ID please

I was just given this one. Can someone tell me what variety it is? I have a picture in the full sun too if it's easier to see.
Thanks,
Kristen

We should really put a sticky on this ID subject...since folks really don't understand how many varieties of JM's there are and the utter futility of ID'ing any with any certainty. that and the fact we have no idea whether it is grafted which I doubt which makes it a "nothing" anyway as far as cultivar. I think for this one you can safely this is a A.P. Acer Palmatum color red period. Looks like a seedling to me it does hav palmatum leaf shape and I would expect it to be somewhat red in spring, green in summer, and red to somewhat red in fall ..size indeterminant depending on location 8-30ft over Many many years!!. A Jm is what you make of it having a name means nothing if you like it ...and actually calling it a specific cultivar even if grafted without having purchased or procurred it from a reputable dealer ...means nothing...and you can't graft off it and call it anything. I could go on and on here but without sounding rude...there is no way on this great green earth to give a 100% ID on any JM out of the blue you might get close that is all . I always ell folks if you want to go beyond what I have stated above which is a general ID ...justy call it Bubba or Bubette or any other name cause that is as good and probably more proper than falsely ID'ing it and perpetuating a fraud.or inaccurate ID. David

Thanks David. Having a name for it wasn't as important as being able to look it up and being able to properly know how to care for it so I don't kill it which is what I was after with the name. It is a seedling and never having had one before I haven't the first clue if it wants sun, shade, some of each, etc and plant files comes up with 2500+ results when I type in japanese maple. I was hoping to at least narrow it down a little for care information.
Thank you,
Kristen

Kristen, seedling maples are the hardiest of all the maples. I once tried three different grafted maples and all failed and then put in a seedling after some consultation with a maple person. It's in full sun where the wind comes through and I don't think that it was much bigger than the one you have there. There's no guarantee what it will look like but here's the one I was talking about 25 years later.

It's one of my favorite trees.

For that info no problemo ...best to keep it in a protected area out of strong winds , morn sun and afternoon shade or filtered all day sunlight is best, soil should be of a good drainage sort... if you want to fertililize do so with a low N fertilizer a rose type works best 5-9-5 or something ... keep watered but not constantly wet. stake til it gets some size. cage in winter if you have rabbits....and enjoy ...all this aside most seedlings will do well about anywhere except if they are in muck or clay or rock etc ...they "may" take full sun in your area ...what I gave you was the best possible way to ensure success in growing JMs even though seedlings are hardy and can withstand alot. that is the safest way if those conditions are present BUT oft they are not or not all available to folks ..that is what most of us strive for though ...at least those are my opinions ... Growing and care is something we CAN definitely help ya with.David

I defer to David - as usual. :-)

Doss,
Can you adopt me? That picture, and not just the tree, is breath taking! I'll bring my hostas with me!

Thanks David for all the info! I guess I should have just asked "what do I do with this?", instead of "what is it?", huh?
All I have is clay here unless I keep it in a pot, which I intended to do for a while at least. Potting soil and perlite be ok? That's my current mix I have ready for anything needing to pot up. And I have the perfect spot on my deck where it will get mostly dappled sun all day.
I'm in the foothills and we get some really wicked winds Jan thru April-ish. Only way to keep it out of the winds is in the garage or front porch or in the sunroom. I have what I believe is a mulberry on the front porch that I basically ignore all winter and it does fine. I guess it comes down to does it prefer to be outside and have a winter or be babied inside in the sunroom. I'm guessing outside.

Sure I'll adopt you any time if you bring your hostas - LOL

:-) I gotta warn you, I also come with 7 year old DD, 1 year old foal and 2 dogs (DH can keep the other 2 as they are his to begin with) so you'd be adopting 5 of us. I'd keep Joey, my foal away from the maple tho, it's bad for him :-)

If MY Cali looked anything like that, I would have never left but 10 years in the desert was way to much for this Midwest raised girl. I'm so happy to be back where it's actually green and there are real trees.

I'll bet that you are happy to be out of the desert. SC is a beautiful place. Sounds as if you have a very busy life. Not bringing DH along, huh?