Why I grow JP's

It is the fall season where most JP steal the show. This is Sumi Nagashi...purple in summer but more scarlet-pink tones in autumn

Red Pygmy is purple-red with green cast in summer but takes on orange-scarlet tones now.

Omure Yama is green all summer but turns a mix of yellow, orange and pink in autumn

Aka Shigitatsu Sawa is green with light green to pinkish interveinal markings in summer but turns even bright purple-red in fall

Todd...The Red Pygmy in the pot....can it be left outside all winter long in the pot without any harm being done? Thanks, Deb

p.s. The photos are great :)

It spent last winter in the pot...this will be the second winter.

I do love the maples - those are some lovely ones.

You must have acres and acres with all these plants....they are fabulous! No color here yet

Less than 1/4 acre...just well packed!

Love these all. I have bloodgood and look forward to it's growth. Todd do you know this one? Its an old sprawling dwarf.

Awesome!!!!!

Your low spreader looks like A. palmatum 'Dissectum Atropurpureum' or 'Garnet'...both have been around for a long time.

I just realized that your Sumi Nagashi is one I just bought. I can't wait to see mine as lovely as yours. Love the layering. And the 'sprawling dwarf' whichever it is is beautiful - what a great mound. How many years have you had it?

Thanks, Todd! You make me want more. On my 20 minute ride home, the JMs stick out everywhere. Love them all. Good luck with your new JM, Doss. Here's my Bloodgood with japanese grasses and stones from the Maine coast from friends.

What a great combo! Can I steal your idea? So simple. This is under a "Butterfly" and it's red carex, lemon button fern, Silver Lace Fern, Hellebores and white dicondra. I wanted evergreen and it took me awhile to figure this one out. It's not quite grown in yet - but the Silver Lace Fern will get to about three feet high and cover the wall. Everything else is between 12-15" high.

This is the only pic I had showing some of my underplantings with JP. This is A. shirasawanum 'Aureum' (close enough to a JP). Underplanting includes Hosta Lemon Lime, Claytonia siberica and Oxalis oregana with Drypoteris lacera as a backdrop.

It's really beautiful. Nice contrast of textures and greens. I like the darkness of the Dryopteris. How tall is the tree?

Both wonderful! Copy away, Doss. Want that A. shirasawanum. More info Todd!

Kathy, the A. shirasawanum was bought in 2000. It was about 20" tall. It is probably getting too much shade as the laves are lime green rather than yellow but I've read they can burn in full sun. It is quite slow and is now about 3'....so I guess about 4" per year. Most falls it turns yellow-pink with slight orange flush but this year is really didn't colour up much at all. The hardiness rating is 5b the same as A. palmatum so it is a great companion offering a fuller leaf shape. With the shade in that area, I stick to using shades of green for a pleasing effect.

On an off-note, I'll be on holidays for the next 10 days so I will be incognito.

Have a great time, Todd.

Shade can do some interesting things. Here's the "Butterfly" in full, but bright shade. It basically stays white. I like it this way, though of course the pink is lovely too and I miss that a bit.

OMG is that beautiful.

oops, where did my quote go?
That was in reference to this:
This is A. shirasawanum 'Aureum' (close enough to a JP).

Oops where did the photo go?? :-))
This is a Crimson Queen.

I am a bit dense -- what does "JP" stand for in title of japanese maple???--I am in love again. I bought one japanese maple around 4 yrs. ago from costco, and it has steadily grown, and has indeed taken hold, and seems quite healthy -- nothing special to look at in comparison to yours, but to me it's an accomplishment. went to a lecture on these maples at my local nursery, and got even more of an appreciation for them!

JP should be JM...it was a typo I made that others seem to inadvertantly pic up on. OPPS! I guess I was confused between Japanese Maple and Acer palmatum so when abbreviating, combined the two...Japanese palmatum!

I think the JM are beautiful trees and would love to have one in my yard
but not sure if they will grow in Zone 9a. Can anyone give me any
information and perhaps some suggestions on them?

I live in zone 9b and JM are very happy - indeed exuberant here. We don't have high heat in the summer though. I would start with a seedling maple or one with larger leaves. How hot does is get at your house in the summer and how much wind do you get?