Does Beni shichihenge ever keep its pink color throughout the summer--or will it fade to white from the sun? Is there any maple that has substantial pink in it throughout the seasons?
We rarely see much white at all on Beni schichihenge here in my area of Oregon. The bright orange-pink of spring will become more subdued, but it does not change to white. Overall, the veriegation of this cultivar is most outstanding in the spring and becomes less noticeable as the season moves on. As with many other similar cultivars, the new growth each year shows much less veriegation, so we rely on the growth from old wood in the spring to give the best color. It does have a tendency to revert and that will require attention to pruning out the reverted branches, but I have not seen this yet on my 5 year old tree. Overall, if you want a tree with this coloration, I am not sure if it is the best or not. I am not thrilled with my tree except in spring, and then it is really only spectacular when viewed up close. Some forms of Butterfuly are a bit nicer, and I just picked up a new tree in a liner called Shojo no mai which may hold its color a little better into summer, but has the same orange-pink color. I am not sure yet. MJH
I have just planted two of this tree this year. I have not formed an opinion yet. So far I like the color because it is different.
