Unlike some of the other variegated maples which tend to get looking a bit shabby by late september, the various Acer rubescens cultivars tend to hold up pretty well after a late flush of growth. I thought it might be interesting to post a compendium of the cultivars we have, for comparisons. Here are mine. They are actually all quite different although that may not be apparent from the pictures. Picture names are the cultivar names, I took all the pictures today 22/9/09. Any others out there to compare with? -E
My rubescens red flamingo is almost looking to healthy for this time of year...(still growing) last night 4 degrees C. Amazing!
one millecent dead, one is so so ;silver cardinal is my champion!,summer snow good;Y. nishiki so,so;T. pink very good;red flamingo killed by dog!
emery, those are truly magnificent! I LOVE variegated rubescenses and pseudoplatanuses but the only rubescens I can get over here in 'Silver Cardinal' and I have a beauty which was especially wonderful this year. I have many variegated pseudoplatanuses but only 1 rubescens. Your pictures are just fantastic and I am admittedly envious but grateful indeed for your sharing those photos. WOW WOW WOW! and WOW!!! Mike
Nice pics Emery. I have a few of them but I have decided not to buy anymore due to the great variability of the rubescen's selections. In fact I have noticed that, for a given rubescens cultivar, the variability (in the variegation I mean) from one year to the next is often greater than the differences from one cultivar to another. The same could be said with the davidii's variegated cultivars. They are great though and I enjoy seeing the terrified face of traditional, humdrum gardeners when they see my 'Red Flamingo' splashing its bright hues in the middle of the garden. Are you getting any seeds from yours?, I have not yet but for the variegated davidii's many of the seedlings are also variegated. Gomero
Guys, sorry about the delay. Been splitting time between here and the city, with limited computer access there as of yet. Gomero mine are all very small, so no seeds yet. I look forward to trying to grow them when I do get some, and I've been trying to get a rubescens species for some time if by chance you have a source heheh. For me part of the difference is in the stems also, for example yakushima has lovely green stems, Summer Snow stems are quite pink compared to the bright red Silver Cardinal, etc. Alex glad to hear Millicent is recovering. Mr. Harris had mentioned to me that it is difficult to graft and there were some late failures. Both mine are OK but not very enthusiastic growers yet. In general I've had a lot of die back over winter with these, for example Summer Snow died almost back to the graft but then sent out a couple of strong shoots. Whether it survives this coming winter, I don't know. I haven't had many of these for a long enough time to fully evaluate. My well established Silver Cardinal took some cold damage this winter but seems to be recovering. It is one of the most readily available, but also one of the best. Yakushima and Flamingo also seem very promising. (Red Flamingo -- which I mislabeled "Pink Flamingo" in the original post, has got to be one of the most unsubtle plants I've seen!) -E
Now have the frost taken the leafs of mine,but it could handle a coupple of weeks whith down to -5 degrees C before it gave up when it went down to -8 degrees and rained the day before. See you next year flamingo!
