Get the 'Usugumo' it is really hard to graft and as a result very rarely available. Can't do better than getting one of these from Matt and Tim, and the other stuff will be available later. It may be that mine struggle a bit because of the really low pH, though 'Hoshi yadori' does fine right next to one of the 'Usugumo'. I really want to get 'Hot Blonde' into the garden, it looks like a real winner. Another yellow to consider is the excellent A. buergerianum 'Michael Steinhardt'. I got one of these from Matt a couple of years ago, it's very pretty although doesn't have it's feet well under it.
That's looking fantastic D. I'm just counting the days until it comes over here and when it does, I will be the first in the queue to buy one.
Alex blog have lovely pics of his trees. I use to look at it all the time until I lost the link. Now I have it again. Thanks Alex @alex66 Do you prefer it in full?
One thing I'm particularly struck by with 'Usugumo' is how different the plants are. Our 3 are all from Esveld, and presumably from the same mother plant. But look at them today: Plant 1, morning sun only, very pink: Plant 2, afternoon sun, very yellow: Plant 3, pretty shady but colder and windier, pink but only just getting started:
How large are Usugumo leaves. Granted leaves look much -larger- on pics IME that when seeing them in person ? My 2 Usugumo looks just like Emery. One Yellow. One Pink. Foliage is small but it's a baby plant
For those growing Usugumo, how Sun Tolerant is it as the summer rays come along While it's still early in the season, I initially moved it into heavy shade since I thought it was scorching on it's initial pinkish foliage. Right now, I have in more sun- less dappled that shades around 4-5PM in -mid spring- weather temps. Leaves have fully developed and so far no stress or scorching. I'm going to expect to put it back into earlier shading as the season progresses. More importantly, no wilting....or stress so far, but I received them with a really (not for a good choice of words) extremely poor root system.
Hi MD, the sun on the island is much stronger than in Normandie, unless you're way out at the tip, and even then. I think it takes sun pretty well, I get more problems from too much wet during the pink phase, than too much sun. Because we are way north of you (about on a latitude with Hudson Bay) the sun is still very low during even the early part of June, so some of the maples get a lot more sun than if it were overhead. -E
Can we talk about understock ? I just emailed the seller where I got mine from - it is growing.... He said his *friend* comes to his place and does the grafting for him *presuming his friend took Scion Wood from the Usugumo tree he had on the property I just asked what under stock was used on the Usugumo and his response was *Acer Palmatum* Is that possibly accurate ? I thought it was generally something like Acer Truncatum and not regular red/green Acer Palmatum
You're right. You can graft it on platanoides, but it is usually grafted on truncatum, which is the closest affinity besides pictum. It won't work on palmatum, because that doesn;t have sap with the white latex. -E
Well, I'm going to assume:presume it was grafted on Acer Palmatum per the sellers reply. Just short of the graft taking (plant is growing), is there any drawback on Palmatum vs. truncatum. Does it change any of the growing habitats of the cultivar up top
You should be able to tell palmatum rootstock from truncatum by the bark. Can you provide pics of the graft union?
