Nice deep purple-red leaves slightly larger than bloodgood. Bronzes out in August. Fall color scarlet.
I would not say, like Whis4ey, that this is my favorite Japanese maple (in fact my favorite changes every 2-3 days ;o)). However I like it very much and while, even in full day sun, it greens out in the Summer, the new growth is breathtaking. The two pics were taken today and in the second one the new and old growth are present. The plant was propagated at Hergest-Croft and itis in a large pot in full sun as said above. Gomero
You've a point there! Sigh. We had about 3 days of sun last week and the temps reached the mid 20s, but still dropping to single digits at night. Now back to cold, rain, wind again. We're heading south -- the Rhone Valley -- for a week in the hope of seeing that funny yellow thing... That said, Okagami is not a new plant for me, in fact it's the first maple I bought in France. It has always held its colour very well. (It started life in a pot on a Paris balcony, I can't remember if it greened a little there, but it may well be.) cheers, -E
The okagami specimens at the nursery in south carolina have held up OK in full sun, but from what I've seen not as well as bloodgood. In fact, moonfire has been the most impressive at holding color even though it is a darker purple cultivar and less red (of course the soil could be the deciding factor). The fireglow specimens have been the best of the more red cultivars, but they are a bronze red now after this 105 F weather for the past two weeks. Most of everything is defoliating quickly so I guess it will not matter soon.
Seriously this time...... I have seen this year in central and northern parts of France many palmatum cultivars that, against expected behavior, have kept their Spring colors throughout the Summer. For instance, today I was shown pictures of a Deshojo in Eastern France stunningly red at this time of the year. The only explanation I can think of is the weather you have had: unusually cool and very rainy. In my area we have had a normal Summer and their behavior is as expected (i.e.: my Deshojos are their normal dull brown-green) Gomero
I have been putting together a new slideshow of autumn colours and I have been amazed at how much difference there is in the colours of the same tree in different years This year, with so much wet cold weather I have one small tree that has already taken autumn colour and lost its leaves, and others which are, quite simply, behaving very strangely indeed .....
For sure it is a bizarre year. I have a Sango kaku that is sporting lovely red (!) fall foliage and has been for a month! But Okagami is a mature tree here, I have never noticed much greening. It also resists the sun, even in 2003 it showed very little scorch. Back in Normandie, it was 28 C and sunny in the Drome, on arrival here 12 C and foggy... -E P.S. OK, just looked at the plant, very decorative now with lots of new leaves. In fact, the older leaves are veering towards a coppery green in the interior in some places. Others holding the purple entirely. Probably because of less sun this year!
While I agree with all the above comments, like this is not exactly in my "top ten" JMs, it sure is a graceful and interesting tree. This particular specimen is in almost complete shade all morning, and then it gets blasted with direct intense afternoon sun for about 4 hours each day. It exists in an area where there is lots of old rotting downed timber, and the soil is marvelous loamy soil with old bark and a zillion earthworms. I was surprised and delighted by the leaf color in the summertime. The photo on the left was taken April 13, 1007 and the accompanying photo was taken on July 11, 2007 of the same tree.
Proud Parents Norm and Gwen announce the adoption of Okagami Born circa 2003 and welcomed to share our home with many new siblings May 31, 2008
the first photo is of the okigami in the first part of July. Phot0 2 is in august. the tree most of the dark purple has changed to this orange/red. The light is different which makes photo 1 darker. A couple days later it is turning more orangish red. Added more photos of it just before the leaves fall off
Sad to report in this thread that my Okagami succumbed over several years to verticillium. I kept cutting and cutting, finally there was a stump with some whips, then they gave up. I have to get a mini-backhoe in to dig out the stump and roots now. Sad for me as it was one of my best and largest palmatums. I will certainly replace it, as it held color brilliantly and took the full (Normandie) sun very well, but for now I am only getting little trees so it will be a long while before I have one at the former stage. -E
This is so sad. I think so many of us have had this experience, and it always seems to happen to a favored cultivar. Emery, I hope you have kept track of where you purchased your Okagami and will let the nursery know what has occurred. Perhaps they will replace your Okagami with a verticillium-free one now.
Okagami in fall has a nice red color with just a hint of orange as you walk around it. The tre has great structure with a little wider growing habit than tall. The bark does have a purple color to it.
