Topic: Acer Identifications....

[wahaj]

Hey I've bought three small acers this year but i've no idea what they are. They're not in prefect health so I'm not sure if identifying them will be that easy.....but here are some pics anyway.

1. It's got very small/fine leaves that get scorched easily. It's also very leggy....so in the summer i tried to support all the branches otherwise they drag along the ground making it look like a climber lol. The colour on the autumn picture doesn't show too well...but it's lots of different pink/reds etc. Very fast growing for an Acer i thought. I thought it might be a tree rather than a dwarf bush like thing.

Summer:


Now:



2. This one's a pretty slow grower but has thicker, tougher leaves. It doesn't mind full sun so much. It's colour didn't seem to change all that much through the year. The new leaves as they appear seem to be a very bright red and are folded up like a fan and droop down....and then open up over time. It did drop all it's leaves in May but when i put it into acidic compost...it came back. It seems to be a pretty slow grower.

Branches:


Leaf Detail:


3. This one's odd and i don't really know how to train it to look nice lol. It's just one single, long stem that has leaves all around it and at the top. I've tried staking it to support the main stem but it still goes where i wants to lol. Do you think I can cut the top off in spring and force it to produce sideshoots?
This one can also get scorched easily as it has thin leaves.

Branch:


Leaf detail:



So yea i'm really after the names of them....and possibly how to look after them.

thanks :)

[Palustris]

There are an awful lot of species and even more hybrids and named forms so identifying yours would be an almost impossible task. Howver they all look mostly like forms of Acer japonicum or possibly A. palmatum. It does not matter, they both like the same conditions of dappled shade and protection from drying winds and most of all, they hate drying out at the roots. A neutral to slightly acid soil is best too.

[wahaj]

lovely. thanks eric :)

i'm trying to get different varieties. i love the fine leaved, especially variagated types.

[laurieuk]

Almost certainly acer palmatum, acer japonica tend to have a much fuller leaf, like sycamore, (which is an acer).

Hey I've bought three small acers this year but i've no idea what they are. They're not in prefect health so I'm not sure if identifying them will be that easy.....but here are some pics anyway.

1. It's got very small/fine leaves that get scorched easily. It's also very leggy....so in the summer i tried to support all the branches otherwise they drag along the ground making it look like a climber lol. The colour on the autumn picture doesn't show too well...but it's lots of different pink/reds etc. Very fast growing for an Acer i thought. I thought it might be a tree rather than a dwarf bush like thing.

Summer:


Now:



2. This one's a pretty slow grower but has thicker, tougher leaves. It doesn't mind full sun so much. It's colour didn't seem to change all that much through the year. The new leaves as they appear seem to be a very bright red and are folded up like a fan and droop down....and then open up over time. It did drop all it's leaves in May but when i put it into acidic compost...it came back. It seems to be a pretty slow grower.

Branches:


Leaf Detail:


3. This one's odd and i don't really know how to train it to look nice lol. It's just one single, long stem that has leaves all around it and at the top. I've tried staking it to support the main stem but it still goes where i wants to lol. Do you think I can cut the top off in spring and force it to produce sideshoots?
This one can also get scorched easily as it has thin leaves.

Branch:


Leaf detail:



So yea i'm really after the names of them....and possibly how to look after them.

thanks :)

[wahaj]

lovely. thanks laurie :)

I mainly wanted to know what they are so i could understand how tall and wide they'll get. It seems that the first one is probably going to be a tree...and maybe the 3rd one aswell. but the middle one i think will probably be a bush?

I'm also a bit worried because I've planted the 1st one in the ground in part shade...it only gets morning sun. but the problem is i don't know if it's far enough from the house. i've planted it about 5 meters away i think.

[kitten]

Hi wahaj, your third one looks like my acer palmatum atropurpureum - it's the one that has shed all it's leaves and looks like a tall skinny stick in a pot at the mo lol. Whatever they are they're lovely tho'!

[wahaj]

kewl thanks kitten....i looked it and it seems you're right....thanks!

i shall wait for it to bush out a bit next year i guess.