Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: small maples, 1 by ViburnumValley

ViburnumValley wrote:
Just waking up from a long winter\'s nap, so forgive the crustiness of comments - no personal animosity should be assumed or implied.

Where in the world would one believe that Acer carpinifolium possesses four seasons of interest (in the eye-catching sense)? Dapper and uncommon I could understand. Bird friendly = Zero, unless you count that it has branches to land on and build a nest in.

For all its descriptions, I don\'t know that at ten paces you would tell the difference between this current eye candy and the stalwart native with a stouter constitution -Carpinus caroliniana.

Should you find the maple, do an experiment and plant both at the same time. Worst that could happen is that you achieve success with two fine plants, and may decide to edit one out. If the Hornbeam Maple fails, you still will have its twin. There have been some rather stellar selections (from Wisconsin) made of Musclewood.

Hornbeam Maple graced (OK, tolerated) the landscape and environment here at the Valley for 6-8 years. My photo records begin in 2006 and end in 2010, which means I probably planted it skeptically in 2004 or 2005 after being gifted it from that lousy plantsman from Louisville who has a neighborhood arboretum. I contributed images to the PlantFiles entry here at DG, and a friend from Cincinnati had submitted several as well. In my never-to-be-too-humble opinion (what\'s that? IMNTBTHO), those kinds of images are about its zenith of effect. Dirr doesn\'t offer much to elevate expectations (fall color of rich gold and brown; smooth gray bark; greenish flowers). van Gelderen\'s Maples of the World doesn\'t even offer a JRP van Hoey Smith photo of this species.

I suppose seeing a fine specimen in arboreta gets juices flowing - sure has in me, many times. That doesn\'t always overcome further evaluations and considerations.

Rather than rub salt, I\'d ask what species you already have; which you\'ve tried and given up on; and which you consider not \"up to snuff\" for this presumably prime location. Goodness knows we\'ve had these discussions many times here before, and it is the stuff of great winter conversation, ridicule, inspiration, debate, and resolution.

Makes me want to go digging around in the archives again, and resurrect some Lazarus letters...