Snake bark and sun sceen SPF 15 or 45

I am new to snake barks and I have never seen one where I live or any where for that matter. So I was wondering about the bark being striped or having white strations (correct my spelling please) my ? is, could the sun damage the bark. If so, should I screen the bark until the tree has enough of a canopy to protect it's self, bearing in mind I live in Virginia which is very hot in the summer. Thanks for looking at my post.

 

I wouldn't have thought so Richard, but no doubt those with a better knowledge of your climate will give you the benefit of their wisdom
This is 'Serpentine' which is two years old with me ... albeit in some sort of shade, and unused to much heat from the sun in any event :)

 

My two Capillipes are in sun for many hours ,not covered no problems this photo is Davidii "Cascade"not bark problems ..Ciao alex

 

I have grown a stripe-bark in a pot for about 10yrs. Whenever i kept it in a sunny spot the leaves suffered by mid July or so. I did not notice any bark damage from too much sun rather it seemed like an understory tree naturally preferring filtered sunlight. Some sources advise protecting the bark from winter sun especially. Also, the leaves are good sized and i've avoided windy spots.

The tree i am growing was labeled Acer x tegmentosum 'White tigress'. Source was Fairweather in SNJ.

RareFindNursery: White tigress description: A putative hybrid of tegmentosum x capilipes, this tree introduced by Brotzman Nursery of Ohio grows quickly into a lovely specimen, notable for its green and white striped bark and bright maroon young branches. Young trees can grow 2-4 feet annually and produce the most vivid contrasts in colors. Leaves are typical A. tegmentosum, three to six inches wide and about the same in length. Like all stripe-barks, site out of winter sun to avoid bark split.

Pics and comments @ 'White tigress' thread: http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=9411

 

I think the danger may be winter sun and wind more than summer. I have heard of several of the snakebarks, notably x conspicuum Silver Cardinal and Phoenix risk "bark burn" from winter sun.

Otherwise I have various davidii, conspicuum, pensylvanicum, pectinatum etc and haven't noticed sun damage to the bark. The leaves, of course, is another story! :(

-E

 

my Tegmentosum White Tigress leaves in start autum bark in september

 

Interesting Alex. Maybe the photos, with another in fall colour if possible, would be good in the "Photo Forum", also.

 

Thanks so much for the fine in put on this topic. I have some brass screening, so I think I will make a lose wrap around the trunks of my little trees. This way if the wind is up aboot the screen will serve as a static barrier and if it is nice day the screen will provide some sun screening : ) I will look forward to growing them on a wee bit, and taking some pictures for show and tell. I really enjoyed seeing your nice pictures and the leaves are interestiong as well. Can you imagine, not ever seeing one of this fine trees, what a backwards place this is, and I am long time member of our local arboretum to boots. ​

 

>>>>>>Which ones do you find have been scorched by the sun?<<<<<<​

 

Silver Cardinal. I lost one altogether, the replacement had some damage but is hanging in there. I think I've read Phoenix has the same issue. I'll find out this winter, my plan is to plant that one.

I really like the leaves, and Silver Vein is showing beautiful orange/yellow, sometimes mixed with green, colour right now. One of the few maples to colour properly this year.

Richard, which snakebarks did you get?

-E

 

I bought one of each, Acer pensylvanicum Erythrocladum and Acer 'White Tigress' . I also received a Acer circinatum Pacific Fire. I think Acer conspicuum Phoenix would have made a better choice as it seems to have a bark that is more brilliant then Erythrocladum. Since I don't have a way of seeing these trees, I use the shot gun effect order several and then choose the one's I want and sell off ones I don't. I will most likely order a Phoenix soon. There are so many nice trees and the internet has open doors that I never new existed. I think of them as an investment, to studying their habits. I have purchased plants that came with the clam of being slow but with only a slight adjustment in pH and along with a quality soil calcium showed a noticeable difference. I have seen major improvements by just improving drainage, or was it the silicate I added.

I almost bought Silver Cardinal but I read that it will revert if not watched, so with that in mind I passed on it.

Here is a very cool site for everybody:http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pguide/pronunciation-guide-to-botanical-latin.aspx​

 

Note that the natural range of native Acer pensylvanicum is mostly northern areas.

The main problem with the bark is what the sun does to exposed older trunks. Small specimens won't be showing this - yet.

 

Thank you your the above statement, as I never took that into account. I assumed that A. pensylvanicum would do fine because Pennsylvania is so close to Va. Yet my research on the topic have been very fruitful; so her she goes, all second hand stuff but from an extremely reliable source.

Acer pensylvanicum does not do well in Virginia and south because it cannot recover from the heat of the day due to high night time summer temperatures. The bark is very thin and is susceptible to canker and or canker disease.

Acer capillipes does not do well in Virginia as well. The possible cause for this is roughly the same as for pensylvanicum with the additional stress of high humidity and general poor drainage, yet it is said to do a bit better then Acer pensylvanicum. I think they should only be an a collectors garden below Zone 6b (Europe 7). I think I am a 7b or 8a as this is a local debate.

What does OK in Virgina:

Acer davidii X tegmentosum 'White Tigress', yes I am claiming this is the cross, that gave us White Tigress albeit I am absolutely no authority and I have no right to make such a claim, however I just got off of the phone with someone that does. So take it or leave it, I don't mean to be pompous, I just know the credentials of the gentleman that gave me this inside scoop and wanted to share it. I have read about all the speculations as to it's exact parentage, so that is why I am passing along this bit of information. These two cultivars do fine in Virginia, I did not say great, just fine.

What does well in Virginia:

Acer elegantulum
Acer fabri,
Acer oblongum, yes believe it or not this is an evergreen

So what am I to do with my trees, well that will be to shade then give great drainage plus calcium staying with in the acidic section of the scale. I will I will innoculate the A. pensylvanicum and Acer capillipes by applying a foliar application of Phyton 27 bi-annually or annually at a rate of 6 ml per 5 liters of water. God willing and the creek doesn't rise, let's see if I can make these trees work.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about my findings as I have a heck of a time spelling all these words. A link about canker>>http://forestry.about.com/od/forestdiseases/p/dis_com_ca.htm
​

 

Good info RichardB. Interesting and illuminating.

Appreciate

 

Deleted duplicated posting

 

quote=Poetry to Burn;113404]Good info RichardB. Interesting and illuminating.

Appreciate[/quote]

So are you going to make a lot of little White Tigresses? I have not heard of many A. tegmentosum cultivars, but the book says it likes it wet and it is fist cousin to A. pensylvanicum but apparently it will love the one it is with namely A. davidii. I think there is a lot of room for some new and exciting cultivars. I think it is about time for the east coast to make some Acer news as Oregon has had us in head lock for way too long.

Here is an East Coaster making waves >>>http://www.woodlanders.net/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.main/index.htm[

 

Woodlanders has nice material. I ordered 2 Juniperus rigida and a pair of Quercus myrsinaefolia from them in 06. Vibrant plants, nice price and a collegial spirit in their communications.

I don't have a plan for WT. I think i'm going to have to put it in the ground. It outgrows its' pot very quickly and doesn't really take to shaping (not mine anyway). During the winter inspiration may strike.

 

I am very interested in pots, what is the size of this pot ? and what did you use as a soil?

 

Acer elegantulum resembles its relative A. campbellii in structure and in lack of hardiness.

AA fabri and oblongum are semi-evergreen and tender, for an evergreen, hardy maple try A. obtusifolium. (Native to SW Asia and Cyprus, don't know how it likes hot and wet summer climates).

A still-small A. fabri has grown for some years in a Seattle (USDA 8) garden, so far without conspicuous damage. A. oblongum freezes to the ground periodically at the Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle.

 

Richard,

It started out as a 1 gal i think. It's been in quite a few pots. It's been in the pot in the picture for 2 years. That pot is 24" tall, 22" across the top, 14" across the bottom.

I used a mix of about 50% promix, 40% shredded pine bark and 10% dehydrated cow manure 1-1-1. It definitely took to this mix. This past spring i took maybe 35-40% of it's roots and the pot was completely full again in September. I root pruned it again in Sept. 10% and used that mix i mentioned earlier with the castings and biochar.

I love this tree it's very charming and easy to grow. Great bark, the flowers are buds are elegant, in leaf it's a little coarse but its lushness makes up for it. I had it outside my house in downtown Philly and people always remarked on it. It grew too lg so i had to relocate it.

 

The green bark with the white stripes is certainly stunning and a real eye catcher. I see that you have it in a deep but narrow pot. I just finished making a pot yesterday it is about 14 inches deep but the inside diameter is about 32 inches. A wider pot may last longer. I could never afford to buy such large pots, so that's why I make them. I have some that are three years old and they are doing fine. It's never easy to make one of these buggers, but on the other hand it is great exercise and I am not paying to for a gym, which seems to me quite an odd thing to do. However, if I did live in an apartment or a condo it would necessitate that I have an exercise group. In fact I did live in a apartment some time back, so I understand the dilemma this puts on a gardener. Being a compulsive gardener, I could only come up with growing plants underwater, so I called it my 75 gallon garden.. That's a whole other story but it was truly fascinating, much more so then gardening out of water.

 

Thanks again Ron, you have a wealth of knowledge and experience. I am truly grateful that you are willing to share it. You have convinced me that I have no choice but to get in the car and drive to the JC Raulston Arboretum and take a look see at the maple collection there. It is a long drive but I don't know of any collections in Virginia that even come close to the having 35 different species and over 150 cultivars of Acers so that said, I am bound for Raleigh, NC. I truly don't understand this state or this town I live in, after living in the west and then retuning makes for a very hard adjustment. I was born and raised here, but didn't return for fifteen years. This is my sixteenth year of being back in Richmond and I am telling ya it is a hard nosed place and state. If I had water on our property in California I would be considering moving there, and may do so anyway.
Regards,
Beasley n Va.

 

Richard,

I'd like to see that 15x32 do you have a pic?

 

Re: Snake bark and sun screen SPF 15 or 45

Quick shot of pots, but one is bit shy, it may show itself tomorrow. You know I took this shot just a minute ago and see the green leaves on that maple. However it is getting rather cool here in the last week or two, it is 54 degrees right now and may go down to 40 tonight. I'll open up the big one tomorrow. I am just starting to get get good at this pot thing, I have been working on making a bullet proof one for a couple of years, but I ain't in Minnesota either.

 

Good looking pots. Is that resin?

55F here in CC philly