I have a thought, probably an unwelcome one in this thread; I just cannot fathom the appeal people have for Acer trees. I don't really see any characteristics that make this tree really interesting or desirable. Though I have no doubt others hold a very different opinion.

Klark, if you are looking for a specific cultivar ID, good luck!! Unless they exhibit very specific or unique characteristics, they are notoriously tricky to ID. Even the JM experts are reluctant to assign cultivar names. My knowledge of these trees is broad but by no means definitive and I can't think of any (nor does research turn up) cultivars that display the features you describe.

Do you know for certain it is a palmatum? The other species of Japanese/Asian maples can produce a similar appearance and are often mistaken for a palmatum. Is there a graft visible? Is it a seed grown tree? (if so, then technically just a form of the species.....whatever that might be).

OFB, we all have our personal likes and dislikes when it comes to our garden plants but the Asian maples offer such a diversity of sizes, shapes and coloring, as well as often a very sculptural growth habit, that they appeal to a very wide range of gardeners. Where they are hardy, there is one to fit any specific location or garden setting. Wonderful trees for smaller urban/suburban gardens.

Thanks for your thoughts Pam. The combination of attributes displayed by this specimen seemed very unusual to me (and very desirable, at least to my JM aesthetic), and it seems you concur. It does seem to be a palmatum, not another species....perhaps a hybrid though.

We only moved in on April 30, so I didn't see the early spring color, but the color blend mentioned above went on for months, until mid-August.

If anything comes to you that might behave similarly, let me know. I do understand that seedlings abound in the landscape, but one would think, with the hundreds of named varieties, a few of them might offer similar attributes.

I can't wait to see what happens to this tree in autumn.

Going even deeper, there are a lot of older specimens in the neighborhood that have had ochre-amber tones all summer, and the intensity has increased in recent weeks. Any more JM thoughts on these? Photos attached.

It is always possible you could attempt to grow from seed.

Olympia f b, I've fallen in and out of love with JMs many times over the years. Moving to this Portland neighborhood has sparked yet another round because there are just so many well grown and completely unique old trees in my immediate vicinity.  I'm particularly smitten with those displaying summer color that is not the sickly burgundy-brown of the older "red" cultivars. And then when you add the increasingly available feature of dramatic spring foliage color, and the taken for granted excellent autumn color, well....there aren't a lot of other trees that can compete.

Too bad about verticillium wilt though. My gardens have been struck several times.

I suppose I could see the appeal of autumn leaf color in the Pacific Northwest, where most all the trees are constantly green.

The Fall season is relatively short in the PNW, lasting only around a month (more or less), contrasting with the very long Springs.

“…I just cannot fathom the appeal people have for Acer trees.”

OFB, are you casting aspersion on the entire genus or just palmatum?

I think I was referring to smaller garden varieties of Acer commonly planted in people's yards mainly for the desirable aspect of leaf colors, I mean all the Acer varieties that have become so ubiquitous sold at nurseries. I suppose mainly the cultivated varieties (most of which are cultivated varieties of Japanese maple). I guess I'd have less objection if it were a gigantic tree (planted in its proper place, with enough room) rather than a yard ornamental.

That's just my opinion, and I'm sure that's almost a sacrilegious thing to say in the Maple forum.

For some reason all these little trees just strike me as annoying, and a waste of space. Especially in the Portland climate where so many other interesting things could be grown. Sorry to rain down antipathy and negativity.

OFB, thank you for explaining yourself. The world of maples is large and there would seem to be a species or cultivar for every need. I’ve only been to Portland once for a very brief time (mainly at the Hoyt and Japanese Garden), but it would be interesting to learn what trees you’d like to see more of in place of maples. More fruit trees? ;)

While I like giant trees as much as anyone (and am as opinionated as anyone!) and I really push the envelope planting them near structures (my structures, not clients), city lots are increasingly unable to accommodate giant trees. JMs really shine on these small properties, I've seen many dozens planted less than two feet from foundations with no ill effects to the foundation or the house sitting on it. So rather than have no trees at all, trees like JMs fill an important niche in cities, and I would definitely not consider them to be wasting space.

As our planet warms, and the price of electricity skyrockets (because competition with AI & data centers) we will increasingly need to cool our buildings the old-fashioned way, with shade trees, and on small properties these shade trees will need to be small.

Of course there are many dozens of small trees besides JMs, but I'm hard pressed to think of many that behave as well close to buildings, and can be guided (through pruning) over the years to not be in conflict with the structure, as JMs.

Gosh, I hardly know how to reply to OFB's comments! What's so wrong about garden ornamentals? Afterall, you grow Osmanthus, which certainly would be included in that category.

'Gigantic' trees are not always suited to or fit into smaller urban or suburban gardens. And many homeowners are not necessarily into horticultural exotica. There are plenty of "other interesting" plants growing in this area, both smaller scaled as well as large.

One of the reasons these smaller sized Asian maples are so popular is due to their very wide variety of leaf colors, shapes and sizes and the fact that they are for the most part, extremely easy to grow, especially here in the PNW.

I myself am a collector of the Asian maples, with 15 of them in my tiny little condo garden, all grown in containers and each distinctly different. Very few other trees can be accommodated so easily to container culture and offer that broad range of appearances.

tbh, there are a number of other popular garden plants that I think are a waste of space so I do understand the notion :-) However, none of them possess anywhere close to the appealing attributes of the Asian maples.

Osmanthus at least has lush leaves which stay on the tree in winter time, and has pleasantly fragrant little flowers.

I don’t think that particular tree is that attractive. Foliage seems sparse. certainly not as attractive as other JMs I’ve seen pictures of

I can’t believe y’all are quibbling over Japanese Maples and Osmanthus. Really? Know your audience! More Japanese Maples have died in the upper midwest than the Pacific northwest. I don’t know that for a fact, I just know it’s true.

Wow, Olympia fruit breeder , L Clark, Why comment on a thread if your only thoughts are negative, and don’t address the OPs question?

If you can’t say something nice…

I feel like AIN has set us up. Yes, Hot Blonde on August 20 looks good! You in the NW probably pass trees like this on the way to work, but this is a tree I covet.

That tree would be special in any location. But it could do with some judicious pruning to accent what appears to be a very sculptural branch structure. I'd covet it too!

Alright, maakia, even I will admit the maple picture you posted does look pretty.

Want to tell us the location of the picture?

David Gray - the OP asked what we thought of the tree. I gave my opinion. Lighten up. I have a couple trees that aren’t super attractive and it isn’t an indictment of me as a human being. most JMs I’ve seen or seen pictures of are, to me, more attractive than that particular one. It’s nbd

It‘s in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY, along with the other ”residents.”

maackia - That is a lovely specimen. Reminds me of my time in Boston where there were many like it. However, it is exactly the burgundy-brown color of older "red" cultivars that I am so over.

I never really internalized how different and superior the newer types are, at least in leaf color, not necessarily in form or garden performance, until I moved here to Cedar Hills. Of course, there is little chance I'll be able to determine which cultivars they are.

I actually kind of like that "burgundy-brown" color. It's more conservative and refined than the gaudy patchy orange-red colors, which in some cases can come across as tawdry. From a distance, it almost even looks kind of "iridescent" in color tone (to me).

Bear in mind I am not a fan of "brown", but those leaves do not really appear "brown" to me, rather almost like a muted green, and muted red, and even some strange purple tonality, somehow all in different layers. The colors blend in such a way that is neither completely mixed nor patchy, maybe reminding me of those mildly iridescent appearing ceramic glazes that have the effect of different layers of color.

Not my photo, but I’ve seen this tree at Winterthur Gardens, and it is stunning. Like Maackia I covet some of these trees. Same tree in November from Winterthur’s website

IGG, that is so nice! The branching is exquisite. David had a thread about alluring trees; that would be it. I need to get myself to Winterthur!

Yes, you should. I actually like it better than Longwood - gasp! And so many fabulous public gardens in the area, you can be in a lovely garden every day for a week: Chanticleer, Morris Arboretum, Mt Cuba, Winterthur, Longwood…

It does seem to be the garden capitol of the US. I did get to the Philly area a few years ago, but Chanticleer, Mt Cuba, and Winterthur are still on my list. Something to look forward to.