Acer palmatum 'Moonfire'

Discussion in 'Acer palmatum cultivars (photos)' started by swanny, Jan 31, 2004.

  1. swanny

    swanny Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    This is a picture of my first Japanese maple 'Moonfire', planted in 1998 and now approx 7 years old. The tree is 8 feet tall and holds its color through out the Summer in full sun without leaf burning.
     

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  2. Elmore

    Elmore Active Member 10 Years

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    Moonfire

    Nice tree. I have a couple of them that I grafted a couple of years back. Small material. Reminds me of 'Fireglow', only purple/red.
     
  3. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Moonfire is another one on my 'wanted list' :)
     
  4. MtnGato

    MtnGato Active Member

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    It's a gorgeous tree, holding its burgundy red well through the summer.
     

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  5. NJACER

    NJACER Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    These photos are of A.P. 'Moonfire' taken late May of 2006. The sunset on the leaves with the abundance of seeds was a nice image. Tree is about 12 years old.
     

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  6. richardbeasley@comcast.net

    richardbeasley@comcast.net Active Member Maple Society

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    Re: Acer Palmatum 'Moonfire' How big??

    Vertrees said that this tree grows over three feet a year, are you seeing that fast of a growth at any stage of growth? Also the the tree's leaves in the photos in this thread seems to be a bit bronzed, this cultivar is noted not to bronze, Vertrees 3rd Ed p175. So the tree is 13 years old, it should be at the mature height of 25 feet, has it made it yet? I am a landscaper and ever one wants a tree to be bigger faster.
     
  7. NJACER

    NJACER Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Richard,

    The tree im my photo is about 14 feet tall I would guess. The fence in the background is 5 feet. I have never experienced fast growth on this cultivar or many of my cultivars. I do not ammend my soil and use very little fertilizer. I have observed that many of my maples grow very little the first year and then grow faster for the next 3 to 5 years. They then seem to slow and broaden with age. One correction on my tree pictured above, it has been in my garden for 13 years now and was in a 5 gal pot about 3 to 4 feet tall when purchased. I also checked all of my photos and did not notice any bronzing.

    Ed
     
  8. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I finally bought a small 'Moonfire' last year. It is a 'wee beauty'
    Moonfire
     
  9. Poetry to Burn

    Poetry to Burn Active Member

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    'Moonfire' is an exotic spring beauty


    This tree is in a pot about 5-6 years from Eastwood nursery.
     

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  10. katsura

    katsura Active Member 10 Years

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    nice pics, Gil.
    I love the blue hues of Moonfire's red color.
    I love to look from below up into Moonfire's red canopy against a
    sunny blue sky. The contrast of bluish red against a sunny sky blue is awesome.
     
  11. Poetry to Burn

    Poetry to Burn Active Member

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    Appreciate Compliment.

    I know exactly what you mean about looking up through the canopy, what a view!
     
  12. richardbeasley@comcast.net

    richardbeasley@comcast.net Active Member Maple Society

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    I don't know I have lots of red tress right now so I am in love with my green ones. I have a Pacific Fire Acer circinatum that is just blowing me away. Chartreuse leaves on bright glowing red bark. However some say it will not make it on the east coast some say it will, I guess I will find out. So all in all, I'm in love with everything right now, and for the fist time in twelve years no allergies, no antibiotics. I am glad I nailed that issue. Here are some pictures I took today, don't click em unless you have high speed internet. I was not trying to take good pictures they are just off the cuff shots. "http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a170/mudiver/Friends Album/Heuchera.jpg"
    http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a170/mudiver/Friends Album/HostaParadiseGlory.jpg
    http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a170/mudiver/Friends Album/LogShotXraisedbed.jpg
     
  13. swanny

    swanny Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Here are some recent pictures of my 'Moonfire' planted in 1998, my first maple and one of my favorites! Tree is probably about thirteen years old now.

    Swanny
     

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  14. richardbeasley@comcast.net

    richardbeasley@comcast.net Active Member Maple Society

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    I can see why they say it is iridescent, a most beatiful tree. I would love to see a Fire Glow set next to it to do a compairson. What color is it in July, does it darken up to the point that you can see a "faint blue overtone" (J. M. 3rd Ed. )as the suns rays pass through the leaves?
     
  15. swanny

    swanny Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Richard,

    I have taken a picture of my 'Moonfire' this morning showing the iridescent effect of the sunlight on the leaves, also have attached a photo from June 04 showing the blue cast on the leaves - quite different from the early Spring colors. Just back from purchasing an 'Emperor One to plant between the 'Moonfire' and the 'Bloodgood', should be a nice colorful front yard.

    Swanny
     

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  16. Poetry to Burn

    Poetry to Burn Active Member

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    Nice Plant Swanny,

    Amazing how container grown and a few hundred miles affect the seasonal stages.

    Took these a few minutes ago.
     

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  17. richardbeasley@comcast.net

    richardbeasley@comcast.net Active Member Maple Society

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    Well I am gona have to come over and help you plant that new tree. I see Moon Fire is green out a bit in summer, do you think it is too much sun? It seem to take more time then I have in this life to learn how to properly place a maple for it's best color. This is compounded by the fact that they are trees. I can dig only move trees that are about 2 meters tall, or a caliber of 6 cm maximum, any bigger and it is impossible for me to pull it out of it's hole. The root ball of a tree that size most likely weights in at, 150 kilos or 330 lbs. I just moved a Sango Kaku, that tree was a bit taller them me, and the hole looked like a bomb went off in it. I fist dig a trench out side of the root zone and then dig under and in, folding the roots on top of the root ball covering them with wet burlap. I keep digging down and in until the tree brakes from the ground it is perched on. I then dig a rap to roll get the dolly down into my excavation site. I then slide the tree onto it and pull like hell to get it out of the hole. Once it's out is a piece of cake. Well it is too pretty outside to sit here and type, so I am out with my a full detachment of my gardening armaments. You should see my new hoe, it is a beast, it is almost the size of the hoes that we (they)(I am in Virginia) gave the slaves to work with, it about killed me yesterday.
     
  18. maplesandpaws

    maplesandpaws Active Member

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    Rapidly becoming a favourite of mine, I love the colour, leaf shape, everything about it so far!!
     

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  19. BOBL

    BOBL Member

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    Hi all,
    I live in ocean county nj and am looking to purchase a moonfire maple. I contacted all the nurserys locally and nobody can get me a 10' tree. the out of state nurserys will only fed-x a 6' tree. Can anyone help me locate one?

    thanks,
    Bob L.
     
  20. maplesandpaws

    maplesandpaws Active Member

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    I noticed some spotting on my Moonfire today (see attached); is this anything to worry about, or just due to too much sun?? It was getting several hours of midday sun, but has since been moved. It looks healthy otherwise, despite some crispy leaf edges (d**n Kansas wind)...
     

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  21. Xi-feng

    Xi-feng Rising Contributor

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    Resurrecting this thread for a very small tree:

    20220415 Moonfire.jpg
     
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  22. Acerholic

    Acerholic Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout Maple Society

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    This is fantastic seeing very old threads resurrected Xi. Maybe small but it has impact.
     
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  23. ceriano

    ceriano Member

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    Planted this moonfire a few weeks ago. It has a nice thick trunk (1.5”+) but otherwise it looks like a mess. I guess the nursery pruned it with a machete! Can I go ahead prune it this summer or wait till next year? Also what caused the leaf damage? Is it sun burn or insect?
    I sprayed all trees with copper fungicide and that may have to do with it. Other maples didn’t show any adverse effects.
     

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  24. Acerholic

    Acerholic Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout Maple Society

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    Good morning @ceriano, nothing to worry about, it is just concentrating on it's roots as well as trying to put out leaf. You can give it a Summer shape up this year, but nothing too severe in it's first year. 2023 before it leafs out you can then give it a prune to give it some shape. But tbh I would let it establish for two years before doing anything.
    BTW a few of your photos are sideways and need rotating.
     
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  25. ceriano

    ceriano Member

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    Excellent thanks for the tip! I’ll probably just prune some of the long twigs and leave all the major pruning to next year. When is the best time of year to prune, early to mid June? Also we had a crazy storm this afternoon and looks like the root ball was uplifted some. Should I stake it?
     

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