I visited Moniji Nursery in Santa Rose, CA on Saturday and came home with several maples (no big surprise!). But I am mystified by one I came home with - 'Italy Red': a google search turns up no references! I'm hoping someone here will know something about it. I spotted it in the 1 gallon pot growing area because it had large attractive leaves, dark green but still colored with an attractive dark red. When I asked about it I was told it was upright growing and a shrub or shrub-like. IOW, I got the impression it didn't get that large, which interested me so I decided to take it. I also came home with 'Fireglow" in a 7 gallon size, a brilliantly colored and lovely shapely plant, along with 1 gallon pots of Katsura, Red Pygmy, shirasawanum 'Moonrise' and the mysterious 'Italy Red'.
Is it definitely a japonicum? There is an Acer palmatum called 'Italy Red', described in the latest Vertrees/Gregory book as similar in appearance to 'Bloodgood', but slower growing and half the size. Sounds like you picked up some nice maples!
Aha! I checked the tag and it does say Acer palmatum, not japonicum! So I redid my search and this time I found one (only one!) reference to Acer palmatum 'Italy Red' on the 'net. No photo; minimum description. Not sure what to think about that..... As for picking up some nice maples - Oh I hope so! I am a plant collector by nature and when I get interested in a particular plant family, there goes the budget. My Japanese Maple collection is still very small, not only small in terms of number of plants but almost all are quite small in size too. I will need patience to let them develop. And restraint - I have a small garden! In addition to those I bought at Momiji on Saturday, I have now 'Calico', Jeddeloh Orange, Crimson Queen, Inaba Shidare, Tsuma Gaki, Tsuma beni, Shindeshojo, Waterfall, and A. shirasawanum 'Autumn Moon'.
Diana at Topiary Gardens sells it. Here is her description: "Slower growing and half the size of Bloodgood. Leaf and habit is very similar to that of Bloodgood. Great for places where Bloodgood is to large."
