What are everyone’s thoughts on Osakazuki? Growth habit, sun/heat tolerance and spring/fall color? After much deliberation, I’ve decided on planting Osakazuki in the full sun area of my front yard. I am planning on planting a #5 gallon Osakazuki. It will get tall in 10-20 years and create shade for my little front and the fall color is absolutely amazing... it was a standout in Charlie’s Amazing Maples YouTube videos out of all his maples in my opinion.
@Connor Sullivan good morning Connor, I have had Osaksuki in my garden for the past 30 years and it is an outstanding cultivar in the Spring and Autumn. It is a fairly ordinary green throughout the Summer. Mine takes full sun until 3 pm and then full shade. The leaves can get a little fried in the Summer if you don't water in a dry Spring. So make sure you keep an eye in this. Growth habit is fairly strong and upright. It has a lovely salmon colour in the Spring and in the Autumn, a wow in bright scarlet reds. Would I recommend this cultivar !!? Oh YES. Another of Charlie's watchers that succumbed to his beautiful trees. I have done exactly the same Lol.
@Acerholic Thank you again for the thoughtful and quick response! I am quite excited to plant this, I think it will fit the area perfectly and give so much needed shade in the future once it gets taller. I had my heart set on putting a Geisha Gone Wild in that spot but with a average height of 6ft in 10 years, it wouldn’t do much in the way creating shade for my front yard. I can still plant one in another area in the upcoming years. I’ll post some pictures to the forum soon to share with you once I get this paver path built/ weeded and rock bordering. My whole quarantine has been dedicated to my front yard and getting it looking nice. I planted my Shishigashira and Mikawa Yatsubusa a few weeks ago!
@Connor Sullivan it all sounds wonderful Connor, look forward to seeing how it all takes shape. You will have a lovely front yard with amazing colour for years to come.
@Acerholic Here is a shot from yesterday of my front yard. I’ve done a lot of work laying all the rocks and pavers and pulling weeds... all quarantine... and still more work to do! This yard is facing South with very little shade in summer, mainly shade comes from my house in the morning! I have a Shishigashira in the closest rock island and little red Mikawa Yatsubusa behind. I’m planning on planting an Osakazuki in the place where I’m standing (corner fence) from the picture. I’ll have a potted Amagi Shigure and Mikazuki hiding out there too. Any other cultivars you would recommend? I want a Geisha Gone Wild and Japanese Princess next... also a Icebreaker Korean dwarf conifer.
@Connor Sullivan, wow that looks amazing Connor, you should very proud of yourself. Regarding your choices of new maples, I cannot fault your selection, I have Geisha gone wild and Ice breaker, but not Japanese princess grhhhh. Love it, but not available in the UK atm. That leads me onto your other thread Lol. There is no right or wrong in personal choices, if you like something and have the right position for it, ie soil, shade and room, then go for it IMO. Mixing conifers etc with maples is a brilliant combination and I expect you have been watching Charlie Morgan's Anazing Maples and Crazy Conifers videos. Every new video I want a new tree Lol. His parents garden is good way to learn how and where to place trees. He gets it wrong from time to time as we all do. But they can be lifted and placed somewhere else. Again love what you are doing with your garden, keep us all updated.
Connor, how has your Osakazuki done so far? I'm considering planting in full sun also (I'm in Vancouver, WA) and wondered how yours did after this summer's heat.
I know you didn't ask me but my Osakazuki, now about 12 years old, growing in almost full sun, shows no damage from either sun or heat. In fact my other 2 big Japanese maples - Seiryu and Bloodgood are doing amazingly well this year too - absolutely no withered leaves. It surprises me because I am, for the first time ever, seeing a lot of burning on some rhodo leaves, even those in quite a bit of shade. It all seems so arbitrary!
Is it burn on the rhodo leaves, or too much water? I have brown edges on some trees because of too much rain...
Too much rain! I wish! Although the west coast of British Columbia has jokingly been referred to as the 'wet' coast, that is far from reality in summer for the past many years. The challenge for gardeners is to provide enough water for their plants in near-drought conditions meanwhile adhering to watering restrictions. Much as I hate to admit I've been growing rhododendrons for 50 years, this is the first year I remember ever seeing even a single burned leaf. Now, some of my rhodos growing in shady conditions are being hit hard while others, in almost full sun, are unscathed. It's just so arbitrary. I really don't know what to do - nothing I guess because they're too big and I'm too old to start moving them - and where would I move them anyway? I doubt this will impact the spring blooms because the plants are healthy overall but it's sad to see the sun/heat damage in summer. #1 & #2 Here are an old unnamed rhodo and R. 'Goldflimmer' growing side-by-side in almost exactly the same conditions regarding soil, sun and water . . . one okay and the other with lots of sun-damaged leaves . . . almost exclusively last year's leaves. #3 Moved to this spot last year so maybe the roots aren't established enough - it does get regular watering though. #4 So disappointing - R 'Dora Amateis' has really come into its own the past year or two; gets afternoon shade and lots of water. #5 Same as #3. #6 Full sun. One burned leaf. Go figure!
Could it be that the shady plants didn't have to look far for water and have not developed a large root system, while the full sun ones have? And now that there really is a low amount of water in the soil... the ones with the smaller roots are showing issues? Just guessing... you never know what's going on.
