Acer palmatum 'Ueno yama'

This is a light-colored spring addition to the garden which provides a fresh pure yellow color. At least in my garden, it's leaves are identical to Ueno Homare's except that Ueno Yama's are larger at 6 cm. This photo was taken April 15, 2007. Ueno Yama and Ueno Homare are presented best with a background of conifers (redwoods, mugos, etc.) and rhodies. They will certainly brighten up the landscape and I'm surprised I don't see them more often in maple gardens.

 

Great color in spring. Like katsua

 

Ueno yama came up in another thread and when I looked here, I was surprised to see how little has been written about this tree.

So while I'm not an expert, I'll chime in with my observations.

From what I've seen, it lies somewhere between Katsura and Orange Dream. As with Orange Dream, I want it in enough sun that it colors properly after the first flush of orange. In the right location mine holds onto its yellow longer than Katsura and in the summertime is a very limey green. Not as bright as Orange Dream (when in the right spot) but brighter than Katsura.

However, too much sun and the leaves will scorch. I know "too much" is a relative term and frustrating, but with this tree I'd advise fiddling with it. Give it just enough that it almost scorches. Some have mentioned they keep theirs where it scorches in order to get full color and just live with the sun damage. I tried that one year and lost a good portion of the crown. So be mindful when pushing the tree's limits.

All but one images are of Ueno yama and the third image is of Katsura (the shorter, bushier tree). I took a bunch of photos of Orange Dream, Katsura, and Ueno yama on the same day. Regrettably, it seems I didn't label them. But the fact that I can't tell the close ups of leaves apart in that group of pictures drives home the point that in the spring, they're very similar.

 

I would personally put Ueno yama a little closer to Katsura than Orange dream, but I agree it is intermediate. I have kept my orange dream and ueno yama in full sun all day until about 3 pm and that seems to be the limit before severe burning occurs in my area. Orange dream has not held up in sun nearly as well, only a couple of hours of direct will damage it by mid summer.

 

There is a big difference between 'Katsura' and all other Spring yellowed cultivars (including 'Ueno yama' but excluding 'Akane' which is also early leafer but much smaller and very orange at first): it leafs out first, well ahead of the others. For about 2 weeks 'Katsura' is the king of the garden, no competition. When 'Ueno yama' is at its best there are many others competing from attention, including 'Orange Dream' which, for me, has better colors than 'Ueno yama'. I think all maple enthusiasts must have a 'Katsura' in their garden.

Gomero

 

Very true.

I was wondering when 'Ueno yama' leafed out in relation to 'Katsura', 'Orange Dream' and the others so thanks for the information.

 

I have not had that much span of leaf out difference with my maples. Ueno yama leafs out about 3 to 4 days later than katsura for me on average, but most of my maples have been in containers and I know that can alter it. I don't have all of my notes with me, but in 2009 katsura opened first on march 15, and ueno yama and shishigashira were out by the 17th of march (along with a couple of other early dwarfs). Circinatum Monroe and Shirasawanum Moonrise were last on the 3rd of April. If memory serves me right, ueno yama and the early dwarfs were a few days later than katsura, but not nearly as late as orange dream.

 

That jibes with my recollection as well. Just going from memory, my Ueno yama leafed out within a week of my Katsura. They were both in the ground and both in very similar growing conditions. They were only about 20 feet apart from each other. But come to think of it, I had moved the Ueno yama the previous year while it was out of leaf. That may have thrown things off. And I moved it again this year to more sun so now it will have a fresh move and a different microclimate from the Katsura. But, even so, I will endeavor to keep track of things better this year.

I will say that I don't recall ever seeing the clear yellow displayed in mapledia's post on my own tree. But maybe that's just faulty memory. It's been awhile since I've had it in any great deal of sun.

 

In my garden I usually have a 10-14 day window where the only palmatums in leaf are 'Katsura' and the 'Kiyohime' types and maybe some other dwarves. Then come the corallinum group maples and 'Orange Dream' etc., but the "king" and the princesses do have the stage to themselves for the best part of two weeks.

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Some sources (eg Japanese Maples 4th ed.) have 'Ueno yama' listed as a synonym for 'Ueno homare'. Anyone have any thoughts on that?

 

The European form of Ueno yama is more
of a golden yellow in the Spring. The Japanese
version of Ueno yama is more of a golden
orange color as it is emerging of which the
orange overtone soon fades to a bright yellow
by the time the leaves are fully expanded in
the Spring.

I know of some older trees of Katsura
that are knockouts in the early Spring.
No argument from me in regards to how
well this Maple is revered by its Spring
color showing. Then again the orange
overtone coloration as the leaves are
emerging is perhaps the best for this
golden orange color series of Maples.

The rust orange coloration in the Spring
emergence of Ueno homare and more
recently Calico are quite a pleasant
sight as well but overall for the early
emerging green leaf Spring palmatum
types, it is hard to beat the coloration
of Katsura and Kiyohime akame.

[For us, we have four forms of
Kiyohime that start their leafing
out process about a week before
our Katsura do. The last two
years all of the Kiyohime and
Katsura were emerging by mid
February. As a matter of fact
our Kiyohime akame which
did not drop its Fall leaves until
mid December has buds that
are starting to swell a little
already this year. A Winter
freeze that is perhaps overdue
will abate this bud swell rather
suddenly however.]

We have to remind ourselves that
there are orange color variants
that all pretty much leaf out
earlier than so many others
in the palmatum type Maples.

Golden yellow with orange
overtone with reddish bronze
leaf edging is the old standard
palmatum Aureum. Golden
orange with reddish bronze
leaf edges is Katsura. Golden
yellow with little orange overtone
with reddish bronze edging
is Ueno yama and Ueno
yatsubusa. Burnt orange,
rust color, with reddish
bronze edging is Ueno
homare and Burnt orange,
rust color, without the reddish
bronze edging is Calico.

I agree with mapledia that
both the Japanese and
European forms of Ueno
yama have slightly larger
sized Spring growth leaves
than Ueno homare has.

Of this orange color to
orange overtone series
of Maples, Orange Dream
should have by far the
largest sized leaves, once
the leaves have fully
expanded of this early
Spring leaf out group.

Jim

 

Nice and complete explanation as usual, Jim.

I've thought that to have a useful thread it would be nice to have the picture of leaves together.
First two pics are Katsura at leaf out (which in my garden varies between mid to end March depending on the winter), there are 3 days difference between the two pictures shown. The third one is Ueno yama which leafs out between early to mid April in my garden and the fourth one Ueno homare, with the same leaf out period as Ueno yama, but shows more green than the others, maybe because is not true to type or because is in a much shadier position than the others. Last pic is Orange Dream at leaf out which usually takes place about one week after Katsura and one week before the Uenos.

Gomero

 

I have three of them, two of them look pretty beat up. This one has been in a shady location and looks good This is the color in the end of July 2011. The tree which were in more sunny locations have a yellow colored leaf.

 

the tree is now starting to show fall colors

 

Here is my new Ueno yama. I added photos of the tree after it got a hair cut.

 

I love the springs colors on this one :)

 

It was fun reading this thread started in 2011. Is it still the opinion that Ueno yama and Ueno homare are distinctly different trees? Thanks for any insight.
Mary

 

Lovely tree from Diana (Topiary Gardens).

 

Early one to leaf out.

 

17th August 2020, now three days of heavy rain and my trees are picking up at last.
My first posting of my Ueno yama as it's very young, but I thought it deserved a run out.
No problems in the heat, so showing it's a strong cultivar.

 

26th September 2020 when all around is doom and gloom, some maples are still showing new growth however cold it is. And my Ueno yama has both.

 

7th October 2020 and my maples are either turning to Autumn colours, or have new Spring like growth or the leaves are just ready to drop. Such a strange year.
I was asked about my Ueno yama a few days ago but forgot to post it. Tbh little has changed, but here it is.

 

31st October 2020 and my Ueno yama has turned so well I added two photos. Once again the greens dazzle.

 

The start of another year of colour from wonderful maples. Today the 30th March 2021, it is bright and getting warmer by the minute, so the close up of my Ueno yama buds was a must for posterity on this forum IMO.

 

D, I can’t believe how bright mine are right now. They are glowing as they begin to open

 

What a great time for we maple lovers. So exciting !!