It's a dissectum seedling. It is possible it came from the Bloodgood.....but not very likely. The variability of seedlings from any given tree can be very broad but the majority will resemble the parent(s). And the samaras/seeds can blow in from a distance....any laceleafs in the neighborhood?

Oh, I'm sure there are. We have one nearby but it's a finer leaf and green. Could it be the seedling to that?

Whatever kind it came from this Japanese maple seedling is a separate genetic entity not having the same naming as any cultivar. So the exact identity of the parent is somewhat irrelevant.

it should have been moved in dormancy ... in a perfect world ... but...

where are you.. big city name..

and where will you be moving it ... full hot sun???.. partly shady.. during what hours a day .. etc ...

at worse you can love it in fall ... but you can probably get away with it.. if its still early spring wherever you are ...

what they are trying to say .. is a seedling is not a named cultivar ... unless said cultivar is seed grown .. and that shouldnt be the case ... [unlesss i barely recall some bloodgood nonsense from the way back machine... ]

but if all you are looking for is info on how to care for it etc ... its a JM ... no need for further ID ...

if you wish.. you can just call it 'eileen's pride' ....

ken

So are you all in agreement that it's a laceleaf maple? Though now that I think of it, some of the other tall JM have this type of leaf, don't they? Most of the JM in neighbor's yards are common varieties like Bloodgood, so could it be a common red laceleaf? Is this second set of leaves what the mature tree's leaves would look like?

Ken, I'm in Portland. I wondered if I should pot it for a few years to allow it to get stronger.

Sorry...I overlooked the transplanting question. It is too small to move and now is not a good time anyway. Wait until fall. And even then, I'd be inclined to pot up the seedling and grow it on for another year - or two - before planting out.

ETA: It sure looks like it will develop into a dissectum. The deep serrations on the leaves are not something one would find with the Bloodgood types of palmatums. And it's rare to find a dissected leaf as shown on a taller growing upright maple. But seedling variation does not eliminate the possibility.

And if you mean Portland Oregon, I would imagine they have about every type and size and shape of JM available in area gardens, as they do here in the greater Seattle area. I am sure the source possibilities are endless!!

With a lot of those presented at outlets here having been grown in and trucked up from Oregon.

In its current location, I would remove the immediate competition for both root space and leaf space. I don't see you getting a fix on what it until it's a few years older. It may even not retain the red full time.