Beautiful tree, looks old ? Approximate age and close up pic of leaves might help, but hard for anyone to id these maples. Will try to get pics of HRW tomorrow, sorry too much rain today.
Thank you for the reply, Chimera. I cannot be of any further help with the ID, as I just fell in love with the image at a website, where, very unfortunately, the tree in the photo was not ID'd (www.gartenmeisterplantshop.com, then JM link at left). I have tried to contact someone at the web address for info, but have had no response thusfar. I was hoping that with the unusually undulating and spiraling branches, some great maple-ist in the UBC forum would know it right off! :) I have not seen a maple like it anywhere, but I haven't been digging that long. Thanks again for your help! Katie
There are many unidentified Japanese maples in the world Katie :) I would think that the website you refer to would have named this fine specimin if they had known it, or indeed if it was a cultivar capable of a name Buy yourself a nice red leafed plant (named or otherwise), plant it in the right spot, live long enough, and you too could be the proud owner of a plant such as is in the photograph :)
You are exactly right, Sam! It turns out, I am already on my way with a tiny one year graft... An experiment in patience! I did ultimatelly get a response from someone at the website! Clem Manuel kindly wrote: "Thanks for asking Katie, that is a beautiful maple. It is a plain vanilla dissectum atropurpureum in fall color. It's hard to believe it isn't a cultivar but I think that because it wasn't top grafted to become a "beach umbrella" like so many are these [days. It] has such an appealing natural form that makes it even more pleasing."
Actually, Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Atropurpureum' is a cultivar . . . you won't find it growing in the wild!
Variant seedlings could be found in the wild also, if and when surviving conditions outside of cultivation. You certainly wouldn't find weeping laceleaf Japanese maples as a normal, abundant componenet of a natural flora - that is true. In cultivation enough similar seedlings come from laceleaf and other variants, such as coralbark maple to make planting seeds from such worthwhile.