Maples for orange spring color

[ysrgrathe]

Orange is a relatively unusual color. I've long loved A.p. 'Akane' for its really unique orange-y tones in the spring. Unfortunately, it is not a very vigorous grower: it can easily get scorched in full sun, and regardless of care I (and it seems others on the web) struggle to keep the leaves nice through summer even with shading.



Last year I discovered A.p. 'Coral magic', apparently a dwarf similar to sango kaku. It's not quite the same but it has a very special color as well -- and the good news, this one is vigorous. It can easily take full sun with good health (although if you want nice looking leaves in fall, it might take a bit of extra care).



Finally A.p. 'Orange Dream'. Oddly, the least orange! It does have a color that contrasts nicely with maples that are more green or yellow, but it doesn't exactly shout "orange." This is my first year with this one, though, so I would be interested to see other's thoughts on it.

 

[Brent]

Try 'Katsura'. Nice orange and red tones to the new foliage, turns green in summer. It does burn in direct hot sun here, but we have very hot dry summer weather, maybe similar to yours if you are inland. 'Katsura' is a vigorous, but semi dwarf tree. We have cutting grown ones, they are great sellers. One of our most popular.

Brent
EvergreenGardenworks.com

 

[0soyoung]

I have an Orange Dream landscape specimen and several air layers from it. It looks very orange from a distance, more so than up close. Regardless, mine appears 'orangier' than yours. Here is one last year

And in 2015

My attempts to make fall color resulted in a bit more red than orange this past fall.


It is almost as strong a grower as ordinary green palmatum (root stock) and comes out a bit later that a.p. "Katsura". I guess my point being that there are noticeable variations within cultivars (other than saying one cannot have too many Japanese maples).

 

[LanceMac10]

agree with @Brent, Katsura will give a great orange hue come spring!



Koto too......

 

[baron]

Katsura - Couldn't agree more!

 

[b3bowen]

My Ueno yama has great orange spring color. It Is very easy to air layer, is starting to form grey bark only 3 years from taking 1/4 inch thick layers, and grows very aggressively on its own roots.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Kiyohime has nice orange colors too.

 

[Japonicus]

@ysrgrathe 1st year with the Orange Dream - could be the maple will be different every year
weather or light exposure related, and soil as well, and probably stored reserves from previous year too. Try Mir-Acid food.
http://thehoneytreenursery.com/Japanese-Maples.php scroll to Orange Dream/acidic preference.
My A. j. 'Otaki is different every Fall, some years more purple than others, and I'm pretty sure
lower light exposure increases the purplish colours in Fall for this tree.

I like the foliage on your Coral magic, you would like Wilsons Pink.

 

[b3bowen]

Here is a photo of ueno yama. Color is not well captured by my terrible iPhone, but gives you an idea. Also for harder to find varieties, you cant beat the cost/ quality of whitman farms. Of course they are grafted unlike at evergreen gardenworks so plan to layer. The size of her 1 gallon mapes would easily cost me 3x as much at my local nursery.

 

[Japonicus]

Also for harder to find varieties, you cant beat the cost/ quality of whitman farms.

I just love talking to Lucile. Seems like a real "go getter". Very customer oriented
BTW she does a great job at grafting IME.

 

[SouthernMaple]

Orange is a relatively unusual color. I've long loved A.p. 'Akane' for its really unique orange-y tones in the spring. Unfortunately, it is not a very vigorous grower: it can easily get scorched in full sun, and regardless of care I (and it seems others on the web) struggle to keep the leaves nice through summer even with shading.

View attachment 231188

Last year I discovered A.p. 'Coral magic', apparently a dwarf similar to sango kaku. It's not quite the same but it has a very special color as well -- and the good news, this one is vigorous. It can easily take full sun with good health (although if you want nice looking leaves in fall, it might take a bit of extra care).

View attachment 231191

Finally A.p. 'Orange Dream'. Oddly, the least orange! It does have a color that contrasts nicely with maples that are more green or yellow, but it doesn't exactly shout "orange." This is my first year with this one, though, so I would be interested to see other's thoughts on it.

View attachment 231192

I am interested in buying an Akane this week, there are only a few I have been able to find and they are grafted. I would probably air layer it this summer, have you had any luck layering an Akane?

 

[ysrgrathe]

I've had no luck with cuttings, and my mother isn't big enough that I want to risk layering it. Even my grafted mother isn't exactly vigorous, so you might consider getting (or making) a clean graft and growing it that way. It does graft easily, these are both struck grafts from last year. (Although I'm hardly an expert so I'm sure someone more skilled could create a great tree on its own roots!)

 

[SouthernMaple]

I've had no luck with cuttings, and my mother isn't big enough that I want to risk layering it. Even my grafted mother isn't exactly vigorous, so you might consider getting (or making) a clean graft and growing it that way. It does graft easily, these are both struck grafts from last year. (Although I'm hardly an expert so I'm sure someone more skilled could create a great tree on its own roots!)

my local nursery has a 3 foot tall 5 gallon grafted one, but its $249. I am tempted into getting it but if I can't layer it, then it has no purpose in my collection. I own 4 grafted mother trees(Arakawa, Orange Dream, Kotohime and Kandy Kitchen), the Kandy Kitchen I may give away if I can't produce cuttings or layers on it. The others have successful layers of that are fighting their way through their first winter. Also from Mr. Maples page on Akane "Yano's Book for Maples recommends not watering this tree overhead to help prevent fungus on the foliage.", have you had any problems with Brown spot on your Akanes?

first fall of my layered orange Dream


Mother trees first fall in my possession


Last spring of mother orange dream

 

[SouthernMaple]

@ysrgrathe 1st year with the Orange Dream - could be the maple will be different every year
weather or light exposure related, and soil as well, and probably stored reserves from previous year too. Try Mir-Acid food.
http://thehoneytreenursery.com/Japanese-Maples.php scroll to Orange Dream/acidic preference.
My A. j. 'Otaki is different every Fall, some years more purple than others, and I'm pretty sure
lower light exposure increases the purplish colours in Fall for this tree.

I like the foliage on your Coral magic, you would like Wilsons Pink.

could water have an effect on it? I only water with Pisgah Forest mountain water and sometimes I use water from the Davidson River next to the fish hatchery. There is definitely a difference from the tap water I was using.

 

[ysrgrathe]

I would snap up that tree and give it a shot. I've had cuttings throw roots, so it seems like it should be possible to layer.

have you had any problems with Brown spot on your Akanes

I have definitely seen the phenomenon you are talking about. From my own experience, and what I've read elsewhere, I'm not convinced it is fungal -- it might just be the genetics of the plant. Shade reduces / delays the development but I've never completely avoided it. I rotate antifungals (both systemic and local) regularly and still saw these spots, which were not present on other maples. And I do not top water, so it's not due to that either.

 

[Japonicus]

could water have an effect on it?

Indeed rainfall as well as other weather patterns have a direct response to colouration, including light hours.
Mineral content of the water/soil will have an effect also, but to what degree IDK.
My best practices with deciduous trees remains in the landscape and rather limited at that, sorry.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Here is a photo of ueno yama. Color is not well captured by my terrible iPhone, but gives you an idea. Also for harder to find varieties, you cant beat the cost/ quality of whitman farms. Of course they are grafted unlike at evergreen gardenworks so plan to layer. The size of her 1 gallon mapes would easily cost me 3x as much at my local nursery.

Are these still growing strong?

 

[b3bowen]

Great grower on its own roots.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Cool, layering will be my first order of business. I picked up a 7 gallon, about 5 /6 ft tall

 

[b3bowen]

Fall color of ueno yama.