Hi. I have three AP Waterfall, all of them in pots. Two of them has green leaves actually here, but the other one has red leaves since 3 weeks ago. All three cultivars are in the same location with same sun expousure. Why some are green and the other is almost crimson? The leaves are the same in all three plants, just the color is different. Some clues? Here the pictures:
In the Timber Press Pocket Guide to Japanese Maples, it says that fall colour can be enhanced by reducing water supply and withholding fertilizer. I'm guessing that the plant in the clay pot dries out a little faster than the two in plastic pots, which may explain its red colour while the other two stay green. Interestingly, it also says that fall colour is a response to lower temps, shorter days, and more drying winds. The author doesn't mention sun at this point at all, though maybe that comes later.
I just got this week this Pocket Guide (together with tha last issue of J.D. Vertrees Japanese Maples -2001), so I will read this, but your explanation sounds pretty logical. All these trees were watered identical and received same amount sun/shade (they were located in same dappled place in north side of the house (due the long/hot summer here). A few days ago -with cooler temperatures- I moved them to east side of house to allow them to get morning sun-afternoon shade, and to enjoy my first fall season with these beauties. I have another two JMs in clay pots, a AP Seryu and a AP Shaina. Seryu were in full shade and is keeping the green (now in east side with 1/2 sun). the AP Shaina lost its leaves in summer, but now it's growing new red leaves and buds, but its behavior seems very slow growing comparing with my other cultivars. Due it is my first year growing JMs (well in fact, with gardening in general) I don't have previous season's reference to compare how they're perfoming; but I think (and hope) that all of them are doing well. Thanks for the explanation KarinL.
That's my doubt now, Ron. All of them were labeled A.P. Waterfall. I bougth them from the same nursery retail center in different time, and they came in containers labeled from Monrovia Nursery. The leaves of all three plants are identical, except for the color. Any other idea? Nelson
Well done KarinL for spotting that the plant changing colour early was in a clay pot. You certainly have an eye for detail I think you have probably 'hit the nail on the head' as regards the answer here. In any event your thinking on the matter is sound Nelson ... your plants are all probably correctly labelled (or as near to that as we can expect these days)
This statement does not apply to all growing conditions. In my garden, where I have many maples, if I do not water the plants abondantly in the Fall when it does not rain, their leaves will turn brown, shrivel and drop without any color display whatsoever. My interpretation is that this behaviour is their normal response to (lack of) water stress. Gomero
Thanks guys, for your comments. Gomero has an interesting point, and I don't know how the JMs will perform during fall (even if they received a good dosis of water for the inusual rainy summer). I also read in different sources that JMs will have better fall color if we keep them a little bit thirsty, during fall season, confirming the KarinL point, and following cooler temperatures here, I will try to put in practice this advice with caution; considering most of my JMs are in pots and also the Gomero's comment. Ussually I checked all of them daily as part of my garden rutine. Nelson
