Acer palmatum 'Red Filigree Lace'

I noticed that there wasn't a regular thread for Red Filigree Lace. There should be because I think it's one of the most beautiful Japanese Maples in the world. The leaves are breathtaking; it's no wonder it's so expensive. I got mine in it's third year from Forestfarm before it leafed out. Funny thing is, it seems to take more sun than most, even though it has some of the "most finely dissected foliage of all the dissectums." I like it's habit, the softly mounding shape characteristic of most. I've heard the leaves are very pretty in the fall, too. Overall, I really love this one. It's an exemplary choice if you want a good container plant or a good laceleaf.
Hope that helps,
-David-

 

Re: Acer palmatum 'Red Fiilgree Lace'

Since there are no pictures I will add one. It doesn't show much, but you can see how finely dissected the leaves are I think.

 

I was delighted to see your photograph. I think that it helped me to confirm the identity of an Acer palmatum in my garden that I neglected to record the name for (although I thought it was Filigree Lace from the photograph in Vertrees and Gregory). To help me be certain, I hope someone can confirm the individual leaf size; the leaves on my plant are small: 3.5" long with a spread of about 4.75" --does that sound right?

And my next question is what to expect for its eventual size? I bought mine from Allen Haskell in 2003 as a very small tree and it has grown very little since then (happily, since I have it in front of Acer shirasawanum 'Aurea').

 

Unfortunately there are a couple of other similar cultivars that have similar leaves that might add some confusion to your search.

'Beni kumo no su' is similar, but perhaps not quite as finely dissected. I haven't been able to observe both of them for an extended period of time but I think 'Red filigree lace' holds its color a little better. I know my tree held its dark purple maroon color through most of summer without much bronzing. I also noticed that the color was fairly consistent throughout the leaves (even though there isn't much there).

'Red feather' is another similar cultivar with possibly more finely dissected leaves, although I have yet to observe it.

 

my Filigree in autum!

 

"The leaves are seven lobed. However, each lobe is extremely lacy, being more delicately dissected than the type. The lobes are extremely pinnatifid, with the center of lobe being no wider than the midrib--1 mm or less. The dissected side portions are equally fine and interspersed with sharp toothlike divisions. The sublobes are sometimes 1-2 cm long but still mostly only 1 mm wide. As these interlock, they add to the delicate tracery of the leaf pattern. With these finely double-dissected lobes lying close together, the effect is certainly filigree-like. The leaves measure 6-8 cm long and 7-9 cm wide. The petioles are stiff and 1-2 cm long...The rate of growth is not quite as fast as in other dissectums...'Ruby Lace' is very similar to 'Red Filigree Lace', and it is very difficult to pick out any differences, if any, between them. Another name used for 'Red Filigree Lace' is 'Red Lace'."

--JAPANESE MAPLES

If more expensive than others probably due to being hard to propagate from its small and thin twigs.

 

Thank you for the replies to my query. I have uploaded three images: the tree as it is growing today, 11/12/2007, in my garden in Connecticut; a close-up of its branching; and a single leaf. I do believe it is a different cultivar than the one submitted by Alex66. In response to MattwFowler, I compared the description of Beni kumo no su, described as emerging "bright red" in Spring in Vertrees & Gregory, and my tree emerges the same deep burgundy that you see here. It is fuller but grown very little in actual size since I planted it 4 years ago.

 

These are pics of my own plant which I believe may be Red Filigree
They, too, look different from Alex's plant

 

I've wondered in the past about the differences in leaf shape on trees labeled Red Filigree Lace too. The only one I've ever seen in person had leaves just like Lois'. I've understood that to be the red-red form of Red Filigree Lace. If you look at the Esveld site I think you'll find pics of a range of leaf shapes same as this thread under the RFL listing. Is this a variance that occurs on the same plant? Or are we seeing different forms? Jim has commented in the past that the red-red form of RFL has been sold in Oregon for many years as Ruby Lace. But that Ruby Lace is another form altogether (related to Goddard I think). And that there is also a black-red form of RFL.

 

Then we get into what, exactly "form" means in each instance. Actual independent introductions, or just cultivariants arising from the same cultivar, the result of variation in growth coming from different parts of the same stock plant(s)?

 

Just to clarify, according to Jim the red-red form came about from a branch sport from the black-red form and was grafted onto a seedling rootstock that was grown in California.

 

Well Lois, I would say that the plant you have is the same as the one I have although yours is bigger. My boss has one and has indicated that it is slower growing than his other dissectums, and should probably reach about 5x5 in 10 to 15 years.

Unfortunately for alex, I would say that his tree is not RFL. I wouldn't bet on it (both because I have trouble with some of these types and because I can't see from the pic very well), but I think that falls into the Inaba shidare/Oregon Garnet/Red Select category. Nevertheless it looks like it will be a real beauty one day.

 

date of this pics today,i bouth this maple for Rfl the source is not specialised for maple but in the tag the name write was Rfl if not is Rfl........ "banana"for me is very beautiful!!!alex

 

That plants looks more like a 'Red Dragon' to me; does it tend to hold that red color all year long? David

 

Hi maple77 ,yes ,red colour for all year long,but after any months i think that ,isn't Rfl,sorry to all.
Alessandro

 

Alex66, my best guess of what you have is Red Dragon; the leaves look very similar to that, being pretty coarse, and it is one of the best red laceleafs for holding that red color all year long; mine is just leafing out, and looks exactly the same.

Forestfarm.com has a real RFL; last year I ordered one from them, and it arrived in good condition; I think you'll find that the one at Forest Farm is a whole lot different.

Hope that helps,
David

 

David many tanks!! I control in the Forest Farm link....

 

Seems these delicate red dissectums are difficult to distinguish one from another. This is a photo of my Red Filigree Lace taken May 9, 2008. This particular cultivar is low-to-the-ground, a prostrate growth habit, while my two Beni Kumo No Su's both have an upright habit, though the finely dissected lobes are similar to Red Filigree Lace.

 

My RFL just died out of nowhere...I'm really sad, as it was one of my favorites. I'm going to order one from Wildwood within a couple of weeks...just hope that it's as beautiful as the last one!

David

Mapledia--that's a beautiful picture! Does your RFL keep that color all year round?

 

David, my Red Filigree Lace begins the spring with a very nice deep red color, then in the summer it becomes much darker ... a very dark purplish-red almost approaching black, and then in the autumn it lightens up to crimson. The colors are stunning all year long.

 

Barbara,
That sounds really cool! Hopefully mine will be as beautiful as yours...I'm hoping that it will! How old is it?

David

 

Well my Red Filigree Lace arrived yesterday, amidst bad weather...but it is stunning! It's a 2 year, high grafted @ about 2 1/2 feet, and it has large (3-4") leaves that are just, as the name implies, Filigreed wonders! I love the color and I think that Mapledia and I have the same "form" of the plant...as the leaves are the exact shade of burgandy as hers is. I'll post some pictures of it in a couple of days when it "settles" down.

David

 

OK...it looks a lot better today, so here are some pictures, taken this morning. By the way, the plant was purchase from Wildwood Farm in California...so if anyone wants to buy a Red Filigree, it is really a Red Filigree. I know that Alex had a misnamed Red Filigree; this is the real thing. Here they are:

 

David, my Red Filigree Lace is about 4 years old now. It has a very low graft so it's only about 1' high but about 5' wide. Attached is a photo of the summer color to show what I was talking about. This photo was taken July 10, 2007. I've found this cultivar to be a pretty robust grower, and I'm pleased with it. It also seems fairly tough because I've had no die-back whatsoever even with the April/May night frosts in Oregon.

 

Barbara, do you get even the slightest leaf burn on your Red Filigree? Just asking because mine is (even though it is so minute that I had to squint from 2 inches away to see it) and it is in mostly shade--but it is keeping that gorgeous red color. I think that it gets some setting sun (which may be the stronger and more burn-causing kind). I'll post a picture whe I can, if it gets bad enough.

David