Hi, In the country that I live (Turkey), it is very difficult to find these trees and the few available ones were unfortunately quite expensive. However, because I truly love these trees, I ordered 2 of them during the winter. They both came 6-7 feet tall, about 1/2 inch diamater and no branches at all. (They pruned it so that, it only gains height I guess?) With the spring, they started growing nicely, and not only they actually grew higher, they also grew many side branches with many leaves (the leaves came green though, I kind of expected a red color in spring as well. :( ) Anyway, as the leaves got bigger, I figured that they didn't look like regular acer rubrum leaves that I saw on the internet, so I got a bit suspicous although I trust the guy that I purchased the trees from. I made some research and learned that red maple may have 5 lobes like mine (I expected 3) and some of the features do resemble an acer rubrum (like reddish stem colour between the leaves and the bark), but I can't understand which cultivar these trees are. Any ideas? Should I expect a nice fall color or prepare myself for disappointment? :(
Acer pseudoplatanus 'Purpureum'. In Britain, they don't have any decent autumn colour (sort of muddy brown), but colour varies with climate, it might well be better in Turkey's sunnier conditions.
Thanks a lot for your help, but I'd like to ask if you are sure before I accuse the seller with anger. LOL Although, this is not who I bought the tree from, this seller for example seems to sell acer rubrum with a very similiar leaf form. http://gungorfidan.com/album/base0.html Are there no Acer Rubrum cultivars with a very similiar leaf form?
Yes, 100% sure, it's a common tree here. No Acer rubrum ever has leaves anywhere near that large, maximum half or less of the width of yours.
Yes, I agree, this doesn't resemble Acer rubrum at all closely; the tree is common around here. If your supplier isn't accustomed to dealing with Latin botanical names--and some nurserymen aren't--he may have confused a red form of another Acer species with true Acer rubrum. But you should definitely get your money back.
Wow unbelievable. Just when I thought I had 2 nice red maples who loved their place. (one of them grew upright almost 3 feet as well as forming many side branches) I will definitely ask for money back and transplant/return these. In their place I want to plant true A. rubrums, red sunset and/or october glory. Unfortunately I can't find these here or they are insanely expensive. Can you reccomend me a nice website that ships these internationally? If it is not possible to get them as a tree due to shipping difficulties, I am determined to even grow them from seeds, but I can't find those here either. Any advise?
Whereabouts are you in Turkey? Possible that Acer rubrum won't be able to cope with the climate. It would grow well in e.g. Trabzon, but not in e.g. Antalya, or Diyarbakır, or Van.
I agree these are A. pseudoplatanus var atropurpureum, sometimes listed (to my mind improperly) as the cultivar 'Atropurpureum.' The first picture is a giveaway. Esveld ships small plants widely by post and will have what you're looking for. I don't know if they will to Turkey but don't see why not offhand. www.esveld.nl, send them a mail to find out. Be aware that Acer rubrum is not a maple with red leaves, though. (I think you know this, but just to be sure...) The flowers are red. Good luck, -E
The nursery that I bought these trees from responded to me today after my complaint. They accepted their mistake and said that they can ship me correct A. Rubrums ASAP. I have asked them for red sunset and october glory. I hope they can send me those. I live in Izmir and I believe it is zone 9b. I have 2 Acer Palmatum dissectums, and 2 bloodgoods and 3 Attropurpureum types, and planning to purchase a fireglow, inaba shidare, garnet and sangokaku. The ones that are present are in part shade and aren't doing bad (although they do get sun and/or hot wind burns in the hottest time of the summer) so I had hoped that A. Rubrum would also live. Am I wrong to assume this? I heard they do not bad in Italy for example, but of course maybe they do so in the cooler north side there. I had hoped to get one "red sunset" and one "october glory" in the place of these 2 trees, do you think I should go for october glory instead which I believe is more drought tolerant? Or do none of these 2 have a chance here? Thanks, I contacted them, but it seems I need to get an import permission here and I'm not sure it will be possible. :( I will try my best to get these plants though. Aren't red sunset and october glory more dependable for nice deep red fall color?
Good news. Sometimes a nursery will let you keep the "mistake" trees, I hope this is your case here as these are attractive sycamores. I inferred from your first post you were expecting red leaves in spring. My mistake possibly. Whether A. rubrum colors well in fall depends on local climate as well as weather conditions. 'October Glory' anyway is often touted as a tree that colors well in warmer climates. I know 'Red Sunset' (Frank's Red) by reputation only but sounds like a nice tree. BTW I think rubrum should perform reasonably well in 9b once established. -E
I kind of expected maybe the sprouts in spring could be red, yes. But of course the fall color is one of the main reasons I love this tree. I wonder how the Red Sunset performs in areas about zone 9 in USA. It seems October Glory is even harder to find in Turkey.
Izmir will be difficult - it is very hot and dry in summer, which isn't good for Acer rubrum, it likes humid, wetter summers. It will probably survive, but be prepared for sun scorch on the leaves. Irrigation might help, if you have access to plenty of cheap water. Summer shade, at least while it is young and small, will also help. For US readers, a comparable climate would be Fresno, California.
i suggest rubrum October Glory,have good tolerance for usda zone 9,another is rubrum Candy ice.i live in this zone and my two rubrum grown very well but my "fold aquifers" under the earth is only 10 meter
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=52356169383&v=photos&so=75 in this page there is one aytumn pics of O.G...and more
I have never seen good color from Candy Ice in Normandie, anyway. Those are great pictures Alex! I will explore more... On the first page, lower left corner, the green and yellow variegated... is that a maple? And if so, which species and cultivar please? ;) -E
I just bought a small Acer Rubrum (at least I was told it was) which is about 2 feet tall. I am attaching its photo. Is it a true Acer Rubrum this time? And if so, does it look like any known cultivars or is it simply a generic red maple?
