Japanese Green Laceleaf Maple - Cadillac of Decorative Landscape
Written: Sep 26 '09 (Updated Nov 22 '09)
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Pros: Beautiful bright green in spring through vibrant reds and yellows in late fall. Hardy choice.
Cons: Can be expensive.
The Bottom Line: The Japanese Green Laceleaf Maple has beautiful bright green laceleaf look in the spring and a stunning yellow and red fall color. They are hardy yet stay relativley small.
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| michiman1's Full Review: Japanese Green Laceleaf Maple (Viridis) Tree, 20-3... |
We purchased our Japanese Green Laceleaf Maple shortly after we built our latest home and established a landscape plan. We had one growing at our previous home and I seriously wanted to pick it up and move it with us. Fourteen or fifteen years later we are still enjoying our second maple which currently sits next to our lower patio area.
Once you begin shopping for a Japanese maple, expect to be overwhelmed by the number of tree variations. This particular tree is known by it's scientific name of acer palmatum. They generally grow to a width of up to ten feet. Some suggest the viridis tree will grow to a height of nearly ten feet which I find a bit unlikely. After nearly fifteen years our maple is only a little over four feet in height with only very minimal pruning off the top over the years. This genus known as the dissectum which are recognizable by their thin, feathery lace leaves are also found in shades of red as well as the green variety reviewed here.
This decorative tree is really stunning from spring right through the end of fall. The thin lace leaves of this maple are a beautiful bright green from their emergence in the spring until it becomes time for it's full fall color show. It's leaves will turn full shades of yellow and red and will remain on the tree for several weeks when they eventually brown and fall. I also like the fact that the leaves all completely fall within a relatively short time making fall clean up a bit more simple. Even during the winter months, the tree's relatively short and wide stance along with it's cascading limbs and branches make for an interesting look.
Despite the fact that these plants are pretty hardy, there are a few things to consider before selecting a location. Japanese maples can thrive in nearly any garden soil but the soil must be well drained. In our case, the soil is a fairly sandy loam. Attempting to plant one of these maples in wet soil, especially where the root system is continually soaked is a bad idea. While this tree is equally able to live in both shade or sunny areas, prolonged sun and hot weather may cause burning of the leaves. Many experts will probably suggest using a mulch around the tree base to maintain moisture to the plant's roots. Both trees we have owned were planted and kept within mulched beds with sufficient irrigation throughout the growing season.
We planted our Japanese Green Laceleaf Maple near our front porch where it remained for about four years. It became apparent I had selected a spot which was considerably smaller than I should have so I decided to attempt to move the tree. The four-year-old tree was approximately five feet in diameter at the time and I feared the move would shock and eventually kill our prized maple. In the fall, I cut the roots with approximately four foot diameter of root. The final extraction was accomplished when I snapped the lower main root by dragging the tree out with my old Yardman tractor. I did fear the tree may not come back the next spring. Not only did the tree fully recover but it has flourished in the years since. It currently measures a bit over four feet high and eight to ten feet in diameter. This alone should be a testament to this tree variety's hardiness.
It is suggested by many of the experts to prune Japanese maples during the winter months. I usually trim ours in the late fall after the leaves have changed color and either fallen or about to fall. Ours had the typical look with cascading limbs clearing the ground by about twelve to fifteen inches. I usually only have to trim off small limb ends off the top and outer reaches as well as those which hang low enough to block the view of the tree's trunk which is usually visible under the flowing branches.
I was sincerely disappointed when we left our beautiful six year old Japanese Green Laceleaf Maple when we moved from our last home. Both trees were absolutely stunning examples. The colors were vibrant from spring through fall and simple to shape into form. You will be able to purchase many of the other varieties of Japanese maple at considerably lower prices than the laceleaf examples. Expect to pay a substantial sum for a tree that is anything more than a small planting, especially those of this particular genus. I have and even currently do own other varieties of the Japanese maple but there's no question in my mind that this is the Cadillac of decorative landscape. Based on our experience for over twenty years, despite the relatively high price one may have to pay, I have to give a green thumbs up buy recommendation and a full five stars here at Epinions when it comes to the Japanese Green Laceleaf Maple.
Recommended:
Yes
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