While I can't answer your question, I was wondering what you thought of your Radiant? I just happen to live very close to where it originated from and have saw the "mother" tree which is very beautiful. She was kept in a container in a green house until this summer when because of her size, she was moved out for more room.

I have one myself, while mine is not in a container, I have it located in a protected place outside of our kitchen window for my wife to enjoy. This tree has great bark color (pink, cream and green striped) & a very pretty variegated leaf. Mine is now about 7' tall and is doing great.

I guess Jacaranda trees are far more vigorous than Japanese maples, then (I had to cut my Jacaranda tree down to a 2-inch stump last winter after freezing temperatures killed her top growth, but she has grown to 4 feet since then and is still growing). I'll keep an eye on the pot after about 3 years, then.

David, I only ordered the Radiant Japanese Maple yesterday. I'll let you know what I think when I receive it. However, I love the look of variegated Japanese maples, and the pictures made me get it immediately, even though I wasn't planning on getting another one.

Superteeth, I live in Z8b in Florida and thus have similar hot, humid intense sun issues. I have a Mikazuki that has been in full Florida sun for 2 years without any burning. I have been putting many cultivars that have traditionally always been said need 'afternoon shade' in the sun without issue, which has surprised me. Obviously great drainage, good mulching and steady moisture help that situation considerably. As far as how soon your pot will fill out with roots, that depends on the size of the plant going into the pot. You say 21", is that a 15 gallon pot? And what size pot is the plant that is going into it? On a side note, I also love variegated JM's and have probably 40 different variegated cultivars, but have not pursued Radiant as from what I have read, it is prone to reverting significantly more than most cultivars. You may want to watch it's growth closely so as to cut out any reversions. Otherwise enjoy it's fabulous colors!

Reversion, as in the leaves changing color, or the rootstock taking over? I believe the pot is 15 gallons, and the plant is in a 1 gallon container. I think that Florida is different because it is humid, while Texas is drier. Maybe that is the reason why it can handle full sun in Florida, but not Texas.

Reversion is where the plant's color/growth characteristics revert back to parentage material and new growth will not have any color or not exhibit the color qualities of the clone you purchased. Some plants when young may do this but later show better variegation and color while others the reversion needs to be cut out or the whole plant can end up without variegation. Variegated specimens overall have more direct sun sensitivity than solid color specimens. Even a variety that I think will handle full sun I will keep protected from midday on in the first year if the plant was delivered to you with leaves on. Once it goes through a winter and has a chance to emerge in the spring in the more sunnier environment it will tolerate the sun better. I think you would still be best protecting your Radiant from direct afternoon sun. If it gets good morning sun it should still color up well. Up potting from a one gallon to a 15 gallon is a big step and the plant may do better in increments. You could up pot to a 3 gallon pot and keep the 3 inside the bigger 15 and later up pot to a 5 or 7 gallon and then maybe to a 15. Just suggestions that I have found work for me.

I have a special place in my backyard where I keep Mikazuki because her leaves were burning very badly, and she actually lost all of them. They've grown back and she's putting out new shoots as well in this new area that is mostly shade. Until they have a root system that can take up enough water to combat leaf scorch, I'll keep them in that area. She's doing fine from a 1 gallon straight to a 15 gallon. I've always done that with potted trees. It seems to work for me. Thanks for the suggestions, though.

You should be able to keep it in a 21" pot permanently. Care sheet says it will reach 10 feet. In a pot it will be naturally dwarfed to about 6-7 feet. You will have to replace the soil every 2-5 years (depending on the organic/inorganic content) and you could root prune (if necessary) at that time. If you've never root pruned, it's not hard, and you have a few years to research how to do it.

How big do you figure the pot has to be to allow it to grow to full height? I am considering keeping her in a pot indefinitely, but may eventually plant her in the ground when I move to a house with a bigger backyard.

Any container of reasonable size will have dwarfing effect - they simply do not allow the roots to spread laterally as nature intended and so keep the plant to a smaller size.

For a containerized tree to grow to full size, you need to have a container large enough for a full sized root system to develop. That means a container at least the width of the full mature canopy spread but half again more would be better.

That's obviously not going to happen. Thanks again.