One of the best is Acer pseudoplatanus 'Brilliantissimum'. However, less pretty A. pseudoplatanus 'Prinz Handjery' has been sold in its place in North America. Buyer beware. I got the true item from F.W. Byles Co., Olympia, WA.

Acer pictum[mono] Hoshi yadori is one of my favorites...

Acer negundo is seen by many as a weed tree, but it has produced a couple of nice variegatd selections in 'Variegatum' and 'Flamingo.' Some time ago BBoy (Big boy or Bad boy?) had posted about what I think was another variegated Box Elder, but due to failing memory it escapes me. If you really want to impress your friends and neighbors plant a Box Elder.

Acer mono 'Usugumo'
Acer truncatum 'Akikaze nishki'

Both nice maples. 'Usugumo' can be quite tender when young and very slow growing.

Well Basic I don't know if you are kidding BUTTT.... I wouldn't suggest Boxelder (Acer negundo) even if it is variegated . Yes they are fast growing but are generally IMHO rather useless and unimpressive trees of little repute.In my part of the country we consider them weeds. They often provoke a double take thinking you have just brushed up against poison ivy (of which the leaves are similar) only the bright green stems giving you the "thank God it wasn't" feeling!!! Next to the "tree of Paradise" tree they are more weeds than trees...David

Yes, like Paris Hilton, the species reputation for trashiness is probably deserved. But, does that mean it can't produce garden worthy selections? My screen background is a picture of emerging 'Flamingo' foliage that is incredibly beautiful. It's a pic from the New Ornamentals Society that many of you have probably seen.

My memory was jogged after looking at the attached site, and Ron's old post was for 'Sensation,' which is not variegated. Sorry, Ron. ;(

Here is a link that might be useful: Acer negundo cultivars

Nos is the stuff . Acer negundo straight species is sketchy , but there are some goodies . 'Flamingo' is super fat , 'Winter Lightning' is the bomb . Intense tangerine yellow stems that make ya smile . Pat McCracken from Kingston , TN. ( now outside Raleigh ) found it growing near Big Daddy's on Interstate 24 . It took him several times to finally get it to take . The last attempt was successful , lightning actually struck his umbrella . That is determination , what a cool dude . I have never seen box elder bugs near any of those , I guess they are all on the dang Koelreuteria's . I think Acer rubescens 'Silver Cardinal' would provide happiness . Acer rufinreve 'Hatsuyuki' is cool .

The van Gelderens (MAPLES FOR GARDENS, 1999, Timber Press) give Acer rubescens 'Silver Cardinal' as a synonym of A. x conspicuum 'Silver Cardinal': "A rare plant, it is suitable for smaller gardens. It tends to revert to green but after cutting back hard the variegated foliage appears again."

Yes, I have seen it listed as A. cons. , but I am going by what Talon preaches . Not that he is always right . I have several and have not seen any reversions as of yet . My biggest is almost 8'. The bark is not really that close to your typical conspicuum in my opinion . I have seen some sun scald down here in full sun w/ some afternnon shade . I just looked in Yano's Book for Maples and they have it listed under other cultivars in Japan some with doubtful identification . It is listed as Acer xconspicum 'Silver Cardinal' . Humm , only one u . It is a long way from here to Japan , funny how things change .

>I am going by what Talon preachesWhich is...?

Welcome back, Welcome back, Welcome back...John Sebastian.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions... I really do like the Acer rufinerve "Hatsuyuki" that was mentioned above... I'm not quite sure where to get one though... I'll have to do some looking around... BBoy- I really like the A. pseudoplatanus "Brilliantisimum" with it's spring color, but I'm really running out of space, so I have to be fairly selective if I'm gonna plant a "larger" tree. I'm gonna have to do some reasearch on these... Anybody got any pics???

'Brilliantissimum' grows at a snail's pace, is a favorite overseas so there should be plenty of images online. The biggest one of the few I have seen here was maybe 8' tall, if that. It was at Frogwell, the Whidbey Island garden of the late H. Turner, and was setting fruit.

Nomenclature is heavy duty . Talon is a guy . I figure he is at the pinnacle of knowledge when it comes to the genus Acer . Well , at least in North America . I agree 'Brilliantissimum and 'Hoshi yadori' are good choices . So many good ones .

Thinking back to an earlier comparison from Basic . Be on the look out for thie new fastigiate Acer negundo 'Paris Stilton'. It is tall and the samaras are filled with diamonds .( laughter ) Acer rubescens 'Silver Cardinal' was adopted recently . They ( being them ) decided there were enough differences . Although some in Europe are still online calling the neato tree Acer conspicuum 'Silver Cardinal'. I hear some growers are now just calling it Acer 'Silver Cardinal'. The above information is what I heard yesterday on the phone . Yeah , even more inquisitive now .....All the same it is refreshing gem for the yard . Happy Holidays .

Yes, I know who Talon is. Was just wondering what the details were of his argument, that's all. You didn't say.

My bad . Just trying to help .

Whether its Conspicuum or Rubescens 'Silver cardinal"
a more important question for zone5/6 might be is how cold hardy is it. What is the coldest Silver Cardinal has taken for anyone? Also is anyone having success growing Acer campestre Carnival well? Mine looks great for a couple of months and then the white starts to brown out badly. My variegated palmatums, kousas and zelkova look much better for a longer period of time. David

David-
I've seen a few Carnival's in MI and here in NE Ohio that looked very good even in July/August... They were in Part Shade though... You are definitely warmer in summer than we are up here... don't forget Lake Erie is just to our North and moderates things quite a bit...
Re Brilliantisimum, BBoy, how slow is snail's pace??? less than a 1ft per year??? and how much shade do you think it can take--- is 2-3 hours of afternoon sun enough??? Eskimo sunset does well in open shade with about 3-4 hours of afternoon sun...

Thanks for the info on the Carnival. Another variegated maple I have seen pictures of but can't find information on or a source is Acre Conspicuum 'Ask Flamingo'. If anyone has info on it it would be appreciated. It seems somewhat similar to 'Silver Cardinal' and might be another nice small variegated maple with greater winter interest. David

Hardiness is not the issue . Acer 'Silver Cardinal' has pennsylvanicum parentage ( zone 4 ) . It was a chance seedling from a tree at Winsor Great Park . If it was conspicuum that would be zone 5 , rubescens would be 5/6 not 7 like some say . The cultivars of conspicuum that I am familiar with are 'Candy Stripe' , 'Elephant's Ear' , 'Phoenix' , and 'Silver Vein' . Where have you seen that 'Ask Flamingo' , David ? Could that be straight Acer davidii ? Maybe ? Where are all the Europeans with the answers .

The best picture I have seen of Esk Flamingo has been at the following www.garden-picture.com/fotoseite7/kw36-03/uebersicht.html As you will see it is similar to silver cardinal but different.

As far as Silver Cardinal goes, I hope your right on the hardiness. I planted out a 4-5' one this summer. The history on that plant seems odd. It is reported, as you mentioned, to be an american introduction but the only place I could ever find info on it several years ago was on Europe websites. You would think that a plant that originated in an adjacent state wouldn't have been so hard to track down. David

That's Windsor Great Park, in England. "Raised and introduced by the Crown Estate Commissioners, United Kingdom, in 1985" (van Gelderens).

Sorry forgot the d . Bboy - Have you ever been to Collector's ? David , I will scope out that Garden-Picture . What awesome pictures they have , better to entice us . Cincy is a cool town . Did you ever goto ( Stuart's ? ) Ohio River Grass ? What a fabulous place . Wher did you here that 'Silver Cardinal 'was from the U.S. ? It is weird that some things that do originate here are almost impossible to locate . A good example Oxydendrum arboreum 'Mtn. Charm '.

Silver Cardinal dead in Southern Ohio. I just checked on the 4' plant I put in the ground in late sping and it has expired. I don't know if it is not hardy as we have not had any real cold weather or if it couldn't handle the fast transition we had around Thanksgiving from warm fall weather to cold, end of December type weather. Based on the roots when I pulled the plant out of the ground, it had been well established. David

David- sorry about your loss... I guess if it isn't hardy down there, I don't have much of a shot up here... Scratch that one...

Unless it was a bacterial/fungal problem.

I was at Collector's once years ago, when they were part of a tour.

Collector's has a wonderful display garden . I will be in Louisville tomorrow and I think I will take Mike Hayman a 'Silver Cardinal' . Mike is a tree geek who has transformed his neighborhood into an arboretum . I would think 'Silver Cardinal would have better hardiness . I think it would definitely be worth trying doniki , there are so many variables . People tell me all the time that something won't grow here . Well I like to try and succeed . If your not killing you are not growing as a gardener . Maples of any kind can be tricky . Some of the literature I have read has 'Silver Cardinal' as syn. Acer x conspicuum like Bboy said . It is odd that it would not be zone 5 . Anyways A. pseudo. 'Brilliantisimum' , 'Eskimo Sunset' or A. pictum 'Hoshi yadori' should all be hardy in zone 5 . Good luck .

Oh trust me, I've killed my fair share of plants over the years... It's so sad... But, I'd be willing to give it a try- "Silver Cardinal," that is. I love the pink/white mix variegation. I'm right on the border of z5/6 and I live in the "city" so, I can get away with most z6 plants without any problems... I bought an acer palmatum Toyama Nishiki, which I was told would be marginal at best, but it has done well and grown fairly vigorously.

With trees of course the idea is that they will live for decades, there's hardy for 5 years and then there's hardy for 50. I wouldn't call a tree (or any other plant, really) hardy in my area until it had been here without significant damage for at least 30 years.

Hi, just bought a Eskimo sunset maple and I want to know how much direct sun these tree needs?

Butch,

It has been my experience that Eskimo Sunset can take almost no sun and perfers deep shade. I have heard the same thing from several other people I know who have them.