Hi all, I'm new here but have been greatly enjoying reading all the forums and taking advantage of the great amount of knowledge present on these boards. I am hoping to add a japanese maple to my garden this fall. It will be my first but I've been lusting after one for quite some time. I'm in southeastern Wisconsin, zone 5A. The spot I have picked out for the JM gets nice morning and early afternoon sun but is shaded from the hottest sun. It is also fairly well protected from wind. Because we are so close to Lake Michigan (one house away) we have the benefit of rarely getting stifling hot temperatures at our house. It also helps keep things a touch warmer in winter. The soil is moderately sandy, but not so much that I have to constantly water my perennials. I'm looking for a dwarf or semi-dwarf JM that will top out at no more than 7 feet tall or so (I don't mind doing some pruning to keep it in check). I would like it to be at least 4 feet tall, and ideally more like 5 for a minimum. The location is about 5 feet away from a frequently used garden path so that would be the only limitation on width. Mostly I'm interesting in color, and preferably color that will change with the seasons. I'm quite taken with Wilson's pink dwarf, but it seems that some places call it zone 5 and others zone 6. I'm an instant gratification kind of garderner so I intend to buy a somewhat mature tree if possible (I will probably do mail order as selection in local nurseries is severly limited). I would also prefer it to be a high graft or something that will take a more tree-like form (with some open space under it) rather than a mounding shrub form. Any suggestions or input? I've been pouring over books and internet sites but the variety of JM's gets a bit overwhelming! Thanks in advance.
Even so, nothing delicate. These are hard trees to lose, they have personality. Japonicums and Shirasawanums are good, with strong structure, sometimes spring color or more prominent flowers. I have an A. s. Autumn Moon that is gorgeous and the form is great. They do get larger in the ground, however, so I'm not sure. Most have outstanding fall color. They tend to be more hardy, and some cultivars stay smaller, too. Also Sieboldianum. I love Acer Griseum, but it can get very large over a very long time, and I am not sure how responsive it is to pruning to limit size. I'd look at the books, limiting yourself to the hardiness zone, and don't play around with it because winter wind can augment the effects. Shelter is as important as anything in colder climates. The Mountain Maples website has a finder section that includes height, color and hardiness, so you can look at selections that way, although most heights are for 10 year trees, I think. Finding a more mature cultivar locally might also be challenging. I'm not just knowledgeable of the variable hardiness of palmatums, but the linerilobums stay smaller and are beautiful. There are several varieties with good spring and fall colors. The leaf texture and overall structure can be outstanding, too. I have a 10 year old Koto no ito that is one of my very favorite trees.
Sailorgirl: Don't be fooled by the fancy name 'Wilson's Pink Dwarf'. You will find it quite analagous with Bonfire, Segai, and Akaji nishiki from a color stand point--good spring color and a drag the rest of the year. All great plants but not what you want for seasonal interest. I will defer to someone in your zone for the most hardy choices, but I do like Jacquot's suggestions. I would say Aratama for seasonal interest, but it is one of the first to leaf out in early spring and would almost certainly get frost damaged. I also like Iijima sunago and it seems fairly hardy and good seasonally. It is also a slow grower and won't get too big too fast. Others that have multi-season interest and are semi dwarf or slow growing: Hoshi kuzu, Oregon sunset, you also might like Rugy Ridge (Crumple leaf), Mirte, or Volubile. Forgive me if my list is not very logically arranged or if the selections are a bit strange....it is getting late. MJH