How much sun is too much?

Discussion in 'Maples' started by Tyger427, Apr 22, 2008.

  1. Tyger427

    Tyger427 Member

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    Ridgeland,Ms USA
    I live in the southern US, is zone 8. Can any Maple stand full sun? I would like a weeping vareity. As you can guess I'am a newbie. I would love to plant a nice Japanese Maple but I'am afraid that full sun on my property would kill it. Any help would be most welcome. Thanks
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Even here in dullsville purple-leaved and other garden forms of Japanese maples hold up better with some shade. Where the sun blazes in summer it would seem paramount to plant in a cooler position.

    We have quite dry conditions in summer here and the difference with results between a heavily watered site and one that isn't can be like night and day. I have seen similar purple-leaved forms near one another (in full sun) differ markedly in condition between the place with the brownish lawn and the one with the lawn looking like it was spring.
     
  3. dawgie

    dawgie Active Member 10 Years

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    I would check with local nurseries in your area to see what Japanese maple varieties they recommend, but a number of them will handle full sun. However, almost all of them will benefit from some afternoon shade in the South. Regarding weeping varieties, the following red dissectums are more sun and heat tolerant than most -- Crimson Queen, Tamukayama, Garnet and Red Dragon. If your yard doesn't have any shade at all, the leaves might burn around the edges even with these varieties, particularly if the weather is dry and windy. Regular watering can help, but keep it off the foliage if possible and don't overdo it either.
     
  4. katsura

    katsura Active Member 10 Years

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    I grow my 2 big Red Filigree Lace trees in the full hot N Calif sun.
    I agree completely with the sound advice in dawgie's above post.
    Good luck.
     
  5. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    There is no reason to keep water off the foliage.
     
  6. dawgie

    dawgie Active Member 10 Years

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    In the South, if you water at midday, the intense sunlight can concentrate on beads of water and burn leaves. Not a problem if you water early in the morning or evening. Climate is very different between the Pacific NW and Southeast. Sun is much more intense in the SE, and temperatures hotter.
     
  7. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    There are many causes of leaf scorch, but irrigation with fresh water is certainly not one of them.
    Hundreds of scientific publications on crop plants, turf, woody shrubs and trees have examined foliar
    scorch, and not one of them has implicated midday irrigation as a causal agent. What does cause damage,
    however, is suboptimal plant-water relations, which can result in tip and marginal leaf scorch, shoot
    dieback, stunted growth, and leaf abscission. After drought, the most common source of these problems
    is salt, in particular salts containing sodium (Na) and/or chlorine (Cl).


    http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda Chalker-Scott/Horticultural Myths_files/Myths/Leaf scorch.pdf
     

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