Hi, Lou. Those two Shantung Maples of yours are beautifully shaped young trees. Your Fire Dragon has fantastic fall color. Wish I had known about that variety before I purchased mine. I love it though, even though it just has the typical yellow fall color, exactly like in your second picture. I've found them to be really healthy, vigorous trees that hold up well to our harsh climate.

A question for you. I trained mine to a central leader, but the tree begins branching at about 4 ft up its trunk. Those lower branches grow upward, not straight out, but do not seem to be threatening the central leader. Do you think I should "limb the tree up" during the winter? Or should I leave the lower branches as they are, since its branching is kind of interesting looking. If it were a really large-growing tree, I'd definitely limb it up. If it were a Japanese Maple, I'd definitely keep the lower branches for the architectural look. But since Shantung Maple is a "medium-sized" tree, I'm not sure as to what to do.

Randy

From what I've heard reading about the Shantungs from Neil Sperry and from Metro Maples, you should leave the lower branches alone, as long as they're a healthy shape, because the maples are naturally low-branching trees. They're not meant to look like a post oak, with branches starting twenty feet off the ground. Let me see if I can make an image show up ... I'd check the Metro Maples website for sure, they've got great info on growing Shantungs!

Here is a link that might be useful: Metro Maples

Oh my gosh, that picture is exactly what I needed to see.
That is how I want my Shantung Maple to look when it is mature.
Geez, 100 years old? Beautiful and fairly good-sized without being huge. Perfect for my lot.
I will definitely leave the lower branches. They are at healthy angles and look sculptural.
A million thanks to you!

Randy

Randy,

You can leave the branches low if you wish. It just depends. I have 6 shantung maples and they have rather low branches but at the right angles (or the ones that look right, you know). I have two that are growing on the slope part of the yard where i have the low branches where it slopes down toward the street but eventually I would have to prune the ones that is on the upslope side so I can get through. Same goes with the driveway and fence.

They grow a bunch of branches upright so it seems like you have multiple central leaders. At least that's the case with Fire Dragon. The yellow one that you saw in the picture doesn't seem to be much of a grower but the trunk sure gets fat. Most of growth are in the spring while Fire Dragon's growth is throughout the year. Probably varies seedling to seedlings. I have another yellow one that is one ugly tree. I'm thinking about getting rid of it. I just can't stand that one. Branches growing wild in every direction! I've grown 50 something seedlings from seeds so I've come up with several nice ones that I can use to replace the ugly one.

This is another Fire Dragon, my first one. It used to be a tiny one that was planted in the spring of 2006. Now it's probably 12,13 feet fall. I think it got a little messed up by my next door neighbor using weed and feed fertilizer. I need to talk to them about it so it doesn't happen again. I don't think they realize that feed and weed fertilizer causes damage to trees.

Wow! Those are gorgeous!!! That red tree is just stunning.I confess that I like the yellow too. Nice contrast colors.
You have a knack for trees. Even the "ugly" one isn't too bad. I don't blame you for wanting to 86 it if you have a whole nursery stock(50!) of baby trees.
I just bought my Bigtooth from Metro. They say the Shantungs are so popular that they are going to stop carrying the Bigtooths. I wonder if I could propegate Bigtooths myself? Weston Gardens has trouble finding them.
My bigtooth has tomatoe red in the leaves (just a tough here and there) I hope it keeps it. Thanks for telling me where to find one! PJ

Thanks PJ. I have bigtooth maple too. It grew about a foot and a half in its first year so I'm not complaining but it's still pretty small. The fall color appear to be yellow but it's not over yet. I think the seeds from 'Texas' Bigtooth is hard to come by. I'm not sure. I just recall Love Creek nursery nearby San Antonio talking about it. It has hundreds of bigtooth maple trees there for sale.

I lost the urge to dig up the ugly tree so it stays! The problem is the caliche soil so forget it. It'd be a lot easier with sandy soil.

I have bur oak, Mexican white oak and 'Nanjing Beauty' hybrid cypress as well. Soon enough it's going to be a forest in my yard... Ah... shade...

By the way, I also have dozens of Mexican white oak seedlings, a dozen of Loquat oak and some unknown cypress seedlings (bald or Montezuma?).This fall, I've collected hundreds of Montezuma cypress seeds, dozens of bur oak (just to see how it responds to rootmaker's air pruning tap root), and others. Someone gave me a bunch of Central Texas bald cypress seeds that should tolerate alkaline soil better than eastern source. Should be fun!

Thanks for the additional info, Lou, and the photos are helpful too.

PJ, I like those Bigtooth Maples too. Beautiful trees.

Lou, I have a Burr Oak too. I have pruned it way up over my head over the years, and have worked hard to keep it with one central leader since it will eventually be huge. It's been the perfect tree so far.

Randy

Lou, what's wrong with hammering your way through clay??? LOL! No matter where I move I end up with clay. I think I'd be lost if I got decent soil.

I have this huge problem with gardening. I LOVE trees. I LOVE roses. Roses need full sun and trees create deep shade.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh!

I'm going to start a Rusty blackhaw Vib.,Buckeye (red/scarlet), and weeping redbud nursery here too. If the bigtooth maple is female I'll try that. Hopefully it won't be too difficult. PJ

The shantung that I planted this spring has yellow foliage. It has done very well considering this is the driest year on record. However, it is still small and is able to get it's water needs met from my hose.

My mature bur oak and red bud defoliated very early. One of my pecans lost leaves all summer.

Mature Mt. Laurels planted by TXDOT are all dying.

(It's been a very stressful year)

PJ: You can have your trees and roses. Everything blooms in the shade around here!!

Yay!!! LOL! PJ

{{gwi:451492}}From 2008-11-23 Shantung maples

That's pretty bright yellow ones, almost like gingko tree!

Lou, that's great fall color! My Shantung wasn't quite that bright of a yellow this year, but last year it was. It also had quite a bit of red mixed in with it last year, but was strickly yellow this fall. I've been really pleased with this tree so far. It's been vigorous, healthy, & mannerly.

Randy

That is gorgeous!

my firedragon shantung from metro maples. 11/2008, second year

{{gwi:1377969}}

Bhawkins-

Nice! Come back in the fall with more pictures! :)

Lou

Wow, bhawkins, that's a beautiful tree!
And so is your house and the spacious property around it.

Randy

bhawkins-

What is your soil like? Your tree looked like its on fire! I don't think mine quite got there like that. I live on limestone rubbles so it's not exactly ideal soil but they do just fine.

it was spectacular this year. but last year wasn't much. & most trees had good color here in mckinney this year, but not last. i think the rainy spring/summer ruined last year

this firedragon is planted in about 2-3 feet of "builders dirt" with a lot of reddish sand in it, on top of soil loaded with limestone & caliche. so its color is probably due to the builders dirt

beautiful. my fire dragon is yellow..... Think they sent me the wrong tree?