JM Question

[Nera]

Hi all!

At what sort of age do JMs start to lose the colour of their bark/when does it start to turn grey/white? Or is it maybe only some species?

Just wondering out of interest. Kind of makes me sad because I like the bark colours . Mine are still young so nowhere close to this. I've developed quite a love for these trees!

 

[Shibui]

Not sure of the timeline but they all seem to do it. Maybe 3-5 years?
You'll still have the colour on the newer shoots on branches and canopy, though that gradually gets less and less because we need to trim more often to reduce growth for more established trees.

 

[Nera]

Not sure of the timeline but they all seem to do it. Maybe 3-5 years?
You'll still have the colour on the newer shoots on branches and canopy, though that gradually gets less and less because we need to trim more often to reduce growth for more established trees.

Thank you Shibui!

 

[leatherback]

You might have 2 questions hidden:
- At what time is a young japanese maple mature enough to grow the silverygrey bark
- How long do branches of a mature japanese maple stay green.

I think it depends a lot on the intensity of sunlight they get, but also the maturity of the main plant. Here trunks can stay green for much longer than what Shibui indicates. 10-15 years is quite common for them to stay [partially?] green here. I find however that when a tree is mature and has silver bark (or rough bark) on the trunk, the branches catch up more quickly.

 

[Nera]

You might have 2 questions hidden:
- At what time is a young japanese maple mature enough to grow the silverygrey bark
- How long do branches of a mature japanese maple stay green.

I think it depends a lot on the intensity of sunlight they get, but also the maturity of the main plant. Here trunks can stay green for much longer than what Shibui indicates. 10-15 years is quite common for them to stay [partially?] green here. I find however that when a tree is mature and has silver bark (or rough bark) on the trunk, the branches catch up more quickly.

Always appreciate your knowledge, thanks Jelle!

 

[SeanS]

I’ve got seedlings as young as 4 years starting to show silver bark (not mature fissured bark, just grey but still smoothish) on the parts that get a lot of direct sun. I’ve also got seedlings from the same vintage that are still completely green/red. I’ve found vertical growing seedlings which don’t get as much direct summer sun on their trunks stay green/red while the ones that I’ve bent and get direct sun on their trunks change colour quickly

 

[Nera]

I’ve got seedlings as young as 4 years starting to show silver bark (not mature fissured bark, just grey but still smoothish) on the parts that get a lot of direct sun. I’ve also got seedlings from the same vintage that are still completely green/red. I’ve found vertical growing seedlings which don’t get as much direct summer sun on their trunks stay green/red while the ones that I’ve bent and get direct sun on their trunks change colour quickly

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Really interesting! Thanks for that Sean.

 

[leatherback]

I think it depends a lot on the intensity of sunlight they get

starting to show silver bark (not mature fissured bark, just grey but still smoothish) on the parts that get a lot of direct sun.

Guess we are on the same track with determining factors that affect aging of bark

 

[19Mateo83]

There is also a green bark variety called aoyagi. It is supposed to stay green longer than other JM. Although, I have yet to see a picture of a mature one.

 

[zita]

+1 on sun on the bark

i have large a A.Palmatum, 20 years, very bushy, bark never got sun and is still green.
This year got pruned severe and in just couple of weeks the bark is changing color

 

[zita]

There is also a green bark variety called aoyagi. It is supposed to stay green longer than other JM. Although, I have yet to see a picture of a mature one.

that cultivar is also named ukon and also going green.

i do have a couple of them, full sun and bark exposed to sun and still green.
about 7 years old

 

[Nera]

that cultivar is also named ukon and also going green.

i do have a couple of them, full sun and bark exposed to sun and still green.
about 7 years old

Nice to know! I have 2 of them at the moment, still young.

 

[zita]

they tend do be strong growers, so it is challenging to get small internodes.
they are a little sunsensitive, that said, this is one cultivar that wants to be put through intense sun.
Summer two years ago was very very hot longtime and one of the going greens turned purple, sick looking.....however next summer it was shining in LIME colors.
Before that i tried in morning till lunch sun and the going greens were more like going meaningless.
so, going green can go green, but the goal here is going lime.
They want as much sun as possible is what i wanted to say.

That Lime is one of the very best colors there is. It appears in Summer, just the very right time for that particular color. Like a mojito in the summer.

 

[Nera]

they tend do be strong growers, so it is challenging to get small internodes.
they are a little sunsensitive, that said, this is one cultivar that wants to be put through intense sun.
Summer two years ago was very very hot longtime and one of the going greens turned purple, sick looking.....however next summer it was shining in LIME colors.
Before that i tried in morning till lunch sun and the going greens were more like going meaningless.
so, going green can go green, but the goal here is going lime.
They want as much sun as possible is what i wanted to say.

That Lime is one of the very best colors there is. It appears in Summer, just the very right time for that particular color. Like a mojito in the summer.

Thanks for the info Zita! I'm looking forward to watching them progress in the growing season (September for me)

 

[Dav4]

Rumor has it potted trees will bark up faster than those planted in the ground... yet another variable to consider, I suppose.