I just got a 2 to 3 year old Shaina today and want to plant it in full, all day sun, south facing yard, in Atlanta, GA. Zone 7. I have heard that JM do better in part sun, but... Has anyone planted Shaina in full, all day sun? What Zone? Where? How hot does it get? Does it get sun burned in the summer? Do you water regularly in summer? How long have you had it in full, all day sun? How has it performed? I am really excited about this beautiful plant and would greatly appreciate your input. I read some threads from 2004, 2005, 2006 where some members said their plants did well in full sun. Well, that was 3, 4 years ago. Are they still doing great? Let me hear from you. Thanks!
When you hear the "full sun" reports those are usually from Oregon or something. Here in the South most JMs will fry in full sun. Why don't you put it in a pot and try several locations, then you can pick the one that's best before planting it permanently. My shaina is in part sun.
My 'Shaina' is large - 6 ft tall and 7ft wide - and lives in full sun in a half wine barrel where it has been for at least 8 years. I am on the border of zones 15 & 16 in Sunset Western Garden book. I get 100 or over 5-6 days a year and May thru Oct lives in the 80's and 90's. I water it every 3 days deeply and if it gets 100 or more I water it every 2 days. Kaitain's advice of potting it and then trying it out in different parts of your yard is sound advice but 'Shaina' likes sun. Late in the season (late August and after), my Shaina will get a little touch of burn but that cud be as much the fact that my front yard is quite windy and I find my maples are offended by winds. Good luck!
I could use a few tips on Shaina too, but my conditions/problems are completely different. I do have it growing in strong sunlight in Central Illinois. My problem is that my soil for the last few years has been inundated with moles and they have crisscrossed under my Shaina. They heave it out of the soil. Last year it was really wobbly when I checked on it in the spring. I pushed it back into the soil and it recovered fine. This year, however, when I checked it (it was heaved out of the soil again) there were healthy buds, but also a lot of black branches that looked like they were not going to bud out and were dead. I dug it out and the roots look good, but I planted it in a container. Don't know if I should have done that, but I figured I would leave it in there (if it survives) for a couple years. Should I cut back any branches that look dead or leave it alone to see what happens once it has leafed out (if it doesn't die)? Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Kay
I live in NC and my Shaina does better in the sun than most of my JMs. I kept my Shaina in a pot in full sun for one summer with no leaf burn. Planted it to a much shadier location a few years ago and it hasn't looked nearly as nice as it did in the sun, so I think I will move it to a spot in nearly full sun next winter.
Kay, I find Shaina has a lot of twig dieback but I wait as you suggest until the tree tells me what is dead - ie I let it leaf out and then I look at the situation. I have found that Shaina can get top heavy compared to the root ball. I think you were wise to get it away from the varmint threat, but remember a container will need more watering. Good luck!
Katsura, I agree with you here! My Shaina had a lot of die-back, and a grower in Oregon told me they see the same thing with that cultivar. They said they have much better luck with the similar variety 'Kandy Kitchin'.
Moles turn out to be kind of a mixed blessing. If you can keep the population down -- and sorry animal rights activists, there's only one way to do it -- they actually provide valuable drainage for maples planted in compact soil. I've had moles kill a couple of plants, but never (yet) a maple. We have such a large population here that even with regular trapping there are probably a few living in the garden at any given time. -E
Thank you so much for the advice on Shaina. I had heard it can be topheavy, so maybe the dieback will be helpful. I am glad, too, that I have it in a pot. Also, sounds like I can give it plenty of sun:) Kay
