Acer palmatum 'Butterfly'

Discussion in 'Acer palmatum cultivars (photos)' started by mr.shep, Apr 24, 2004.

  1. mr.shep

    mr.shep Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    San Joaquin Valley, California
    Below is an example of what makes life for us in Japanese
    Maples most interesting. The butter1a image shows the
    same form of Butterfly that both Don Kleim and J.D.
    Vertrees had which is what the true Japanese form looks
    like. The butter2a image shows a form of Butterfly from
    the 3rd Edition 'Japanese Maple' book, photo by Peter
    Gregory. The other two images, butter3a and butter4a
    are of the universal form of Butterfly in Oregon. Notice
    some of the leaves on our tree are almost devoid of green
    coloration. Both the butter1a and butter2a pics were
    scanned by me from the 2nd and 3rd Edition 'Japanese
    Maple' books. The purpose is to show a high degree of
    color variance in the same Japanese Maple we know as
    being Butterfly.
     

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  2. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Interesting
    I find colour and variegation variations from year to year within my own plants
    (Butterfly, AsahiZuru and Ukigomo)
    Must check more carefully this year and take some more photographs :)
     
  3. CHR

    CHR Member

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    Acer. Palmatum - ( Butterfly ) leaf variegation

    Here is my leaf variegation of butterfly in early spring.The pink tone fades as summer progreses,but never diminishes all together.
     

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  4. MtnGato

    MtnGato Active Member

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    Location:
    Charlotte
    I read that Butterfly is rather erect, but mine has spread its wings ... like a butterfly! A gorgeous tree in either case.
     

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  5. mjh1676

    mjh1676 Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Here are a couple photos take this April 2005 that add to the puzzle we are putting together here. For past couple years, these leaves have matured to represent the traditional japanese form of Butterfly. I do not remember ever seeing this much white in the new leaves, so this is quite an exciting year.
     

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  6. Andre

    Andre Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Location:
    Bordeaux, France
    There's no indication in the Vertrees or in the Gelderen about the best exposure for the "Butterfly".

    What would you recommend ?
     
  7. Layne Uyeno

    Layne Uyeno Active Member 10 Years

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    Being a photographer myself I would say if in doubt bracket your exposures. After your pics are developed you can decide which one looks best.

    Layne
     
  8. Andre

    Andre Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Sorry, I think I didn't use the correct word.

    I was talking about the sun "exposure" (is it the good word ???)

    Would you place the "Butterfly" in full sun or in a shaded place ?
     
  9. Acer palmatum 'Crazy'

    Acer palmatum 'Crazy' Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Hi,
    Exposure is the word you were looking for.

    My 'Butterfly' seems to handle sun fairly well. I have it next to a 'Kara su Gawa' which is allready showing yellowing on the leaves facing the sun, but the 'Butterfly' hasnt really burned in its postion. I dont think the leaves on the 'Butterfly' are quite as tender. I would recommend the dappled sun. I leave in the south of the US, and summers are quite brutal (heat and sun exposure), so almost all AcerP's do better with some dappled shade. I have seen several 'Butterfly' at botanical gardens in full sun. They appaered to be doing fine.

    Mike
     
  10. Elmore

    Elmore Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Here's mine. It was a gift and it originated at the now defunct Wright's Nursery of Canby, Oregon. It is growing on it's own roots as were most all Japanese Maples from that nursery. Photo made 5-8-05.
     

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  11. mjh1676

    mjh1676 Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    This is the same tree I posted above with photos taken today 6/10/05. It can be considered a different variety of Butterfly that is given a different name by some. In time it may be sorted out to be widely recognized by another name. For now, it remains the luck of the draw when buying this tree.
     

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  12. shiroi oni

    shiroi oni Active Member

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    Location:
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    Here are a few pictures of my recently purchased "Butterfly" Maple with tag from Sommer Nurseries. This particular Maple is very cream/yellow, unevenly shaped in it's verigation, and green in its petioles. The new growth on this "butterfly" is pink on the varigation, buds, and leaf edges, but soon the pink color grows out of it.

    A friend purchased a "butterfly" Maple also from Sommers, but this variety has bright red petioles, and retained some pink varigation in the leaves for weeks after leafing out.

    After looking at the pictures that have been posted by Mr. Shep and others, I see a close similairity to the "butterfly" I have purchased, My friends "butterfly" on the other hand is distinctly different. Is it possible that the "butterfly" family has such different and distinct variations, or is this a new variation altogether?
     

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    Last edited: Jun 29, 2005
  13. jhayes5032

    jhayes5032 Active Member

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    A very consistent performer throughout the year though I wish the pink would last a little longer
     

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  14. Andre

    Andre Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Many of my Acer palmatum have lost their leaves at this time but my Butterfly looks almost like in summer. These pictures was taken today.

    Is it the same for you ?
     

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  15. jhayes5032

    jhayes5032 Active Member

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    Location:
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    The leaves on mine are starting to wither--sort of late compared to most of my other JM's--so far without any interesting fall change
     
  16. shiroi oni

    shiroi oni Active Member

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    Location:
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    Here are a few images of my butterfly, showing its new spring foliage. this is the same butterfly which I posted pictures on June 28 of last.. (of the 4 pictures in that post, this maple is featured in the first two images.)

    We have had a mild winter, though, a few cold days when it went down into the 40's , (yes.. that is cold for Southern California).... and some rain.

    Out of all my maples, I still have a few (4) that are not showing any signs of spring.. I'm confident they will, thinking that different species have different timing as to their spring break out.

    I've noticed around the los angeles / pasadena area nurseries that the tree's that have been shipped in from the north, and most likely have been green housed for the winter, are all folaiged out, where as the plants that that endured our "winter" are just begining their bud break festivities.
     

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  17. shiroi oni

    shiroi oni Active Member

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    Hello.

    Attached are a few photos of my Butterfly and its spring foliage. There is a very small amount of pink/magenta left in the leaves, it has grown out into a nice creamand green verigated leaves . This is a small plant, scale wise, what is seen of the silver tag is approximately 1 1/2 inches.
     

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  18. shiroi oni

    shiroi oni Active Member

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    Hello all...

    Here are a few shots form another Butterfly residing at my home.

    This one has just begun to "Bud Break" a full month and half later than my other butterfly(shown in earlier posts). The differance between the two is amazing. Color for one... this looks much more like the plant gomero is describing at :
    http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/fo...ad.php?t=13493 .

    It's brilliant pink varigation in the leaf edges is amazing, and so much more dramatic than that of my other butterfly, which nary shows a hint of pink in its cream colored varigated leaves.
    When this plant has leafed out completely, I'll post a few shots of the two butterflies together.

    shiroi oni
     

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  19. nelran

    nelran Active Member

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    i have three specimens of this cultivar, one in ground and other two in container. All of them are good size 15 Gal (and about 7-8 ft high). Pictures taken spring, late summer and the last two are showing the colors in fall/winter.... simply incredible!
     

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  20. nelran

    nelran Active Member

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    Quite amazing what this cultivar can do in spring. The first four pics (white leaves)were taken a couple days ago. The following two are from last summer (green leaves) and the last two were taken in december last year. All of these photos are the same specimen. It's simply astounding how this cultivar can "wear" a pretty different dress for any given ocassion (season)....
     

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  21. Poetry to Burn

    Poetry to Burn Active Member

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    This plant looks to me like the one shown in post1, pic1 got it from Herter a few years ago.

    'Butterfly' is a charmer. Anyone know when selected and how it was named?
     

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  22. nelran

    nelran Active Member

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    Looking at my old posts in this thread you can appreciate the marvelous "metamorphosis" of this cultivar. Quite beatiful at every "stage". Here shown in Springtime 2010. (Pics taken today)
     

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  23. John Hosie

    John Hosie Active Member

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    Location:
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    Dappled shade brings out the most white/cream/pink in the leaves. See my post.
     
  24. John Hosie

    John Hosie Active Member

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    Location:
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    Here is my butterfly. It is about 25 years old and has had some challenges over the years. It used to have leaves that were nearly green, and were frequently burned by the sun. But we moved it from being out in the lawn to being under the Silver Maple in the front yard. This has led to the leaves being far more creamy than before. The shade brings out the light colors. In the spring the pink really brings the garden to life. This fades to cream, but it is still beautiful.

    I also make an effort to seriously prune away branches with "too much" green in the leaves. See the result in the pix below.
     

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  25. rwinktown

    rwinktown Active Member

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    this is a very nice maple, new addition to the yard so time will tell how it preforms for me but i am excited for the prospects for this maple.
     

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