The attached PDF file is a scanned copy of the Fall 1980 Maplewood Nursery plant list and prices. The third page is something that I thought would be of interest to maple enthusiast. This page is the Fall 1980 Maplewood Seed Co. list. Now we all know that cultivars do not come true from seed and that is mentioned in the text, but I find this an interesting fact when you consider the source. These pages were an added bonus that I found inside the cover of a purchase of an autographed copy of Japanese Maples (vol.1) that I located online last year. Ed
Ed thanks for the time capsule. It's fascinating. They were not taking online orders or concerned with fedex vs ups. Those were the days of "long distance calls" and letters. Pretty sure i also had a few catalogs from Maplewood. Shipping was bareroot and in the dormant period. The price for one year grafts hasn't changed that much. Is that technology and economy of scale or ? Ed did you ever visit Maplewood? Do you have any Maplewood trees still grow in your garden? The attention given to the seed offerings is curious. Seems like a lot of fuss staying on top of all those samaras: storing, collecting, cleaning, records etc. I get the sense they felt raising seedlings was worthwhile. Appreciate
Gil, I have not been out to visit any of the nurseries in Oregon yet but hope to soon. My only trees from Maplewood Nursery were obtained from Richard Wolff. I purchased A.P. 'Kamagata', A.P. 'Beni komachi', and my brother was given a A.J. 'Oregon Fern' as a gift to evaluate but he thought that it might not make it through the western Ma. winters planted late in the fall. At the time Mr. Wolff was corresponding with Mrs. Vertrees and wanted to call the cultivar 'Vertrees' but Mrs. Vertrees told him that her husband did not want a tree named after him. If you look in the Red Maple catalog you will see plant 498 listed as Acer japonicum Diss Vertrees with Oregon Fern writen on the left margin. Oregon Fern is then listed on the last page as plant number 514A. Ed
Ed nice provenance on that maple. I checked back on the 'Oregon fern' thread and saw yours and Elmores pics. Great plant. In the catalog I see the 2 listings for Oregon Fern. Were they different versions? Why 2 entries? Thanks Gil
Gil, My guess is that the original plant sent from Vertrees for observation is the tree with the early number which he would want to keep. The later number may have been his other stock plant issued a new number once a name was chosen but I an not really sure. Ed
Gil, I imagine Mr Vertrees (like Dick Wolff from your Maplewood Nursery topic) as a scientist was very interested in the new genetics from seedlings because as wonderful as our cloned cultivars are, they are clones. I know Mr Wolff was big into collecting and propagating witches brooms in the Pennsylvania area as you & I discussed. Novelty and the ability to follow the history of a seedling is exciting - germinating is a miracle. Thank you, NJACER (Ed), for putting the Maplewood and Dick Wolff material on this forum. Would have liked to meet both Messrs Vertrees and Wolff, and am grateful to them & many more (like mr shep) who cared for & propagated these great maples before I fell in love with them. To paraphrase the great Newton, we do indeed stand on the shoulders of giants to see that much further ahead.
interesting piece of history maples Njacer!But one question ,i read in list "Laxiflorum",you Njacer seen this maple? or is an maple that today have another name? ( ri-named)...alex
Alex, I an not familiar with this species or sub-species as it may be. I did locate a link on this site with some information. http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd/2005/09/acer_pectinatum_subsp_laxiflorum_sich200.php Ed
I'd be interested in growing the plant pictured in post 10. Anyone know where they are currently available in US? Thanks
