Yesterday I took the day off to drive over to Davidsan's Maples in Illinois. I took advantage of a 20% price reduction that they offered back in February and pre-ordered 2 trees, a 5-gal. Aureum and a 5-gal. Hogyoku.... and instead of shipping the trees, I really wanted to see their entire operation and meet the man behind the interesting descriptions from his website. (OK, to be totally honest, I wanted to see some other trees in the 2 and 3-gal. size :-) I was not disappointed that I made the trip, despite the 5-hour drive there and 5-hour return trip, battling high winds and a nasty thunderstorm within an hour of leaving Davidsan's. But they didn't have any decent 5-gal. Aureums. However, being the addict I am, I quickly found some other trees to make up for my disappointment. Here they are: The 7-gal. Hogyoku I got for the price of a 5-gal.: The 5-gal. Pendulum Julian The 3-gal. Filigree The 2-gal. Filiformis I need some help from you all with this one, as I can't find much info on it at all. One website carries this tree, but describes it as a dissectum. I looks an awful lot like an Auerum to me, or possibly a Microphyllum. What do you all think?? The 2-gal. Orange Dream I got home around 8 p.m. with 5 trees :-) ... and a much lighter wallet :-( I'd hoped to take a lot of pictures while there, but the wind was just too much to battle. All of their trees were in giant hoop-houses covered with shade cloth, and each house was a true delight, packed full of trees in all shapes and sizes. It was a lot of fun to meet David and his wife, Gale, who helped me pick out the trees. Kevin in KC
Congrats Kevin! I have wanted to check out to Davidsan's as well, but the drive is just a bit too far... You will LOVE Filigree - I can say without hesitation that it is by far my favorite green dissectum. The Pendulum Julian looks very nice too. :) Let me know how Orange Dream does for you, it's one I've toyed with getting but am not sure how it will handle Kansas weather... Did he happen to have any nice Ueno homare in 2-5g size? This is one on my need to buy list.
Taking time off work for maples...Yes, I have been there before and its a good sign that you have a problem :-) They are all great looking trees! From experience, Orange dream needs protection from afternoon sun. Filigree needs shade because too much sun causes the leaf to get large and green with large toothed margins that will turn brown. 'Pendula Julian' is one of my favorites and it handles full sun and even full afternoon sun quite well. The color changes through out the season. Congrats and happy planting!
Andrea, I saw so many trees yesterday, I couldn't tell you if I even saw a Ueno homare! But his availability list for this spring only lists 2 such trees, both in a 7-gal. size. You could always email him and ask about smaller sizes. I know I will love this little Filligree. It pretty much stole my heart the minute I saw her! I, too, have always been curious about the sun tolerance of Orange Dream. Coming from Italy, they say it's supposed to be quite tolerant of the sun. However, we're more in line with Tunisia or Malta, and not Italy. I do plan to site it where it'll get some morning sun till around noon, then shade. Hopefully that will be enough to keep the leaves lime-green without too much burning. JT, thanks for the tips in regards to sun. I have a perfect place for Julian, but I'm afraid the 2-5 pm sun might be too much for him here in Kansas City. That's the only window for full sun, otherwise he'd be basking in the dappled shade from my two huge oaks. I think I'll put him there in the pot for a month or so this summer to see how well he can handle the sun. Will Julian bronze out to green in too much shade? I'd never heard of this tree until Emery or Roebuk posted pics of his/her tree. So thanks to whoever posted that beautiful pic! The tree I chose is especially short, so I'm thinking of keeping him in a tall pot anyway. I'm not sure I want a Japanese maple as a groundcover. Kevin in KC
Kevin Re the 2 gal. Filiformis, there is A. shirasawanum 'Filiformis' listed at http://kelleygreennursery.com/uploads/PlantInfoSheet.pdf , but the leaf looks different , to me anyways. Maybe there is a mistake with the label.
Wasn't me that posted 'Pendelum Julian', I don't have that one. By all accounts a great tree though. I do have a large, well established 'Orange Dream', and I can tell you that it blanches to full white and then burns even in Normandie sun -- which is not strong relative to Missouri. The trick is getting it enough sun to stay orange/yellow (it's really only orange in spring, a bit like the colour of shirasawanum 'Autumn Moon' in the best of years), in too much shade it turns a middle green. I had another one that died of Verticillium wilt, but the big one has been very trouble free. Great trees, congrats! :) 5 hours each way, that's worse than a trip to Esveld for me, and that's not something I do very often! Yikes! ;) -E
Schattenfreude...What can i say you have picked what i believe to be the finest Dissectum ever Pendulum Julian great choice!!! Beautiful Plum/Burgundy spring colours turning to bronze green then finally the most stunning orange/red colours in the fall. Will take full sun no problem i have four of these now two in the ground and two in containers.The ones in containers i move next to either green or yellow Acers for contrast in the fall.The Orange dreams can be a bit tempremental re the amount of shade or sun you allow them, i have one large one in full sun which has given me it's full burst of orange now and is now starting to go yellow will then go a creamy white with some scorching on the top leaves then it will give another slight burst of orange in the fall.My other o/d is container planted and has good dapled shade and is a wonderful orange colour at the moment. Will post pics for you tomorrow and some pics of the P/J in full fall colour have to find them now!!!
Chimera, thank you for finding the nursery. I also looked through their photo gallery and found the Filiformis. Although not identical, I think it could be the same tree. I know that Davidsan considered the tree an Acer shirasawanum (it was in the same hoop house with all of the others). The leaves do look a bit more dissected than the Aureum. I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on it with some dappled shade and see how it progresses this summer. Roebuk, so you're the one responsible for enabling me!! Thank you... I think :-) I immediately fell in love with your tree, so I had to add it to my wish list. Given it's pendulous habit, I'm afraid I should've taken a taller tree. Unfortunately, I don't have any slopes or walls in my garden, so the only place it call fall is onto the ground. Hence, the taller pot idea. Gale also showed me a Burgundy Lime, but the green twigs of Julian had me from the get-go! Roebuk, are the two red dissectums above Julian? I appreciate all of your wisdom in regards to sun tolerance and such. I had no idea that Orange Dream would turn nearly white in full sun. I'll be sure to keep it in the shade of my oak trees. I'm now thinking that even morning sun will be too much for it here. I'll take the healthy green leaves any day over fried, crispy yellow ones! Now to find some nice containers to repot the trees into. Kevin in KC
Schattenfreude....Please find pic of PJ in fall colour last year they really do take some beating for the wow factor. Pic 2 my large Orange dream lost it's orange hue now and will change to yellow/green and then creamy on the top of the tree.Technically i have it planted in the wrong spot but it's so established now it copes quite well and just looks amazing next to my large Burgundy lace,plus i can see it from my front lounge. Pic 2 is my small 20ltr container O/D now this is well protected from the sun and as you can see it's a good orange colour at the moment and hopefully will stay like this for a good two weeks? Re the P/J in the last post #3 the only other dissectums are directly above it by the hedge, plain red dissectum and to the right of that there is Osakazuki then dissectum Watnong you can just see the salmon pink colour coming through. Think you will really enjoy the P/J and as it ages the pendulus form will just start to spread out and give you a wonderful tree.
