This very rare maple has unusual deep green foliage divided into 5 leaflets. Vigorous grower with durable leaves that withstand the sun well. It is an upright tree with very open and airy structure to about 20 feet depending on culture and conditions. My planted 8 year old tree is 12 feet tall. Fall color is very nice orange to scarlet red. Native to China.
Flowering and fruiting in a greenhouse near Seattle. A few seedlings have been grown, so apparently it is at least partly self-fertile.
Here is the Pentaphyllum I am growing from Robert. A great tree that I can't say enough about. These photos were taken a couple of weeks ago as a good deal of new growth was emerging. I am glad I snapped these photos as some of the leaves on the tree have been attacked by what appears to be a fungal disease and secondy mite infestation. All within a few days the foliage dried and dropped on one primary branch. Normally hardy, I suspect growing the tree under a low canopy of everygreens may be problematic in combination of over 100 degree-induced stress on the container grown tree. Spraying completed this evening. MJH
Pair of Acer Pentaphyllums, 5/25/07 Cape May, NJ. First plant from Mendocino Maples. Second plant from Forest Farm. Planted this spring. Looking good so far, seems to appreciate the sharp drainage. It's been real dry so supplemental watering here and there. Curious about hardiness as it gets below 10F here.
I read that this tree does not set viable seeds. How is it that this tree could have lived thousands of years and yet sets few or no viable seed. Has anyone seen the samaras from this tree, or has any one seen a flower on the tree. Well I hope some one is still subscribed to this thread. I which I could see a picture of A. pentaphyllum that is more then just a few years old.
Speaking generally, and not about this maple specifically any instance of reports of lack of viable seed could be in reference to trees in cultivation (at a particular time), not entire wild population. Sometimes stock in commerce consists of one clone, this is often the case in Europe for instance. If a species is dioecious or requires cross-pollination, there will be a lack of viable seeds as many or all of the specimens involved are fractions of the same genetic individual. "Flowers yellow, rarely seen. Samaras 2 cm (3/4 inch) long, in cultivation rarely seen and not viable. Native to the Yalong Valley in southern Sichuan Province in China, very rare if not extinct. Discovered by George Forrest in 1926 and described by Friedrich Ludwig Emil Diels in 1931. The oldest tree and the one from which others in cultivation have been derived grows in the Strybing Arboretum, San Francisco, California. This rare maple is difficult to propagate and has to be grafted onto understocks that are in fact not closely related to the species. It is also rather tender and must be grown in sheltered gardens. Nevertheless, it is a 'must' for maple collectors. Zone 7 (Europe 8)" --Gelderen/Gelderen, MAPLES FOR GARDENS Jacobson, NORTH AMERICAN LANDSCAPE TREES says it was discovered by "J. Rock" (1929) and that it's been grown on this continent since 1939. Buchholz & Buchholz, Gaston, OR have sold it wholesale since 1993-4. "Not very cold hardy." J. also gives a record of one in Occidental, CA 35' high during 1995. This would be the specimen at Western Hills nursery that I have heard about, wonder if van Gelderens put it down as being at Strybing by mistake (Jacobson gives no record for Strybing - although he didn't record the big Kashmir cypress at the Huntington either).
Thanks for that run down , it is most kind of you to take the time to do so. So as I understand it, there may only be one clone that we are using to populate the current inventory for the trade. Compounding foresaid premiss with the argument that the tree is dioecious can propose for us a conclusion of infertility. How would one learn which of the two sexes any one tree would be? Excellent insights Ron, if I find some concrete answers, specific to this tree I will for sure make a post. I certainly like the idea of preserving a tree and especially one that is as beautiful as this one. So what is needed is some minor genetic variance within this species. Thanks for giving me the location of some of these tree, I will put the nose to the ground and see what I can find out. ټ
I think I saw something about a re-introduction, maybe on this web site. The small ones shown above at the Seattle arboretum would be pretty likely to be seedlings. Some years ago it was decided they would emphasize planting of wild species there, received primarily from other institutions. Grafted stock of a horticultural clone wouldn't conform to the mindset as well. I also saw an article somewhere about an expedition to the wild habitat, where I think they did manage to find at least a few individuals - even bring back viable seeds.
Hi Richard, I sent you by standard email with an attachment, on Acer pentaphyllum a couple a days ago,as I have had a problem with my UBC connection, and was unable to make attachments in the normal way, hopefully it has righted itself, did you receive it OK? Ashizuru........
Richard, The URL below points to an article by Bill McNamara on the Quarryhill Botanical Garden website which elucidates the status of Acer pentaphyllum, in cultivation and otherwise, better than anything I have ever seen. I hope you find as interesting and informative as I did. Ashizuru...... http.www.quarryhillbg.org/page11.html
This article mentions plants at RBG Edinburgh; however, a search of RBGE's online catalogue does not list it, so they must have lost it subsequently.
Some of my one year old pentaphyllum seedlings. Seeds started to germinate without any cold stratification briefly after sowing (6 from 25 seeds). Now I have five small plants. I know it is not the best maple for our climate but I like it :-) Ota pictures from last year recent photos
Great job Otta, How did you find viable Pentaphyllum seeds? As far as hardiness 2 trees that I am growing made it through us zone 7 winter no problem, no dieback. It dropped into the single digits F in my location last winter. Gil
Which means what?? Bear in mind that someone in the Czech Republic - like anyone else outside the USA - won't have a clue what that means. Please convert to standard measures.
The Fahrenheit temperature scale it is not a big problem for me. The Internet is full of F/C C/F converters. I think I am in zone 6 (http://www.backyardgardener.com/zone/europe1zone.html), about 20 km from Prague (the capital). Maybe later I will try to overwinter some of these maples outdoor. And what about grafting to A. buergerianum? Does it improve its hardiness? Where did I find seeds? Last year I was in Melbourne for a few weeks and when walking in local botanical garden I found that maple. I was fascinated by its leaves. It was in june during australian mild winter. There were two small trees (~ 2 m) with bunches of samaras so I ask a guardian to pick some seeds. And I have a luck :-) Ota Here is a picture of leaves of parental tree
Ota, Very impressive. How cold will it get in you location in winter? Michael F you seem to be the only reader confounded by Celsius::Fahrenheit. I recall from a previous post that "standard measures" is another term that you find confusing. Maybe get a tutorial from Ota?
Hi Poetry, You're missing the point: using F, and thereby forcing readers to learn and use the stuff, and to have to make the effort to do the tedious calculation to find out what it means, is an act of American imperialism. "Standard" means that which is used by 192 out of 193 nations worldwide, i.e., Celsius. Why should the 192 be required to follow the demands of the one?
I think that everyone has made their point. Don't forget that this thread started as a discussion about Acer pentaphyllum.
Gil, It can sometimes fall to about -20 °C. But I don't think it's a crucial parameter for hardiness. Here can be big temperature changes during winter. For example some week in february it can grow up almost to 20 °C above zero and then again -10 °C in march. It's realy bad for early budding plants. However until now I succeed in outdoor cultivating of Sequoia sempervirens (5 years from seeds) whose cold hardiness come under zone 7-9 . It change only its color to bronze in winter. Ota
Ota, My location is stabilized by the ocean so there are rarely huge fluctuations in temperatures. I figured that Pentaphyllum would not be especially vulnerable because it breaks bud later in spring. Does it leaf out early in CR?