A nice katsura...

Thanks Jamie! Sounds like we're on the same page on this.

Victor

That Red Fox does sound promising and would not take up too much space.....would this be a good time to get/order one?

LeviLyla,

My aplogies for over reacting. I guess I was a bit more sensitive on the subject than I realized. I truly appreciated your taking a moment to write. I should have stopped and thought for more minutes to realize that Dave's Garden members are very different from the rest of the Net.

Sorry about that.

Victor, I purchased my Pendula from PendulousPlants. They're also listed here at DG in the Garden Watchdog and very nice people.

Take Care,
Annie

I have Red Fox, and I have posted comparison pics here before. It is definitely not pendulous, at least mine is not. You could almost say it is columnar in habit.

I can't find the thread, but I did find some of the pics. Taken the same day, here is the species:

Here is Rotfuchs (Red Fox)

Very nice...yes, it says it is columnar

Thanks Annie. I definitely do want the pendulous form. Sounds like Pendula is the only smallish one that fits the bill - at least so far. Thanks all.

Victor

I've been thinking about ordering Heronswood Globe- had not seen the smaller Pendula. Anyone growing Heronswood Globe or have pictures?

No, but I have seen 'Pendula' on the college campus I attend. It is in a raised bed so the root's are at eye level. It's very small and is underplanted with bulbs and perennials.

Any idea how old it is, PrairieGirl??

No, but I could find out, only not until next year. I could take a picture then too. (I dropped this semester).

Victor~~

I didn't mean to imply 'Red Fox' was weeping in nature, as I re-read my post I can definitely see why it came across wrong - sorry!....I just mentioned it as one I was considering due to its small size - the columnar nature would allow it to fit so many places. Sorry for the confusion, and thanks stressbaby for the quick correction! I also really appreciate the pics - It has proven difficult to find many, as the catalog I was using only gives verbal descriptions, virtually no pics.

Levilyla~ And to answer your question about planting now - it's such a good time to plant trees, shrubs, even many perennials - at least if you live in an area where hard freezes aren't right around the corner. I think fall planting is often better than any other time of year, but in my zone it doesn't really ever freeze hard....what are your winters like?? How cold does it get, how much snowfall, etc.... Now is probably good, but I don't know your climate at all... :-)

Sorry for the confusion on 'Red Fox',
Jamie

No confusion here - thanks!

I see size for 'Pendula' all over the map. Height range descriptions from 8-10' from Greer to 15-25' by a number of others. Some have it less wide than high, some same and some more! Typical of the web. So I can say with certainty that it's a good size for my needs - or it's not.

ROFL. It's a wider than tall, small sized tree, and prob depends on age how big it gets. Like most small trees, is it relatively short-lived? I don't know for certain.

Possibly short lived? Oh man. :o(
I didn't know that.

Of course, if one had a nice sized lot, one could plant a number of them on a ten year stagger. Bwaahahahaa

I doubt it is short lived...why would Dirr say it is the only tree to have if you could have but one.

Well how long does he have left??!! ;))

What I meant was that specifically 'Pendula' which is a small, fast-growing form , may not be as long-lived as the other cultivars, relatively speaking of course? I don't know, it was a question, in reference to it being fast growing. In his notes, Dirr gives the size of one in Spring Grove as 18' high and 30' wide after 19 years. He also states that there is a larger pendulous clone, C. magnificum 'Pendulum' which he (apparently correctly) suspected is larger growing than C. j. 'Pendula'. Maybe they've become mixed up in commerce. Buyer beware.

I bought my C.magnifica from FF in 1999. For me it has not been fast growing. I planted it in full sun in the corner of my fence. Four years ago I planted Clematis Alpina Willie about 2 feet away, hoping that would be a good combination. The Clematis is growing faster than the Katsura, LOL

Donna

First of all, C. j. 'Pendula' is the fast-growing one. C. magnificum is supposedly larger, no indication that the growth rate is any different than the species C. japonicum, which is medium to fast once established. He indicates that supplemental watering should be done during hot, dry periods during the initial time of establishment.

I am a late contributor to this thread though I really enjoyed VV's photos and accompaniment to them when they first appeared. That is certainly the loveliest weeping katsura I have ever seen. I have seen some beautiful regular forms too, notably on the coasts where there seem to be a lot more, especially in the PNW and around Philly. But there are some beautiful big ones in MI too, notably a huge specimen on the MSU campus with spectacular bark, and another hugie in an old woody plantsman's garden in Saugatuck, planted in the 40s.

Someone asked about Heronswood Globe, and I had one in my old garden, too hard to move, that was about 10 years old (at least, in the ground for me). It had lovely rounded form, beautiful burgundy new growth in spring and distinctly bluish cast to the foliage. After 10 years for me, it was maybe 8-10' tall and across, bought at 1/2 that size. If I could find another one decent sized, like I did the first (that nursery full of rarities unfortunately went out of business), I would grab it. Lovely plant for form and compact size. I also had a 'Pendula' which I did move to the new place.

But ALAS! My trees NEVER have gotten the beautiful fall color I see in VV's images and that I have seen on the coastal trees. The color is at best bronzed gold, and more often a slightly scorched looking dull brownish yellow. Why don't these trees perform in the color department?

I know that the answer may be water, especially in the early years, the standard party line. Neither of the trees in my old garden probably got much supplemental irrigation. At the new place, my 'Pendula' is watered by a lawn irrigation head, and it looks much happier and has grown better. Yes, these trees obviously do want water the first few (?10?) years. But even with good irrigation, fall color has been a disappointment. Now it has just been in place 1 1/2 years, so maybe it is an establishment issue. But I am still waiting for a golden display, as well as the "cotton candy" smell of the autumn leaves which has been so distinctive on some trees I have seen.

Update on the size chaos. I contacted Greer Gardens and they are changing their description. Now they are saying 'Pendula' will get to 15-25 feet high and even wider! Obviously this won't do for me now. That's just too big. Bummer.

Can they be grown in a large planter and limit their size that way?? Is that advisable? Aside from the extra attention to watering, any other potential problems?

I don't know victor, Dirr says they are not easily transplanted. So does that mean they will like living in their containers for longer?

david - Dirr says best fall color is in acid soil, maybe if you lowered the pH a little the color would be better.

Well I have acid soil here and Heronswood Globe sounds perfect for me.

Thanks David.