I have one it's young and it does scourch in full sun...but most do no matter what anyone says ...It can be trimmed of course to be kept smaller but it is not as large as many JM's...for that price if it's well branched and no disease presant ..I'd go for it..but afternoon shade would be a good idea.. see: http://www.mapletrees.net/backstage/Details.asp?44

Now you've tempted me, myersphcf ;) but I have to figure out how to sneak it by the significant other. Does it really have orange colored leaves?

Firstly if you got to sneak a 30$ tree past your sig other you've got BIG problems ;>) Two things I 'd check is it grafted ...look for a bulgeing point on the trunk ...it could be grown by other methods but if no buldge it may be seed grown and if so who the heck knows what it will look like...i'd pass ...also there is also a oshu beni that is NOT the same so it check that too ..( could also be mislabeled) ...I am not an expert on this tree mjh may know more but ..the color will probably be of a reddish greenish tone( to some that may be oramge ;>) ...thats how my young was was last year and it does burn in full sun as most JM's will in hotter climates .I firmly believe that temps , sun ,humidity, soil ,and all your local conditions play a really big part on what shade and color the tree will ultimatly be...and a young tree may be alot differnt than it will be in say 5 years.. hope that helps more than confuses ...but if it is grafted and 30$ and healty thats pretty good vegas odds I'd do it...David

David,
It's not the $30 but the 25 or so JMs I bought last year. They were all small but..."what! you bought more"?

The color of the new leaves were a sort of greenish orange. And I believe it was grafted but I'll have to look more closely. I did a google image search and it looks like the color of the Oshio beni is very changeable depending on the time of year and all the other conditions you mention because no two image were the same. And it definitely was labeled Oshio beni not Oshu beni. Thanks again for your input.

Yah that makes more sense ;>)JM's o'rama!!!! my wife has her thing ( going to japan each year for a month with a local university group) and I have mine.... JM's..I suggest the same for you that way they can yak at ya about your addiction and "vise" a versa...david

Oshio Beni late spring zone 5/6

Thanks for the gorgeous picture linlee. You and myersphcf have convinced me to go for it. Instead of sneaking I even spoke with the better half and she said "why didn't you get it?". Go figure. Maybe this is a ploy to keep me from buying dozens of the smaller year old grafts.