Japanese maples

Dear All,
Thanks for some input on maples being grown in zone 5.  I'll add the ones
that have lasted for me and how much protection they are getting.  If anyone has
more to add, please email me.  I only got three responses, so either no one in
zone 5 is growing them or everyone is just too busy.

The first two I think are pretty easy and grown a lot around here.  The
nurseries offer them and even Wal Mart.
Acer palmatum dissectum 'Garnet' and A.p.diss. 'Crimsom Queen' have both been
growing well for many years.  One (Crimsom Queen) is protected by the house;
it's growing on the east side above my pond.  It gets morning light and some
hotter early afternoon sun now that I've lost a large oak that used to shade
it.  The other is growing in eastern sun exposure (Garnet) and is growing in a
small valley and is therefore protected.  It is my oldest Jap. maple, probably
ten years or more.  It is really beginning to get a beautiful form.  Both of
these get no special protection.  I do prune them for shape in the winter.

Acer palmatum dissectum 'Waterfall' is like a green version of the two above.
 I have had it since 1995 and feel pretty comfortable that it will survive.
I had never had dieback in the winter (and we have had some -20+ weather in
its life) until last year, but I don't feel it was due to cold, rather dryness.
We had a very dry fall and winter.  The dieback was minimal.  It is growing
in a more exposed location under two limbed up hickories and gets some hot
afternoon sun.  In winter I make a bulap windscreen on the west side.  At present
it is about 4' by 5' and has a beautiful cascading form.  The fall color is
fantastic-bright orange.

Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum' is not a palmatum, but a well known cultivar
because of its bright yellow leaves.  I have had mine since 1995 and last year it
really started to grow.  It is more upright and is over 5' tall by now and
about 3' in diameter.  I got it from Wayside Gardens and it was about 18" high.
It has never suffered any dieback at all, just really slow growing.  I did
protect it with a burlap cage until it got too big, now I wrap it in floating row
cover.  It is somewhat sheltered from the west wind by the house, but sits out
from it about 30' sort of on a point.  I probably don't need to wrap it
anymore, but I worry; it's getting so neat with age.

Acer palmatum 'Butterfly' is one I am really surprised at.  It is variegated,
twiggy, and doesn't look like it would survive.  I have had dieback on it,
but not in the last few years and it has gotten cold.  I have had it since 1995,
so I think it's here to stay.  It has not grown rapidly, but last year
started to look more like a tree than a twig.  I wrap it with burlap or floating row
cover.

Acer palmatum 'Beni Schichihenge' is one I really recommend.  It is gorgeous!
 It has pinkish, variegation.  It is a strong upright grower.  I have moved
it and it didn't skip a beat.  It never suffers dieback, grows strongly, and I
am not the only person in  this area who has had luck with it.  Mine is almost
too big to wrap anymore.  I did use floating row cover on it this year, but
next year I may just spray it with Wiltproof and see how it goes.  It is
growing in very strong light, probably 5-6 hours and I have had it since 1995.

Acer palmatum 'Ukigumo' is another that I feel comfortable with.  It is still
small, only about 3', but there is a reason for that...the deer have eaten on
it a couple of winters.  It has been moved and now I keep it wrapped
completely in a burlap cage.  I didn't wrap it when it was small because frankly I
wasn't too impressed.  It's supposed to be variegated (floating clouds is what
the ukigumo means) and wasn't.  Now I have found out that they often don't show
variegation until later.  Last year it started to look like a tree (I
purchased it in 1998 and it was a twig) and is a very robust grower starting to show
variegation.  I think it will really be nice next year and seems to have no
problem with dieback and our weather even when it was small and unprotected.  I
am working to shape it; you know deer have no sense of shape when it comes to
pruning!

Acer palmatum 'Kashima' is a real cutie.  It is very robust and is more of a
bushy grower than a tree form.  I work on shaping it, but in the summer the
branches are completely obscured by leaves.  It is very dwarf and will only grow
a little over 3' and is often used for bonsai.  I love this maple, it is so
cute and just happy looking (sorry to those of you who hate it when
personification is used with plants).  I have had it since 1998 and it is shielded from
the west wind by a burlap screen.

I have quite a few more, but they have not been around long enough that I
feel I can recommend them.  Acer griseum (paper bark) is one and I have seen it
rated zone 4-5.  Another one that I have seen around is Acer triflorum.  I have
only had mine for a year, but a friend has grown one for a long time.  Acer
palmatum 'Bloodgood' is another that everyone grows around here.  I only got
one last year, but I think it will be okay.  Susan from our list said she has
been growing 3 for over 5 years, one is Bloodgood, but the others are unnamed.

Hopefully, this will get a discussion going. I received input about A.
palmatum (species) and A. japonicum being hardy to zone 5.  Eleanor Rodini mentioned
one called A. palm. 'Shana' which is dwarf and she got it from Avalon, Wis.,
so it should be good.  She wraps it in burlap and mulches with pine needles.

Kay Dye
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