I noticed my Goshiki kotohime was starting to leaf out the other day, and had a minute to take a few photos today. A few of my japonicum have swollen buds and a few are becoming hairy, but none of my other palmatum show any real signs of life, only minor bud swell.
WOW! That seems pretty early. I just got a few plants from Robert at Mendocino Maples (N. Calif.) and they were starting to push, but he's way down the coast from you.
Our Mikawa yatsubusa and Iso chidori are just about ready to break...probably about the same state as Robert's plants. I havent looked at the Beni kotohime, but it should be about the same condition. The pear growers around here are saying things are 2-3 weeks ahead--just like last year. Temps have been good with a little light snow this past week. last year we had a hard freeze that cuased some problems.....here's me crossing my fingers.
The first leaves of 2011 are gone. Temps dropped down to 15F temps, last week, and killed the juvenile leaves on my Goshiki kotohime. I think the tree will be fine since only a small portion of the buds had opened. The cold weather was unseasonal, but not record breaking. Next year, I'll have to remember to bring it inside if we get arctic temps.
My Goshiki kotohime that I have on the patio is starting to leaf out.Will have to keep an eye on it...
You guys are beating me this year ;-)), no maple has leafed out yet here but many are very, very ready.... Gomero
A one year old dissectum seedling trying to commit suicide: The seedlings are only a metre away from the house in order to protect them from the full effects of the winter, thus a little sheltered, but even so they shouldn't be out this early. (Btw I had a thermometer on them during December's cold weather and the temperature fell as low as -9.4°C).
We've had unseasonably warm weather here and everything is starting to wake up. It may sound ridiculous, but right now I'm praying for snow!! I hate March! :(
A hard frost last night... Only maples out are ginalla seedlings, which won't be harmed, but many shrubs have started, it's bizarre with crocuses going and daffs just starting! What worries me is that a lot of maples the buds are big and very well developed, a couple warm days and pensylvaticum, olivarianum ssp formosanum will certainly leaf out. Even the various pictums are close... Others that are early like mandshuricum haven't budged and most of the palmatums seem to be holding on. Dangerous times. We are apt to see frost until the "Ice Saints", 11,12,13 May. -E
yes this year in EU is a crazy march many maples like emery write are ready for sprout ,but in my zone the snow is again present in the high hill (around 750- 800 slm)..tomorrow i fertilize..:)
Here in Wales UK it has been a horrid, long, cold, grey, wet winter. Had a hard frost on at least 3 nights this week. As it was such a beautiful sunny afternoon, I had a stroll round the garden, looking at the flowers on snowdrops, daffodils, crocus, hellebores, daphne, corylopsis, hepatica, cyclamen, erythroniums, ypsilandra, hacquetia, cornus etc etc. Sadly Hamamellis are all over for this year. Even Arisaema nepthenthoides has a spathe bud on it! Prunus mume Beni-chidori flowers have just started to open. I was completely amazed to see Acer palmatum Kotohime covered in small leaves. It is planted in the ground under the shelter of oak trees. No other Acer palmatum is showing any sign of life yet. Sorry the pic is not brilliant as the light levels at 5.00pm were rather low.
Hi Silver surfer, It maybe is surprising that a palmatum leafs out this early in your place, but it is not surprising that it is the 'Koto hime' since the Hime group is always the first to leaf out of all palmatum cultivars. Gomero
Are those pots outdoors or inside some kind of shade house? No new leaves in our landscape yet. Although, the Ribes s. / Flowering currant flower buds are emerging. : - )
The first to open in my garden this year was Acer palmatum 'Aureum'. The 'Katsura' 20 feet away is swelling, but clearly behind. I don't yet own a 'Koto hime'. My 'Beni hime' is very swollen but not yet open.
Many of the container maples in my garage overwinter have started to leaf out, with the kotohimes first, just like everyone else. I pulled them all out of the garage for a week, then temps dropped, so put them back in, so they will have to sit in the garage again for awhile. I used to stress about this (no light in garage), but they are so darned accomodating that it just doesn't seem to phase them at all. Those in the ground have swollen buds, but none have broken yet. I keep the smaller ones wrapped up until there is grass actively growing because the deer seem to like the tips of branches in early spring. I guess it's the sugar. Kay
About 80% of my maples have leafed out already due to the unseasonable warm weather. We are lucky that, so far and as far as the meteorological models can see, the warm weather will continue with no risk of frosts. I have put together an album showing some maples with their first leaves and flowers, you can see it here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=104850&id=1099441879&l=94ee3ffb04 Gomero
Enjoyed you facebook page very much Gomero. It's a pleasure and informative to find the correct name associated with the photo.
Always great to see the photos Gomero, and amazing how far advanced you are over us... no palmatums out at all here! And, belatedly congratulations on your society promotion! :) -E
Thanks guys, it is a pleasure to share with other maple fans. @Emery: the Himes are already turning green!!!!, are you going to the Maple Symposium? Gomero