Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
kvolk_gw

weeping japanese maple for sun in z5?

kvolk
18 years ago

Erosion of the soil around the edge or the top pool on the waterfall hill for my pond lowered the edge of the liner enough that I had a trickle of water over the edge. I didn't know what was happening until one of my bristlecone pines suddenly turned brown from being too wet. Now that the problem is corrected I am thinking of putting a Japanese maple in that spot. I am looking for suggestions on weeping/cascading maples that will take full sun in zone 5. I would like one that would stay rather small or could be kept small with judicious pruning. Would Garnet fit this spot? Red or green though I would lean towards red.

Comments (3)

  • Ron_B
    18 years ago

    Do other Japanese maples grow well there? Laceleaf forms are more delicate than those with normally shaped leaves; none appreciate mineral salts and low humidity, although they can be grown in arid parts of California if shaded and soil is flushed with occasional heavy watering.

    General hardiness cutoff is USDA 6, although some posting here report at least a few kinds being grown in USDA 5. If you have been looking at any of these threads, try to discover any mention of how long this has been done. Not a few posting about other kinds of plants being grown outside of their conventional hardiness ranges appear to think survival for comparatively short periods establishes full hardiness.

  • kvolk
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Yes, I have a number of Japanese maples that have been in my yard for 15-18 years, though in protected sites. I am expanding out away from the house now so I am primarily looking at the Japonicums and Shirawasanums for increased hardiness. I also put in a Mandshuricum and Pseudosieboldianum. I just got three Robinson REd seedlings. All are protected from wind. I put in an Orangiola this fall that I am going to try to protect through the winter. A real hard winter could cause mourning but it has been a long time since I saw -20 here. In general Japanese maples do not do well here in most yards. They are about a 5 year tree. But I also think that they are hard to get established in many climates by people who just dig a hole in the yard and stick them in there without considering sun and protection.

  • myersphcf
    18 years ago

    I think the other writers are correct ...with proper planting in a protected place you should be ok with several differnt dissectums but NOT all. Most nuseries carry crimson queens in my area and they wouldn't if they were taboo for this 5b area cause they have 1 year guarentees. I have a ten year old cut leaf dissectum that's about 6 ft yall and wide weeping nicely with no winter dieback even though we've had several -20 degree winter spells. I don't remember it's name so I can't help you there . I do know the green dissectums seem to be hardier although this one is a red one ...at least til this year when the trees around it shaded it too much ( if you want color you'd better put it in a protecterd area with at leas 6-8 hours of summer sun )I've since trimed back the sorounding vegitation so next year it will be RED.If you are interested try www.davesgarden.com and search japanese maples for your zone under plants,japanese maples the site has many knowlegable folks and a forum specifically for JM's David

Sponsored
SURROUNDS Landscape Architecture + Construction
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars10 Reviews
DC Area's High-End Custom Landscape Design/Build Firm 9x Best of Houzz