It seems as if many of you are interested in trees that are happy in small gardens, so I thought I would pass along these suggestions from Sunset Magazine on Japanese Maples that are good for container gardens.
Photo by Verdance of Sharp’s Pygmy
- ‘Fjellheim’ – In fall, green leaves shift to gold. A dwarf offspring of ‘Sango Kaku’, it has this parent’s coral red bark, which shows best in winter. Can reach 6 feet tall, 4 feet wide.
- ‘Kamagata’ – New growth is tinged with red; green summer color; yellow-orange with red highlights in fall. Hardy to 0°. 3 feet tall and wide in 10 years.
- ‘Mikawa Yatsubusa’ – This maple’s many trunks radiate out like stems on a candelabra. In fall, its foliage ignites in a blaze of orange. Grows slowly to 3 feet high and wide in a container.
- ‘Sharp’s Pygmy’ – Green leaves turn deep orange to scarlet in autumn. 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m impressed! I’ve never heard of any of these before – I can’t wait to go pester my local nursery about them. Hey, if they’re in Sunset, I’m allowed to ask for an obscure plant without getting an eye-roll from them!
I also love Beni Maiko with its red new growth (6′) and Shishigashira which is a nice deep green lion’s mane (5-6′ max). Vine Maples also work well in containers, and I’ve kept a Seiryu (a pretty upright green cutleaf) in a pot for many years.
I’ve heard that even with the small varieties, you’ll want to root-prune a bit and refresh the soil every 2-3 years.
Gen — I am just imagining how the conversation at your favorite nursery is going to go…
Gen: Please don’t roll your eyes, but I heard about these gorgeous Japanese Maples featured in Sunset, but I don’t see them among the trees you carry.
Nurseryman: You are the 50th person this week to ask for those varieties, I was wondering how all the interest in Sharp’s Pygmy got started.
Gen: Well, yeah, I heard it on a blog who read about them in Sunset magazine.
Nurseryman: A blog? What in the world is a blog?!
You pegged it!
(back and forth on their walkie talkies)
Nursery Boy: “Uh, I’m looking for a F-F-Fuh-jell-helm? Fjelhelm Japanese Maple? Do we have these?”
Nursery Hotshot Plant Buyer: “Is that Genevieve out there? For the last time, no Genevieve, we don’t have any of your weird internet plants!”
LOL.
Thank you Thank you! I’d love to know your favorite among all of them?
Gen — LOL!!! You’re going to be notorious!
Louise — I really like the foliage of Sharp’s Pygmy (it’s the one in the photo of this post). Also, I don’t know how small your patio is, but it’s three foot spread should be okay for all but the tiniest of balconies or patios.
I’ve recently been shopping for japaneese maples for containers. Believe it or not there is an amazing variety listed by a japaneese farmer in South Carolina on EBAY. His stuff is very reasonable, some rare and you get it live! Just thought I would let you all know.
Denny — Who knew? I would have never thought to even look on eBay for trees. But then again, I can’t stand how PayPal/eBay runs their business, so I don’t use either unless I absolutely must.