Question about Japanese Maple - Ever Red

18 years ago

We are thinking of purchasing this tree and had a question about the foilage. The specimen we are considering has reddish-green leaves whereas the description and photos we have seen on the internet show more of the dark red leaf. We prefer the dark red leaf plus the weaping nature of this tree--and also that it will remain more compact. The person we spoke to at the nursery said that the leaves are more red in the spring/summer and tend to fad in the fall before the drop off; however, she did not seem particularly knowledgeable about this tree. Is this true or are some specimen's of Ever Red more greenish than others?

If you look at the pictures in the following link the one we are considering looks like the third picture down: http://www.monrovia.com/plantinf.nsf/0/8209463FE13A61C18825684D007023D8

Any advice would be appreciated--as well as other other recommendations for a Japanese maple with weaping red leaves.

TIA!

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Comments (3)

barrelhead
18 years ago
We have this tree. I think that certain conditions (location, soil, exposure...) can effect the leaf color even among the same variety, but not 100% sure. I think there is a maple forum. You could try there and some expert should be able to provide insight.
Embothrium
18 years ago
Said to be synonym of 'Dissectum Nigrum'. Not the darkest cultivar of those commonly sold, 'Crimson Queen' for instance is better in this respect. All are subject to fading and scorching in hot sun and low humidity, partial shade and liberal watering gets best appearance even here in comparatively cool and dull western WA.

If you are in arid part of California or other desert region mineral salts in irrigation water may be a factor.
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bahia
18 years ago
If you are gardening in California, and a zone 9 designation would seem to indicate that you aren't located in coastal southern California, then most all of the red leafed maples will grow well in northern California if well watered and located out of the wind. The dissected leaf cultivars need even more shelter from full sun and hot drying winds to look their best. If the weeping dissected leaf forms are what you want, be sure you can locate it out of wind, give it sufficient water in summer, and probably best with dappled bright shade or morning sun only if you are away from the immediate coast.

The red coloration of foliage is always less red in mid summer, brightest when first leafing out, and again when cold hits and they start to color up. I wouldn't bother planting one if you can't give it ideal conditions, as they will look rather beaten up with dried out leaf tips if they aren't happy with the spot. If you have hot sun and want drought tolerant, you could always substitute with the Purple Smoke Bush, Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple', which is probably a better choice for a California garden in any case, because it can survive with much less water in the long term. You might also consider the purple foliaged Willow Leaf Peppermint Tree, Agonis flexuosa 'After Dark', which is evergreen, weeping in form, and has deep purple foliage year round.