Acer palmatum 'Utsu semi'

The picture below is of A.P. 'Utsu semi' taken in Nov. 6 2005 and shows outstanding fall color on this cultivar. This tree was grafted in 1995 and has been a slow growing maple in the garden reaching only about 1 meter in height. The cultivar has an interesting green color and texture to the leaf and the edges curl under at the tips.

 

An elegant small tree. Very, very slow for me. Always gets crispy before showing any autumn color. Never had anything like NJACER. Last to leaf out, first to crisp out. This August it put out a 2nd flush (very slowly). Vertrees says "a fine landscape plant" -- maybe need to put this one in the ground.

Leaf texture recalls the husks/shells of insects (maybe power of suggestion!)

photo 9/02/7--------------------------------10/9/7

 

'Utsu semi' that I've been growing has 12" shoots this year -- about 5x the size it usually produces. No chem ferts.

 

Wow! I love this cultivar!! Keep posting pics!

K4

 

Hey PTB,

Just curious, where did you get your Utsu Semi?


Thanks,

K4

 

Interesting plant, is this perhaps the least deeply divided palmatum?

-E

 

K4,

Not really sure about the origin of that plant. There is a good chance it could be Herter.

Right now it is not nearly as enchanting as in the spring pic. It's a bit crispy and seems to be saying "move me to a shadier spot." 'Okushimo' right next door is thriving under the same conditions.

Gil

 

Well, I'm a little concerned. I just got an Utsu Semi and it looks nothing like the pictures here. Looking at Vertrees and reading the description, it DOES look and sound like what HE described, but there is little resemblence to your wonderful tree with the extremely shallow lobes, which is what I'm after. I've included a few pics - see what you think.


Regards,

K4

 

Not sure K4,

Your tree looks right to me. Although I agree the lobes in my pic are a little bit shorter and more folded over. I'm not sure if the lobes have always been so short or if it is a newer development.

There are always mysteries with JMs. So many forms, growing conditions, age ..... your tree is looking way happier than mine at the moment.

 

My 'Utsu semi' seems very close to the pic of 'Saotome' at Topiary's site???

 

I have 'Saotome' from Topiary Gardens and it is, I think, quite different in person than from the picture. It does have shallow lobes, but the petioles are red and it has red veins. These probably turn green in more sun, but I have mine in a lot of shade at present. Does yours have red petioles and veins? I think I posted some shots of mine here on the forum, if you want to take a look.

I thought your early pics were really stunning. The orange leaf with green veins really does look like insect skin. Does it get that texture every year? Very interesting and cool! Maybe we could get some scions and do a little grafting? It would be interesting to see if it looked totally different in a different locale.

I found another really interesting cultivar with quite shallow lobes - A.c. 'Sunny Sister'. I have one ordered...

Take care!

 

Here is photos on my Utsu semi with its fall color.

I have found this tree to have a wide growing habit.

 

Here is more photos of the tree in the fall of 2011

 

Here was mine. I lost it this summer...
Fred.

 

Sorry to hear yours died, Fred. This seems like anything but a trouble-free cultivar. I've had mine in the ground for 4 years now and it has shown little new growth, seeming to color and lose leaves early. It has a very attractive habit though. Mine looks like the leaves in K4 and Amazing's pictures. (I would like to find a plant that looks like Poetry's...)

-E

 

Thank you Emery
It has indeed some very attractive habit. It's a very elegant old amoenum cultivar. I used to prune mine in "clouds". I succeeded to keep it 4, 5 years but was getting weaker and weaker with little to none new growth. No fungus though, I think it wasn't happy in the container. Mine was in partial shade.
Lovely spring color: bright green. Fall colors are also gorgeous. Leaf shape is typically amoenum type.
It's a great cultivar. I loved it. Highly recommended

 

I think the "correct" cultivar is the one with the more standard amoenum leaf-- it's what's pictured on the Esveld site, as well as in the van Gelderen book. They say it was part of the list of 1882 (Japanese origin). Any new info on this tree? I'm considering it, but reviews here seem mixed.

 

Yes, it has turned into an absolutely cracking tree. It is still slow growing and not particularly easy, but really worth the trouble. Color isn't good on any maples this year, so here are some pictures from 2016; Utsu semi may still flame, it's very dark right now.

Mine is from Esveld, planted in fall 2008. Quite shady exposition.

It's a lovely bright green leafing out (the name means grasshopper green) and stays a nice shade during the summer before absolutely exploding. It is certainly one of the most eye catching of my Japanese Maples for fall colors, and one of my favorites.

Any idea what PTB's cultivar actually is? I would search that out.

-E

 

Wow, that's quite a stunner, Emery. Thank you for the update! I very much enjoy the sparse branching and leaf shape--

 

Emery, this post made me very curious, so I asked in the JM & Conifers facebook group. Many people there seemed to think it was Acer circinatum, possibly the "Sunny Sister" cultivar. The purple-toned young twigs in the photos fit the description, too.

 

Hi E. I would love to see an update on your tree this year if possible.

 

I'll try and get some pics, it's done very well in spite of the drought.

 

Thanks E. I received one this May. I love the structure. It dropped most of its leaves last month. The buds are swelling like it might leaf out again. I will protect it this winter, then plant it in the spring.

 

Took these just at dusk, before I forgot. The close shots are at eye level, so that gives an idea of the height. (Had wrong pics, hopefully corrected now).

 

Beautiful! Thanks E. Hopefully mine will grow as well as yours.