, tutcherii very late, etc. I am interested in creating a group list of when our maples leaf out this year. I propose including: species and cultivar (if any), region and zone (if known), type of winter, age of plant (if known), whether in pot or in ground. Maybe there is other information of interest that I haven't thought of. Exposure, for example. Also of interest is whether plants freeze after leafout, or defoliate in hot climates like Texas, and when they refoliate. I don't have anything in leaf yet, although I think A. tartaricum ssp ginalla and A. mandshuricum are not far off. So maybe someone else (Alex? Nelran? can get the ball rolling... Thanks in advance, looking forward to many reports hopefully! -E
Happy to report no leaf outs here in St. louis (zone 6) with cool temps predicted for at least until 3/11. I remember this topic from last spring. I will try and find my post to compare to last year. For those in the missouri/illinois area, I found this link to average day of last frost: http://www.isws.illinois.edu/hilites/press/docs/spring_frost2002.pdf
Emery, Great idea. I guess we need to decide on the definition of "leafing out". I have trees with buds that are starting to push, but no leaves yet. At what point are the buds/leaves in danger of being damaged by frost or cold? The average last frost date here is between April 6th to 12th. So far my Japonicums seem the most eager to sprout, and a few have the fuzzy 'tufts' showing at the bud tips. Its getting down to 18 degrees F tonight! I'm a little worried for them...
K4, I think that a very hard frost on swollen buds can do some damage, but not that radical. By "leafout" I mean the buds are actually burst and leaves (even little ones) are visible. Frost after this stage does serious damage, and sadly we are seeing more such frosts each year in Europe, at least if anecdotal evidence is to be believed. Of course I'm open to any and all information folks find relevant, though. -E
I've taken a few shots of Japonicums in my garden. As I mentioned earlier, many of them seem to be in the "fuzzy" leaf-out stage. How susceptible are they to freezing at this point? I'm assuming all the fuzz is an adaptation to protect the buds from cold?
I think the fuzz is the very beginning of the leaves, but as they are not yet unfolded they are still protected, i.e. not yet "leafed-out" in my book. (Remember how fuzzy the very new leaves look...) I believe a freeze now will potentially damage the tips of some of the first growth, but there will be no major die-back and the plant is not in danger.
Paxi, We've had our typical spring roller-coaster of temps. Up into the 60s, then down to the 30s, then up to the 50s, then down to the 20s. Last week we went from a high of 68 to a few days later a high of 34. Low last night was 18 degrees. Emery, Thanks for those thoughts. I certainly hope you're right.
I am extremely surprised to notice on Orange Dream (which I transplanted last autumn) and on Taylor (just bought last year) Buds are swelling on the others Generally it is still too early to expect too much ....
Status report this afternoon (03/03/2009, garden zone 8): A. tataricum ssp Ginnala about 40% leafed out (tiny leaves) A. palmatum 'Koto hime' about 20% leafed out A. caudatum ssp. ukurundense about 10% leafed out and, of course, the star A. buergerianum 'Nokoribi' with still some leaves from the past season (see pics) and the new ones coming out already!!, well ahead of the other buergerianums in the garden; quite a personality this cultivar!! Gomero
'Goshiki kotohime' is the first for me this year. But it cheated a bit by being under cover a lot compared to the rest of my maples. Still, many of the others are starting to show some push in the buds. I can't wait for spring, cabin fever is starting to take hold. Cirque
Wow! Very pretty indeed. Would be very interested in another pic when fully leafed out. Welcome to the forum.
I acer palmatum Akane! 30%two weeks ago II Tataricum tormalidoides over 50%two week ago III acer palmatum Rokugatsuen nishiki 30% one weeek ago IV acer Beurgeranium Hanachirusato 15% one week ago V acer Mandshuricum 40% one week ago with flower acer Rubrum October Glory,and Candy ice
7 March 09 Not really a leafout, but recording here so I can include later: A. saccharinum 'Laciniatum Wieri' Mature specimen in ground. Flowers out today, interesting before A. rubrum. No maples leafed out yet. Normandie zone 8, hard winter, partial shade, northern protection. Gomero, do you have the dates of your leafouts? I'm thinking about putting together a spreadsheet so we can sort by zone. Nokoribi doesn't count. :) BTW it would help me to see the date messages for this purpose. -E
Alex love that 'Akane' photo! Extremes here in Philly this week. Monday we had about 10 inches of snow. Yesterday and today it's been about 70F. I yanked a bunch of plants out of cover and found that AJ 'Woods #2' and AP 'Higasayama' are ready to pop. "Orido nishiki' is close as well.
Poetry, My Woods #2 HAS popped! (see pic) As well as my Orido nishiki, Yama hime, and half the rest of my potted trees. The ones in the ground are a little more reserved. Its supposed to slowly climb up into the high seventies here over the next week, then plunge down to freezing. I hate March!!
Six days later (March 9th) the leafout report is basically the same, most of the 'himes', and only them, have tiny leaves (like Cirque's). However almost 50% of all the trees have 'popped' and since we are expecting in my area temperatures up to 20°C this week, there will likely be an 'explosion' next weekend. Gomero
still no leaf out here in st. louis. Close call yesterday went from 81 F to 28 in less than 24 hours! Lots of bud swell, and even hints of bud break but certainly nothing resembling a leaf. Hope that means they are protected from the lows in the 30's expected this week.
Not a leaf report........wanted to ask Alex if his 'Akane' has the same leaf problems in Summer as Gomero describes back here. Thanks for info Alex. Gil
I came back from a week away and EVERYTHING is just exploding into growth! I would say 10% of my JMs are NOT pushing growth - everything else is. Some are even in flower! This is not good, since our average last frost is early April. See pics (file names are titles)
Beginning to leaf out today, 14 March, A. mandshuricum. Planted spring 07. After a hard winter, this is the first of the maples to show leaves, about 3 weeks later than last year, when it was heavily damaged by late frosts. Zone 8. Sound the trumpets, as it were! :) K4, what zone are you in? Interesting that the same zone has so much variation depending on other climate factors. -E
