Sunday, May 18, 2008
The Big Red Bamboo Maple
Acer palmatum 'Beni Otake' is akso known as the 'Big Red Bamboo' maple. It is a lovely thing, being a deep, glowing garnet red in spring, greenish red in summer, and fire engine red in fall. It is an upright, billowing tree which here will probably reach ten feet or so tall. I mention it because of its apparent vigor and hardiness. In general the 'Beni' Japanese maples seem to have a reputation for not being particularly hardy, but I have two Beni Otakes, and neither has lost so much as a twig in winter, and after a year to get their roots down, they grow a foot a year.
This is the single best Japanese maple in our garden in terms of hardiness, rapid growth, and attractiveness. The picture above was taken in deep dusk with a flash.
// posted by IBOY @ 6:13 AM 
Comments:
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Ahhh... this is a splendid specimen! If only we had the room for one of these Japanese Maples, but alas we don't. If we ever do have the space for a tree, I'm holding out for a good old fashioned Catalpa!
A really good looking tree with fabulous coloring.
Is that Beni in the photo of your May Garden post?
Gail
Is that Beni in the photo of your May Garden post?
Gail
Our 'Beni Otake' took off this year and seems to be more gorgeous as it grows. The leaves in the lower portion of the tree are a dark greenish red color while the ones higher on the plant are dark red. But if you look at the tree from below the back lighted leaves turn a crimson red so you have multiple colors on one tree. I can see why the Japanese love these trees a lot. The sprays of leaves make wonderful design patterns that you see in many Japanese handicrafts.
eal... it is actually a lot prettier in real life.
IVG... there are some small maples.
Beni... it's just an old Bloodgood, with a "lostthetag" next to it.
Ki... that's what I didn't show in my picture, is that amazing glow when the sun lights it up... beautiful!
Don
IVG... there are some small maples.
Beni... it's just an old Bloodgood, with a "lostthetag" next to it.
Ki... that's what I didn't show in my picture, is that amazing glow when the sun lights it up... beautiful!
Don
Don, yes I know about the smaller maples, but we already have 2 of the big ones and a blue spruce on a lot that's only 50 ft wide by 100 ft deep, so even a small tree is not really an option for us, at least now. That from a maniac who religiously plants 13 ft Castors every year, lol ... but we saw them down after the freeze!
IVG... JM's, I admit, are one of those trees that always look cute in the pots, then in ten years are as big as a garage, and you wonder what you were thinking about when you planted them.
sally... how about Acer pseudosieboldiana, the Korean maple, H4?
Don
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sally... how about Acer pseudosieboldiana, the Korean maple, H4?
Don
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