Hi All, I have been growing Acer palm. 'Ibo Nishiki' in a container for about three years. It is really vigorous and the characteristic "warts" are just beginning to appear. Vertrees says its a "strong grower" and I have found that to be true. I was thinking about planting it in the ground next spring. Other than the bark, it is not a really showy maple, so in a container it just looks ordinary. Has anyone grown it in zone 5 or have any thoughts about its hardiness? Kay
I think, in general, Japanese maples are hardy in zone 5. I base this not just upon my own (limited) experience, but also on the discussion in threads here and here and here. The big picture that seems to emerge from these threads is that, while certain varieties like 'Sango Kaku' are known to experience die-back in zone 5, these appear to be the exceptions, rather than the rule. I suspect that we simply don't have strong data about maple hardiness because (a) so many varieties are relatively new and thus haven't been extensively tested, and (b) relatively few avid maple growers live in colder climates like ours. Which is a long way of saying: put that baby in the ground. (In my humble opinion.)
kaydye, Still have mine in a pot in zone 5, put it into a walled- but no top cold frame in the winter. It seems fine. If you plant your in the ground, I will too. It seems rugged. I didnt have any dieback last year.
