help identify japanese maple - Beni Otake ??

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

I found this small japanese maple at home depot for $14 and couldn't resist. Don't really have room for more trees but figured I'd make it work by pruning/shaping if needed. (It may hit the 2nd level deck if it reaches 12 feet.... which will be a while).

The label says "Bloodgood" and the pot says "Upright" but this one was obviously different than similar trees with the same labeling, so I think it was mislabeled. I thought it might be Emporer 1, but I bought one of those for a friend a few months ago and the leaf structure doesn't match at all.

Looking at pics online it seems to match Beni Otake. The leaves were all red a week ago but now they're greening up a bit.

Any ideas what this is and how big it will get? I'm in Atlanta and it's planted in a backyard with heavily filtered afternoon sun, so mostly shade. (Huge water oak blocks the sun). I know it won't do great things without much sun, but figured it should survive at least.

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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

10 years ago

I see no graft either, so yes, a seedling. Very likely the Bloodgoods are also seedlings. Many, if not most, will bear a very strong resemblance to Bloodgood but ethically and horticulturally cannot be sold by that name. And yes, 'mutt' JM's (we prefer to refer to them as just species trees - lol!) are perfectly acceptable and often extremely attractive garden additions. Just nameless ones :-))

I buy product for a large independent nursery in my area and Thrive Wholesale is not a vendor name I recognize. And a good many, if not most, of the JM's we carry originate from Oregon.

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User
Original Author
10 years ago
User
Original Author
10 years ago
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User
Original Author
10 years ago
Not sure if the green trunk is a signature of the tree, or just a result of the young age. It's about 3 ft tall.
User
Original Author
10 years ago
more online research.... maybe Suminagashi?
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
10 years ago
Your little tree is neither of the cultivars you mention :-( Beni Otake means 'red bamboo' and reflects the very narrow, bamboo-like foliage it presents. It is a also a red-leafed form (all season). Shuminagashi is also a red-leafed form with quite large, 7 lobed leaves.

Can you identify a graft union on your plant? I'd suspect it is just a seedling tree - a lot of so-called Bloodgoods are grown as seedlings rather than grafted from known stock and less ethical growers and cut rate purveyors like the box stores, etc. have no compunction about selling them as named forms. Seedlings are not named forms nor can they ever be, regardless of their parentage, as they can be extremely variable in size, habit and appearance.

That does not mean a seedling grown tree - just a straight generic species Acer palmatum - cannot develop into a lovely tree. Most do. Just not a recognized named form.
User
Original Author
10 years ago
User
Original Author
10 years ago
User
Original Author
10 years ago
thanks gardengal!

so what you're saying is that this tree is the horticultural equivalent of a rescue dog? if so, that's fine... nothing wrong with a mutt. curious to see how the tree develops over time.

all the similar sized trees with the same labeling looked like a classic bloodgood (and matched the ones at the real nursery i patronize as well). i picked this one out since it was an oddball..... and not a big fan of the super-lacey, bushy jap maples. this one is a nice compromise. i needed something upright since there's a hydrangea, dwarf gardenia, and camellia nearby.

i don't see any evidence of grafting in above pics.

the sticker on the container says grown for Thrive Wholesale in Boring, OR.