What city are you in? The amount of morning sun (duration) will increase the more inland you are..

I have the Bloodgood and the leaves are scrotched from the sun and hot wind and some of the leaves have fallen off on me.

The Seiryu will only turn red in fall.. But it is quite heat tolerant, only showing some bronzing and minor burns, all leaves are still intact.

I am kind of in the same boat as you are.. looking for a red leaf for planting in front yard but I want one that will look good through out the heat of summer.

Just want to report back, I just finished visiting a nursery in their front display yard they have 2 large bloodgoods in ground one have tip burns and one that is completely defoiliated, an emperor I is near by and only showing very minor tip damage on the top most leaves and it is even in a container. It is holding the red very well too.

And thanks mapler for confirming everything I have seen for myself today. I think the Emperor I will be the cultivar I'll be planting up front one day.. As for the leaves they seem a bit different than bloodgood to me. the branching has a more sparse layerered look which is very attractive.

I've also been told that the osakazuki will do well in full sun. A larger tree with large leaves and supposed to have the brightest red of all maples in the fall albeit for only about 4 weeks. Question is whether given the mild Bay Area weather, does anyone know whether we will actually get that brilliant red color? I think that we're looking at either the seiryu or osakazuki for now. Thanks in advance.

Whenever comparing 'Bloodgood' there is always the possibility that one or more of the specimens being discussed is not the true item, since mixed seedlings are sold as this cultivar.

The Fireglow is similar to bloodgood with better heat tolerance. The leaves are not as dark as the bloodgood's leaves.

Fireglow is one of my best performers in all day sun here in north central Georgia.

I live in Sacramento and just had to remove 2 almonds I had in my front yard - too much water. They were in a bed with azaleas and annuals. I'm trying to figure out what to replace then with. I am considering one or two green maples. The location is in full sun with late afternoon shade facing pretty much south. Know any that would fit my needs?

Dampness with afternoon shade could result in quite a happy Japanese maple, esp. if azaleas are successful. However, Japanese maples are sensitive to impeded drainage (as are azaleas), if the spot was too damp for almonds (and the azaleas aren't right in the same spot, demonstrating drainage is adequate there) you may want to check on this before investing time and money in one.

Mapler wrote: "Sango Kaku is another cultivar that does decent in full sun."

I wonder if it would withstand the hot Sacramento summers we have here? I just bought one, but I'm having second thoughts as the only spot for it would only receive late afternoon shade. I was thinking of exchanging it for an Emperor I or other sun-tolerating Japanese Maple, but I sure would love to hold on to this Sango-kaku! Think it might do alright?

You must be careful with the phrase "sun tolerating".#1 many of the sites that suggest such are in the pacific NW which does get hot but the sun is not at the same angle thus you most likely will NOT get the same results and might get damaged no matter what they post...#2 Humidity also seems to play a part in how much "scald you will get. #3 Finally I live in central Il and most of my JM's did get sun damage this summer including E1 and Fireglow ...the standard barers of sun resistance. Most were only tip damaged but both the above two were scorched in full sun ... I am A firm believer that ALL jm's do better in morn. sun and afternoon shade...especially when young . But you can expect some damage as far as leaf tip burn even Then as I did on many that were in partial shade ...if the summer is hot and sunny enough as it was last year!!I guess I if I were you I'd stay with the kaku and see what happens since it is highly possible you won't do anmy better with something else in that spot David

Full sun all day in zone 9 could mean a lot of different situations. Here in Europe it includes the coastlines of Ireland and England, as well as the hot interior of Southern Spain. Japanese maples could be easily grown full sun in the first case and not at all in the second.

I do know the Bay area and, no matter the cultivar, it will be complicated to avoid tip burn by mid- end of July. Some of the best bets are the introductions coming from the Gilardelli brothers of Milano. They have been growing maples for more than 80 years, their nursery is in zone 9 and have selected only those plants that take full sun there. Some of the Gilardelli Acer Palmatum cultivars are: ÂAutum RedÂ, ÂPink FiligreeÂ, ÂStella RossaÂ, ÂGreen GlobeÂ, ÂRed Autum LaceÂ, ÂFire GlowÂ, ÂRed Flash and ÂSummer GoldÂ. I have most of them and can confirm they take full sun in my area (zone 8, southern France). In containers they will all develop brown tips by mid-summer but in the ground, with ample watering, they stay pretty healthy.

Gomero

I have a Sangu Kaku in absolutely, 100% full, unmitigating, full Southern Maryland sun. We're almost always in a drought zone, with many waterless days well over 95 degrees.

As per suggestions on this board, I planted my Sangu Kaku in the fall. It was far too hot, still, and it lost its leaves due to stress. However, after our very short winter, it came back in the spring happy as a clam. It did very well during the summer, which surprised me, but all in all, if it can survive the sun and heat in my yard (which evidently is an "atmospheric trough" with its own microcosm) you can do it, I'd think.

I also have a beautiful, beautiful Autrolinear, which gets a tiny bit of leave tip burn, but is doing well very near the Sangu Kaku. I love it because the stems turn black in the fall when the leaves change into its very cool fall colors. Very interseting.

Good question and I'm watching avidly. I have very little shade.

Christine

I'd stick with 'Emperor I'.

'Skeeters Broom' is a witches' broom from 'Bloodgood' and is another possibility. Here's at The US National Arboretum; May, 2006.
{{gwi:664014}}

Acer palmatum 'The Bishop' (US Nat. Arb)

In my notes, I checked all the palmatums with no dieback and these were the best. Branch dieback for my climate is a 'winter' problem. However, and I think that these might just perform well (in heat as well).

Definitely the most healthy of specimens there.

Acer palmatum 'Dr. Baker' was another good one:

Dax

I am very pleased to answer your question regarding heat tolerant Japanese maples because we specialize in heat tolerant maples. Of the 408 Japanese Maple cultivars we have chosen what we consider the top 25 maples in the world today. Our number one criteria is heat tolerance followed by color, structure, overall beauty, vigor, and strength of the tree. Glowing Embers and Emperor I are very sun tolerant. Tamukeyama is extremely sun resistant for a lace-leaf dissectum. I am hesitant to pick a few because all 25 we have selected are the most heat tolerant. Enjoy your beautiful Japanese maple no matter which cultivar you select. If you have any further questions please let us know.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pacific Coast Maples

I am interested in getting the list of the most heat tolerant, 25, that was mentioned by maplegrower in Jan, 07, how do I get it, thanks, Archilla

I checked the link that maplegrower included and that nursery only carries what they consider to be the top 25 varieties. I'm in Sacramento where it is dry and hot. I decided to try the Fireglow and luckily found a lcal nursery that had some and then found an even better looking one at HomeDepot so now I have two! I'll be planting one in full sun and one in afternoon shade this weekend.

I'm in the smae boat, looking for a Japanese Maple that will do well in full sun but I live in zone 7, in Sams Valley Oregon. My back yard is West facing with lots of sun, clay soil with Ph of 7 to 7.5. I lost a Bloodgood, it was in the ground only 1 year - who knows what happened; I'm willing to try again. I like the canopy on the green leaf Japanese Maples and the one I have in the front yard is doing okay after 1 year.

So, maybe a green leaf in the back yard too. Yet I love the Coral bark even though it is more vase shaped, will it tolerate these conditions? Perhaps an Emperor? The forest service states Acer tataricum ginnala and Acer truncatum do well here in the valley - again these are vase shaped. Any suggestions? These (I plan to get two) will be planted in each corner of the yard with a triad of Juniperius V. Monbells (blue-green, tall & narrow) and two Dwarf Golden Mops in the center along with ornamental grasses and perennianls.

Any suggestions?

Here's a list from MetroMaples in Dallas. If you want sun tolerant, than these guys have a nursery in Central Texas. They know what they are talking about. I live in Austin, but made the drive up there to buy a few plants.

Most Sun Tolerant - Upright: Acer palmatum, Sango Kaku, Seiryu, Omureyama, Osakasuki
Most Sun Tolerant - Dissectums: Tamukeyama
Most Sun Tolerant - Dwarfs: Shishigashira, Mikawa yatsubusa, Coonora Pygmy

Here is a link that might be useful: at the bottom of this page is the list I posted.

check out pacific coast maples, temecula, ca. If they can grow them in HOT temecula you can grow them in n ca!!!
gorgeous!
They are expensive. I can get alittle smaller ones NOW for LOTS less $$$. I have supplier and can order for you!!! like $20-25 each.

Here is a link that might be useful: pacific coast maples

Hi all--we just bought some acer palmatum bloodgood, 10 gallon specimens for our back yard in the Sherman Oaks area (Los Angeles, but hotter), around our pool. We get full sun most of the day, and shade hits around 5pm, depending on the season (obviously in winter, much earlier). We had hoped to keep them in vessels, so, worst case, we could move them somewhere else during the harshest parts of the summer. What do you all think? We know it was a risk, but there was an exceptional opportunity to buy them at a miraculous price, so . . . we jumped. Are we crazy?

Thank you!

Trees in containers present a different set of growing conditions than do those planted in the ground. Extreme heat on the containers (or reflected heat from a paved surface in the sun) can create stressful conditions that you should be aware of. Watering will be a critical factor.

'Bloodgood' ('true' Bloodgood, that is) Is probably one of the better choices for this situation. It is a pretty tough tree.

@gardengal48--thank you so much!

@jlcjlr, how did it go? I Iive in Sacramento and just bought a seiryu for my front yard, full sun. I am more than nervous that I've just wasted my money.

Let me chime in nine years later and say that our Sango-kaku is thriving in full sun. We never get scalded leaves on this tree, as we do with another un-named Japanese Maple in our yard, and this "Coral Bark Maple" has grown to a much larger size than I ever expected.

How would you describe the Fall color? I'm less than thrilled from what I've seen. Not bad, but not choice either.

The bright red color of the smaller branches in winter is it's saving grace.

Mike

I really want a JM that turns that pretty pink color, and can take FS in Sacramento. Any suggestions? I bought a Seiryu, but am worried that it is going to fry on my front lawn in FS.

"Pink"?? Regular season color or fall color? Most JM's only have a pinkish tint on the newest spring foliage, maturing to a more intense, developed color as the season progresses.

FWIW, give CA's drought considerations, I would hesitate to plant just about any JM in full sun. It unnecessarily stresses the tree and more frequent deep watering will be required and even that is no guarantee against leaf scorch. Pacific Coast Maples, a large well-known grower of JM's located in SoCal, has a listing of very sun and heat tolerant cultivars (which includes Seiryu) but offers these qualifiers: "Japanese maples should always receive afternoon shade. These beautiful
trees do well in high heat conditions but do not do well in high heat
conditions if they are exposed to the Sun's direct rays after noon to 1
p.m. Tree placement underneath a larger tree's canopy or on the North or
East side of your house is strongly recommended." And "With that said please remember that although many Japanese maples do
well in full Sun, it is strongly recommended that you place your tree in
a location (See FAQ's- Where Should I Plant My Japanese Maple
Tree)where the tree will receive morning Sun and afternoon shade."

Mike, I had a beautiful specimen of 'Sango Kaku' in my old Shoreline garden. It would literally stop people in their tracks in winter, especially after a rain when the drops would suspend from those blood red branches like diamonds!!It was a truly lovely tree in all aspects and developed a very attractive peachy-apricot fall coloring. Not as dramatic as the fall coloring on something like 'Osakazuki' but beautiful nonetheless.

Thank you for your good advice on FS and JM. You've convinced me to plant my tree in the backyard, rather than the front. Regarding the pink leaves, when I google JM's, there are many pictures of various trees featured with pink leaves, but the pictures don't specify which season the picture was snapped or even which tree is pictured.

I guess it depends on how you define "pink" :-) With the exception of some of the variegated cultivars, there are very few JM's I would consider to have "pink" foliage - 'Frosted Strawberry', 'Johnnie's Pink', 'Pink Filigree' to name a couple - but even these tend to only to have a distinctly pink coloration on new spring growth. More mature, full season foliage tends to be more of a coral/red/wine color, depending on cultivar. What looks to be pink in photos is more likely to be one of these colors just taken from a distance and in lighting that makes it "appear" pink. And a pink colored tree is going to be very vulnerable in a full sun location - I will almost guarantee a lot of stress and leaf scorch in full sun.

>How would you describe the Fall color? I'm less than thrilled from what I've seen. Not bad, but not choice either.<

Yeah, I wouldn't pick a Sango-kaku for its fall foliage. The color is a kind of a pale gold, which is nice but not spectacular. The red bark is beautiful, but as the tree ages, the red bark is limited to new growth at the top of the tree. My tree is getting fairly large, so the red bark isn't all that prominent. It does have a nice shape, lovely green summer foliage, and does well in full sun. But if you're looking for spectacular color, look elsewhere.

Here's mine today.

I think I'll prune it to get as much new growth as possible without going so far as to shear it.

It seems to like where it's at.

I live in Sacramento, our summers are brutal. According to usnews.com, the sun shines in Sacramento 78% of the time. I have a Seiryu in full sun, from sun up to sun down. Not a single burnt leaf. It is flourishing! I needed more trees for my full sun front yard, and a local nursery suggested "Tobisho" Japanese Maples, so I planted 2. They look horrible. Leaves are burnt big time.

@jlcjlr how are your fire glows doing?

I have an Orangeola in full all day sun in 7b NC and a Tamukeyama in afternoon sun.

I live in west central Florida in zone 9 but near zone 10. What varieties will flourish under the hot humid conditions?

Very few, I'm afraid :-(( Your climate is just not very well suited to these trees both in terms of an extended period of heat and the ever present humidity, which could be a highly contributing factor to disease issues. And a lack of winter chill that precludes a proper dormancy period. They may last for a couple of seasons but do not thrive like they would in a cooler climate.

If you lived in northern FL closer to the panhandle, I think your chances would increase but central Florida is not much to their liking.

This is an amazing 11 year old thread full of first hand accounts.

For the longest time I have been skeptical of any JM's in full sun in Missouri. The closest I got was a main species JM which did well with exposure until early afternoon.

I just might try some again.

If MOBOT is any indication, JM's will do fine in Missouri, but probably not in full sun :-) I'd have to say that any JM planted just about anywhere (including up here in the very mild and quite northerly PNW) would prefer to receive some shade, preferably afternoon shade or shade during the hottest, most sun-intense part of the day. They are by nature a woodland understory tree and adapted to growing under the protective canopy of larger trees. Full sun is not their preference.

I am interested in planting JM in Gold Beach, Oregon. The area is south side with full sun, late afternoon shade, zone 9b. Any suggestions for varieties and hardiness. Thanks.

In that coastal climate, pretty much any JM you like would work :-) The south side is not an ideal location however - usually too much exposure to midday hot sun. For sure avoid any cultivars with very pale green or gold foliage, and any variegated or reticulated forms. Take a look at this listing for selections that can best tolerate a lot of sun. Provided they receive sufficient summer irrigation to keep them happy :-)

@jlcjlr - “decided to try the Fireglow…I’ll be planting one in full sun and one in afternoon shade”. That was back in 2010…13 years ago…curious to know how your Fireglow JM’s are doing now? I’m considering a Fireglow for my property, but I don’t have any mature trees so it would be getting full sun the majority of the day in zone 7A in the mid-Atlantic region. Worried that the leaves would scorch. Also, how is the fall color on them? I’m looking for really bright scarlet red fall color…the kind of red that stops you in your tracks with the sun setting behind it! Thanks…would love to get an update!