I got my Maple Society Newsletter the other day and was really excited to read the article about Acer pauciflorum 'Blaze Away.' The horticultural part was especially interesting. Here is a recently introduced species that "compares favourably with Acer palmatum, is more tolerant of exposed sites, particularly in respect of wind scorch." It also says the leaves appear later so for people like myself in that zone 5 marginal zone it could open up a whole new hardier group of palmatum-like cultivars. Plus, it seems to be more resistant to verticillium wilt than other maples planted around it where the original specimen is growing. On top of that it is upright, with arching ascending branches. As if that's not enough the leaves are covered in hairs that give it a downy look until late June. The flowers are "densly" hairy with dark purple sepals. In the closing article it stated that scions are being grafted onto A. palmatum to make it available. Maybe someone who is in contact with some of the people who have been working with this maple can give more info. I would imagine that most of the maple world would be salivating to get seed, scion or grafted plant. How long does it/will it take until growers will begin seeing this in cultivation? Five, ten years? Has anyone been working with hybridizing? Has this cultivar been watched for years? In the article it sounds like it was kind of planted and forgotten, then rediscovered at some point. It also sounds like seed has been widely distributed and I'm wondering if there are seedlings out there that are being watched? I sure would like to hear more if anyone is "in the know" about it. Kay Dye
Hi Kay Dye, In the article in the Newsletter it is said that the first propagation for the 'Blaze Away' (grafting onto palmatum rootstock) took place in March 2009 by Peter Catt of Liss Forest Nursery in the UK, thus it will be awhile before your questions on the cultivar could be answered. Only the Wisley people could comment on it. I am growing A. pubipalmatum which seems to be a synonym of A. pauciflorum. Gomero
Wow ! That looks like a acer for colder climate. My question is, would not the hardiness of the plant be lost on grafts made on palmatum rootstock? As a acer grower in the north i´m much more interested in seeds or seedlings of A. pauciflorum than grafted plants. I really hope that all who have them make seeds avaible for more studies and don´t just let them be forgotten in a corner of the garden. One thing that is nice with grafted trees, is that we will hopefully see seeds sooner.
Good point, although I must say I have never had a palmatum rootstock die, it's always the scion. The rootstock resprouts if I let it. But you're right, it might be a way to get some of the fantastic variation that the palmatums give with an increased hardiness. I wonder if people are working with it already? That's what I was hoping to hear someone say. I wonder if seeds have been available already and just not noticed because it was kind of uknown (well, to me anyway)? kaydye
