Acer saccharum 'Monumentale'

Discussion in 'Maple Photo Gallery' started by yweride, Apr 12, 2005.

  1. yweride

    yweride Active Member 10 Years

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    This is the only one i've ever seen. anybody else?
     

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  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Re: acer platanoides 'monumental'

    The one you have shown is a sentry maple, Acer saccharum 'Newton Sentry'.

    "In 1954, B. Harkness proposed the name A. saccharum 'Newton Sentry' to replace F.L. Temple's name A. saccharum 'Columnare', since the latter was hopelessly confused in the nursery trade with Temple's A. saccharum 'Monumentale'. The confusion has remained, and even authoritative books and reputable nurseries continue to bungle the names and descriptions." - Arthur Lee Jacobson, North American Landscape Trees

    A sentry maple in Spokane, WA was 60' high in 1988. A commercial property near me had several until recently, when it was redeveloped.
     
  3. mr.shep

    mr.shep Well-Known Member 10 Years

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  4. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Re: acer platanoides 'monumental'

    "There are two quite dissimilar cultivars, and yet mass confusion. Usually this cultivar has been sold as 'Columnare' but that name, although both oldest and most apt, has been proclaimed invalid because of a technicality. Moreover, the name 'Columnare' has also been applied to 'Temple's Upright' and to another clone ('selected from the best of those planted by Barney Slavin in Rochester, New York') sold by Scanlon nursery of Ohio in the 1960s and early 70s. The original 'Columnare' which is now properly called 'Newton Sentry' is pencil-slim, almost ludicrously skinny. It has few ascending branches, with several competing central leaders and stubby lateral branches. The leaves are dark, leathery, hairy beneath, with wavy margins. Fall color is primarily yellow and orange. The original specimen was discovered (<1871) in the yard of Claflin Grammar School of Newton, MA, and later (<1885) moved to Newton Cemetary. It was introduced commercially in 1885-86 by F.L. Temple of Shady Hill nursery of Cambridge, MA, as (here is the technical objection) A. saccharinum 'Columnare'. It is likely a cultivar of the BLACK SUGAR-MAPLE (supspecies nigrum)." - North American Landscape Trees
     
  5. mr.shep

    mr.shep Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Re: acer platanoides 'monumental'

    I learned, right or wrong, the less narrow more pyramidal
    form and the slower grower of the two to be the Newton
    Sentry synonymous with Columnare whereas I learned the
    other Maple, the narrower and more stricta form, to be
    Temple's Upright synonymous with Monumentale. It
    does make one wonder how the Maples are labeled at
    Maples of Washington Park Arboretum since they
    consider themselves to have both forms. Which one do
    they consider to be the narrower in growth habit of the
    two Maples?

    The problem with the naming is still rampant depending on
    where we are located. In certain circles in Europe it seems
    the Monumentale and Columnare still are synonymous. What
    a mess!

    http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantlist.asp?code=CMCN+

    http://jardinjp.com/galleries/galerie-Acer/AAC771-Acer s, 'Monumentale-Columnare'.html

    Jim
     
  6. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Re: acer platanoides 'monumental'

    I haven't noticed how they are labeled at the Arboretum. You can contact Jacobson via his web site, if you like. He lives nearby, has been there alot recently.
     
  7. mr.shep

    mr.shep Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Re: acer platanoides 'monumental'

    Hi Ron:

    I think this subject has reached its end for now. I know
    how to tell the two forms apart, at least for me. I will
    let others put the right name on the right plant. What
    I don't want to see is one arboretum list them one way
    and see another arboretum have them labeled backwards
    from the other. Then I'd get a little upset at someone.

    The Newton Sentry in an elevation around 2500- 4000
    feet grown near here will turn some scarlet for Fall color
    starting from the top of the tree downward. Quite striking
    in some years when we almost get a 3 tiered colored effect
    of red, then orange and then golden tones at the lower
    portions of the Maple.

    At least people will know thanks to you that the photo shown
    above is not that of a Norway Maple. Mr. Jacobson got into
    more information on these forms than I knew but I still foresee
    real problems in the naming to last for a long while. What I
    thought was interesting was that Mr. Jacobson and the RHS
    felt that Monumentale was a cultivar of the subspecies. I am
    not sure about that but I am also not going to argue with them
    either as they just may have it right - Acer saccharum subsp.
    nigrum 'Monumentale'
    . Unless there is a third form and I do
    not even want to go there. Time to move onto the next Maple
    I think.

    Best regards,

    Jim
     
  8. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Re: acer platanoides 'monumental'

    A new one is 'Barrett Cole' APOLLO(R) PP 10590. It may also be a black maple: a columnar sugar maple I saw at the J. Frank Schmidt Arboretum in 2002 had black maple foliage - but I don't remember if it was definitely this same introduction. Those interested in seeing a full description can try a Plant Patent Number Search on the US Patent and Trade Office web site.
     
  9. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Re: acer platanoides 'monumental'

    I sent an email to a friend who works for the Washington Park Arboretum to see if they had anything to say about the trees. I received this from Randall Hitchin, the WPA registrar (and de facto curator):

    "We have a fair amount of faith in both of these accessions; they came
    from the same reputable source. We presume there was no mix-up. On the
    other hand, Brian Mulligan (then-Arboretum Director) and Mr. Harkness
    (the man who named the cultivars) went back and forth on the identity of
    them, according to our information. So it's certainly within the realm
    of possibility there is a mistake."


    This does not answer the question of which is which, but if the Director at the time was in communication with Mr. Harkness, I would hope that the maples are labelled correctly.
     
  10. mr.shep

    mr.shep Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Re: acer platanoides 'monumental'

    Hi Eric:

    Thank you for trying. We may get an answer yet as to
    which is which. Things could be even better if they can
    provide some photos of their two Maples. Perhaps they
    may name their "reputable source" as it can come in
    handy to know that later should any headway be made
    on this dilemma.

    I hope that for now we do not place too much thought
    into "Black Maple" (Acer nigrum or Acer saccharum
    subsp. nigrum) as I think that can confuse the current
    issue at hand even more so than it already is.

    Thanks again for your help,

    Jim
     
  11. orangeman

    orangeman Member

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    Re: Acer platanoides 'Monumental'

    have one in my back yard it is about 10' tall by 6"wide.Great fall show and conversation piece.
     

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