Am I crazy are these leaves not green?

I bought this tree a few months ago and it was to be a Fireglow. I call the nursery and the owner did agree that something had gone wrong and that all his Acer Palmatum 'Fireglow' were green this year, and that he would not know until fall to see what color the leaves turned before he know for sure if something went wrong for sure. In the mean time I am baby sitting this tree in a pot, so what do you think of this green Fireglow. I am not an expert so I can not call a spade a spade unless I can see all the cards. This is my green Fireglow, it has been in the sun enough to be red, but the real kicker is the new leaves are not red either, they are as green as hay, click the pic to enlarge. Oh I see I am a seedling can't I just be a clone, or a graft.

 

If the rootstock took over the tree, that may be the reason....more likely it just hasn't received enough sun to produce a red color.

 

well you know there is not a scar one on this tree to point to a graft, gut this guy is so good I can never see any scars on any of his trees.

 

You will have to decide for yourself, but I think you are on the right track. No the leaves should not be that color and no the new growth should not be green. Addtionally, I don't think the leaf structure is quite right for Fireglow either.

As to the fact that this guy's grafts are seemless enough that you cannot see them on that age of a plant, hogwash. If it is a rooted cutting then that is a good explantion, but the chance it is a seedling is equally as possible unless his other green Fireglows look exactly like yours. There should be some variability if they are indeed seedlings.

I don't think it is in your best interest to imply he sold you a seedling, but I would stick with your original assertions as they are yours, not ours. I agree with you. I don't see anything about your tree that would make we want to keep it when you know you are going to return it anyway. Just take it back and work out a deal. I don't know what fault he has in the mix up, but I would not assign him any unless you know he is at fualt and you won't be doing business with him again. You know all the rest of how to make friends and prevent a huge disagreement. Just get a new plant or a refund.

GALT

 

Hasn't been grafted then. Period. I've bought from cali to NJ and every cultivar I've gotten has at least a two-tone effect between the rootstock and the actual tree. Could be a plain green jpm.

 

As to getting a refund, he said I could not have a refund until fall, I guess he is thinking I will go away by then, or I would have killed the tree. Boy I hate conflict but I know the tree has had enough sun to turn red if it were indeed a Fireglow. Thanks for the feed back and your time. I guess I will wait until fall because I bought it from a nursery on the other side of the country and I can not, just take it back. This tree would not be affordable for me to buy in my area, and that goes for all of my trees for that matter, because Japanese Maples are only for the very rich, ouh la la. Yes this is the draw back, no and then you get a lemon and hope for the best. He should treat me a bit better then this, as I do plant a few trees on the side for folks, that know me. I could easily buy 10 or more trees in the spring or fall from this nursery, and would have bought more this year but this thing stopped me cold.

 

Welcome to fun world of japanese maples.

 

Hasn't been grafted then. Period. I've bought from cali to NJ and every cultivar I've gotten has at least a two-tone effect between the rootstock and the actual tree. Could be a plain green jpm.

Just got your post it flew in before I was finished with my last one. OK it looks like I have been screwed. Now what, that my problem, but many kind thanks for letting me know, it is better to know then to sit here wondering how this could be.

 

He may have just sent you the wrong tree. It's possible that he rooted it rather than
grafted it. I admit I have little experience with rooted japanese maples, and good luck getting help on that subject here.

 

I've made mention of this kind of thing happening to
people buying Maples. We can find a source that
for a year or two meet our expectations and then they
have some foul ups on their end that probably should
not have ever happened, which gives us a whole
different perspective of them as a seller.

People cannot expect some of us to become involved
in their dispute when we have not seen the plant or a
photo of the plant that was sold to them. I will not
involve myself in such matters unless I know one or
both of the parties pretty well. All I see myself as
being put in the position of being used by someone
I do not know that took a chance on buying a Maple
and then the plant was not what they had hoped they
were getting. How many times have I warned people
about that in this forum?

The plant is not a Fireglow as even this time of
year we should see predominant red in the leaves,
unless the tree was grown in too much shade.
It is not Effigi either in that we should also see
more red in the leaves right now than even a
Fireglow. You cannot very well send the plant
back to the seller but you can ask the seller to
make things right next Spring but it may require
you to buy more plants from that person and
you risk having even more mistakes made and
to be honest any plant that does not meet your
approval next time will make you wish that you
did not just go ahead cut your losses and say
okay, this will be a one time deal and out kind
of thing. You save some real grief later if you
do it this way. Besides, the name of your Maple
should be known to us next year anyway. I'd
like to know what went on for this Maple to
show this much green but still that does not
matter as it is not a Fireglow. We have to
know our sourcing pretty well any more to
get the right plant as some of the Fireglow
propagated in Oregon and later sold around
the country are Effigi, some are even Red
Emperor and some are nothing more than
Bloodgood seedlings. Either way there is
no excuse for this much green seen in the
leaves of your plant being exposed as long
as this tree has to sunlight.

You got your answer to your private message
you sent me a couple of weeks ago. Next time
show some interest in this forum by posting,
even if it is what may be a simple or even a
ridiculous question as then others will more
likely want to help you when you get in the
next jam.

Jim

 

I used the information that I received from this forum as to the need to correct the error. The owner never admitted fault but acquiesced and is suppose to send the correct tree. I could not have made a good argument with out all of your help, so we will see, how honest this guy is. If I was to post all my question I think I would drive yall crazy. I have my books and do my best before I run to make a post. But thanks for letting me know it is OK to post my questions. So how do I turn tap water in to rain water, because noting seem to grow on anything but rain water? Can I post that?

Kind Regards,
Rich

 

As to how he grafts, he grafts about an inch from the root crown, it is very low. I would think grafing that low would cause a lot of problems. He also cut deep and it is as close to a machined graft I have ever seen, done by hand, but I have not see all that much I am just a seedling myself. One day I hope to be a great big old A.P. Moonfire.

 

The leaves are red this year, but the tee has not been grafted so it is unlikely to a true cultivar.