GaryStPaul,

The 'Hakura Nishiki' is a borderline plant, I wouldn't be afraid to try it as long as you understand it has about a 50/50 chance. I have clients with them, about 1/2 have made it. There is also a house down the street from me with one, they initially had two.

I have just recently seen the standard form of the ABW...Love the way that looks, I would say it would be much hardier, but have not had personal experience. I would not be afraid to try it though. If it acts like I think it will, it will be a big thing...

Good luck, Helen.

Thanks, Helen. You gave me that advice on the HN earlier this year and, being a gambler, I put one in and have my fingers crossed. I'll try to get my neighbor's opinion on the standard tree form and will pass it along.

On the ABW standard: it never occurred to me that it could grow huge, might be a good reason to think of something else. Of course I pictured it as though it was a kind of bonsai, staying neatly, politely, and permanently within modest bounds, ha.

GaryStPaul

I have had one here in Duluth for 2 years. That great snow mulch really helps, I'm sure. It is looking leggy, and I have never done much pruning. Do you think I should cut it off at the ground in the Spring? If I wanted to try a standard, do I just choose one branch and but back everything else? The color is nice in the early spring, but mine is in a more shady spot than partly shady, and it seems to fade out later in the summer.

Hey there Gary-
I have a 'Hakura Nishiki' growing in my yard- and your welcome to take cuttings to try it out for yourself-
Mine has it's best color on new growth- but it seems to flush out with growth a couple of times during the year-
I have to really protect it from the deer in the winter- they really seem to like how it tastes.
Julie

We've had this in our yard for several years now. It's been let to do its own thing for a while but this year I finally went back to it and hacked it back down -- and the dappled variegation really showed on the new growth of leaves after that. So I think a good hard spring pruning would keep it looking "fresh" on a yearly basis.

Thanks, erikmsp, good info. When you say "good hard pruning" what do you mean, in terms of how far down? Mine has really bushed out in the course of the season, but the new growth has been all green. GaryStPaul