Metro Maples - Maples On The Move 2009:   Updated 12-9-09

Jan 20, 2009 - Welcome to 2009.  Follow this page for new pictures of Shantung and Japanese maples that I am working with, along with the usual exciting events that occur when thousands of maples try to not only survive, but thrive in Texas.  left to right:  Koto maru is a very small dwarf with hundreds of small branches and leaves but grows very early (that's why we don't offer it for sale) , center - the title page from the Powerpoint presentation I am giving at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens (see Maple News for more info).  Right - Goshiki kotohime has very short internodes (the space between the leaf buds) and sharp leaf lobes and also grows early when kept in the greenhouse.

Jan 29, 2009 - The morning after ice, now with frozen fog.  Left - azalea Fuji hime, Center - Fire Dragon® terminal bud, Right - Lacebark pine.

Jan 29, 2009 - Most of you have seen this Orangeola before, center - down the hill a little is a rhododendron whose leaves droop when temperatures are below freezing and then will even rollup into a tube to protect itself as temperatures drop further, right - a little farther down the hill is the remains of 3 large Blackjack oaks that died last summer from stress induced fungus and now is the start of a new garden spot.

Feb 2, 2009 - Scott and I each did 18 very hard Tama hime grafts (hime is pronounced he-may), several Sango Kaku with bright red stems are bunched together for a picture, and from 1 small 1 foot tall plant in 2007 I was able to cut-up enough wood for 43 grafts of Dwarf Golden Dragon.

Feb 7, 2009 - Visit to Greenleaf Nursery in Oklahoma where many hundreds of these large hoop houses make the place seem like a small city, center - working on title page for my presentation on March 5, and right - hardwood azalea cuttings in my greenhouse are hand misting once a day and are still alive at 4 weeks and should start growing soon.

Feb 9, 2009 - Keith's Tama hime grafts take an early lead but all of Scott's are starting growth also, center - two Mikawa yatsubusa are being air-layered to grow on their own roots someday.  The cambium is cut and rooting powder applied then wrapped with spaghnum moss, plastic wrap, and finally protected with foil, right -  my Acer tataricum is starting growth 3 weeks earlier than last year's early spring.

Feb 14, 2009 - New garden area after stump grinding, the very early azaleas and maples are starting to flower, Scott's 6 inch Acer palmatum after repotting.

Feb 17, 2009 - Maybe we're zone 9 now as early maples are starting growth, early azalea Festive getting ready to bloom, Keith's Tama hime grafts on left and Scott's on right.  Nobody has lost any yet but Keith's are growing much faster.

Feb 21, 2009 - New display garden addition is planted with 4 different dwarf Shantung maples and two larger ones in the back and except for a few azaleas it is an all Shantung maple garden, center - down to 28 degress last night but no damage on Kiyo hime Japanese maples or azalea flowers, right - some Shaina from Oregon are also growing now.   Spring will be early and is only days away.

Feb 26, 2009 - Left - Grafts are now putting on good growth in the warm greenhouse, center - Keith's 'Tama hime' grafts all take (left 3 rows), while Scott's take is 17 out of 18 (right 3 rows) , right - this branch of Amur maple, Acer ginnala, with new soft leaves was severed 4 weeks ago during grafting and just stuck into a pot and not misted and it now appears to have rooted and is growing.   I've never seen anything like that before.

Mar 1, 2009 - Was 27 degrees last night but it didn't last long enough to damage these.  Left - 'Shaina', center - azalea 'Festive', and right 'Tama hime'.

Mar 4, 2009 - 'Orange Dream' Japanese maples, center - 'Baby Dragon' Shantung starts with red growth, and Scott showing off his new muscles after digging all day.

Mar 6, 2009 - Higasayama, Keith's favorite hybrid Japanese maple, and Bonfire starting growth.  With these warm temperatures everything is now starting to bloom.

Mar 9, 2009 - Early azalea 'Huang 1-6-72' has reddish purple stripes and solids and the new Japanese maple grafts are coming out of greenhouse such as these 'Tsuma Beni', and azalea 'Germanique' has red stripes and red solids and a feature plant in the display garden for early color.

Mar 9, 2009 - This 'Fire Dragon'® Shantung maple is a new graft but shows the small clusters of nice yellow flowers and there should be lots of Shanutng maples in bloom by this weekend, center - test plant 'Dwarf Golden Dragon' was cut hard for grafting wood and now branching out in many places with very good orange color and yellow veins just like last year, and right, very early Rhododendron R. arboreum 'Sir Robert Peel' is from the base of the Himalaya mountains so is more heat tolerant but not as cold hardy as the ones from higher elevations.  Most trees are now just starting growth and with the early azaleas in bloom it is an exciting time to visit Metro Maples.

Mar 12, 2009 - Finally some beneficial rain but the weeks of very warm temperatures in the eighties are replaced with 3 days of forties.  Left - 'Murasaki kiyohime' starting its 8th year in the display garden from a 2 gal size, center - 'Inaba shidare' with great color, right - Shin deshojo and azaleas in front of Display Garden.  I will be out at the farm on Sunday if we get rained out this Saturday.

Mar, 15, 2009 - After 5 days of clouds and 3.5" of soaking rain with constant forty degree temperatures, the sun comes out at 3:00 pm and March Madness begins.  We're going to see lots of growth now.  Left - Close-up of Shantung bloom, center - a 25 foot tall Shantung in bloom and it is not "insignificant" like some books say they are, right - new red growth on a Shantung maple.  They are not always purplish-red.  Slow down and take your time to enjoy the sights and smell of spring.  We do not have that many in a lifetime.

Mar 15, 2009 - St. Patrick's Day only 2 days away and here is a sampling of the greens on Japanese maples.  Left - Shishigashira, center - Acer palmatum dissectum 'Flavenscens' with azalea 'Immurasaki', right - Acer palmatum dissectum 'Viridis'.  The reds are a little dull right now but with the sun out they will start to shine soon.

Mar 17, 2009 - Overview of  thousands of small Japanese maples and over eighty varieties to sell, now enjoying the warm weather and sun, center - Orange Dream (foreground) with Deshojo (red) and Mizuho beni (greenish yellow), and right - Here is 'Dwarf Golden Dragon' Shantung a week later and resuming growth again.  It is now more orange and the bright yellow color of the main veins is expanding.  This Shantung maple has long lasting spring and summer color.  There is no Japanese maple with this exact spring color.  It has now been 81 days without a day off and loving every bit of it.

Mar 19, 2009 - Bloodgood 2 gallons are good size and are looking for a good home, center - opening up the foil and finding roots on the air layers done on Feb 19, and right - my 15 foot by 18 foot Bloodgood at home was purchased in 1992 as a 10 gallon and is an excellent specimen by my back porch.

Mar 21, 2009 - All the Japanese maples are growing with colors of yellow, red, purple, pink, green and white.  These 3 were much noticed this Saturday.  The bright green of this 12 year old 'Mikawa yatsubusa' (some hard to get 3-4' ones are available), the red tones of this compact upright dwarf called 'Aratama' which will have excellent red and yellow fall color, and the pinks, greens and whites of 'Butterfly' planted at an angle to lean over my pond.  Sales were excellent and there is now only one 9 foot Red Emperor left, but I have hundreds of 7 foot ones.

Mar 22, 2009 - Nice temperatures but windy.  Close-ups of yesterday's picture.  Mikawa yatsubusa, Aratama, and Butterfly.  Everything is growing great and every customer wants to know why mine are so far ahead of theirs.  I am a little farther south than most people in the Metroplex and the sand warms faster than clay soils.

Mar 22, 2009 - Some Shantung maples leaf-out with great colors like this one in the garden while others are all green or edged with some purple.  The various colors are probably due to some seedling variation but I have also noticed some of my Shantung cultivars lacking early spring colors in some years.  Center - Trompenburg leaves are fully out and starting to get rolled lobes and its excellent shiny purple color.  Right - Mother Fire Dragon® begins blooming.  It is not as early as most Japanese maples and even a little later in blooming compared to many seedling Shantung maples.  So far it has had mostly male flowers and I have not seen it produce any seeds yet.

Mar 24, 2009 - Here is my favorite dwarf Japanese maple hybrid I created in 2006 with some orange color and hopefully some bright red new growth will soon appear.  Center - plenty of azaleas to see.  Right - 'Ogon Sarassa' is one of the best reds right now and has unusual yellow blooms when all the other red leaf varieties have red flowers.  It is also different in fall with very bright yellow and orange colors.

Mar 26, 2009 - Some rain last night and now early morning clouds and fog.  It now feels like spring with moisture in the air and cooler temperatures.  Left -' Aka shigitatsu sawa' with very different red color and the leaf veins are now changing to bright green.  Also it is loaded with darker red blooms.  Center - The weekly picture of 'Dwarf Golden Dragon', now with less orange and more yellow in the afternoon and still very cloudy.  'Shaina' is a great red dwarf.  This one has just started growing.  I've grown this one for 11 years..

Mar 30, 2009 - Temperatures fall to freezing on Saturday and Sunday but the maples, like this Crimson Queen, start growing again by afternoon, center - a reverse osmosis pump and membrane is now used to remove all the salts from a deep well to have the best possible water quality for my trees, and right - a lot of Fire Dragon® Shantungs grew long 5 foot shoots in 2007 then growth was stopped by a huge hail storm in 2008 leaving many long unbranched shoots for the entire year.  They are now budding everywhere and filling in very nicely.

Mar 31, 2009 - A half-inch of rain and no hail in south Fort Worth.  It still feels like spring.   Left - Seeds on Yasemin reveal its Acer shirasawanum parentage by holding its seeds upright.  The other parent is thought to be a Bloodgood.  Center - Inflorescence on my Caddo sugar maple are light green with long pedicels.  The background shows how it likes to hold its brown leaves all winter.  Right - Blooms on Ogon Sarassa are turning yellow which is rare on a red leaf Japanese maple.  Maple seeds are all called samaras which decribes the pair of seeds with wings.  Most maple seeds ripen in the fall if the squirrels haven't already eaten them.  Trees put a lot of energy into making seeds to produce offspring to keep their species going.

Apr 2, 2009 - The last of the Japanese maples are starting to grow.  Here is Acer s. 'Munn001', sold under tradmarked name, MoonriseTM.   Trying to get new growth to come out as soon as the winds stop by watering now.   A Satsuki azalea, Shiko no kagami, is in bloom.  Despite the nice spring weather I have not been able to keep the flowers on many azaleas for very long as the 40-50 mph winds from every direction have destroyed them.  This variety is normally in bloom in May but the very up and down temperatures this year have changed all the bloom times on the late azaleas.

Apr 5, 2009 - Three great laceleafs.  I considered them a little harder to grow but like to give mine at least an hour of sun, or strong light, and regular waterings to get the best growth and colors.  Left - Inaba shidare, center - Crimson Queen, right - Orangeola.  Inaba has just started growing so looks brighter red right now but Crimson Queen was this color a week ago and if you look close, is now beginning to darken.  Orangeola is assuming its icy-red and green multi-color period.  This maple changes color a little bit every day if you look closely.  The expected freezes shouldn't harm your maples unless the weathermen are wrong and it goes below 32 degrees.

Apr 8, 2009 - Early morning freeze in the low and unprotected areas, then a beautiful day.  No freeze damage at Metro Maples!  There was ice in the hoses where there were no trees which act like a blanket.  Large trees also give wind and hail protection to your Japanese maples (Roy could use some of that).  Left - I am loving it when I see Fire Dragon® maples with this color which makes the 104 straight work days worth it.  Center - Suminagashi came out later than most but are a bright pinkish-red with lots of blooms.  A great leaf-shape to look up thru to the blue sky.  Right - This Fire Dragon® is turning bright glossy dark green and perhaps after 3 years of studying the molecular biology of trees, analyzing leaf and water samples,  and then purifying my irrigation water and switching fertilizers, I might just be a little closer to perfection.

Apr 10, 2009 - The up and down temperatures has caused this Acer davidii, a snakebark maple, to be the last to grow when usually it is the first.  Behind it are lots of Red Emperors that are now turning dark purple.  Center - Ran out of room in the gardens for my collection and now they are growing in pots in front of my Tag House.  Beware, maples are addictive and there is no known cure!  Right - I am a sucker for pink leaves and most years the late spring growth on Deshojo is red but this year it is pink.

Apr 12, 2009 - Happy Easter.  My streak of continuous work days comes to an end at 108.  An inch of rain and the nice spring weather continues (Its been nice if you have forgotten about the late freezes and the strong winds from every direction)!.  A trio of reticulated leaves (reticulated refers to the changing colors in a veining pattern).  Left - Shigitatsusawa is the all green version, Center - Aka shigitatusawa is losing the reds but looks very good as the green areas appear.  It is loaded with bright red seeds as are many of the maples this year.  Right - Peaches 'n Cream has lost all the bright red tips but still very nice.

Apr 15, 2009 - Our Texas governor was speaking when I got of shot of my favorite sign at the Arlington Tea Party, center - Aratama is a little more orange now and holding color well in the increasing shade, right - Fire Dragon®  Shantungs growing at Metro Maples but now also grown at Greenleaf Nursery, who are the first licensed grower of my patented tree.

Apr 16, 2009 - Cutting-off the air layers that were started in mid-February.  I decided to sever the tops because the weather is nice, the leaves and branches have hardened-off some, and many have good root systems that should support the leaves until more roots grow.  Center - Some Rhododendrons are blooming like this old one I transplanted from my home last year.  This year I will try to get it vigorous once again.  Right - Shaina is doing very well in the display garden and is just starting to push out more bright red growth.

Apr 19, 2009 - Almost an inch of rain on Friday and lingering mist and clouds all Saturday and then full sun on Sunday make for ideal growing conditions.  Left - MoonriseTM is one of the last to leaf out.  Here it is with some yellow and orange and if we're lucky we will also have some bright red new leaves.  Center - Deshojo was shown last year in the ground being cut down to 12 inches and now it is in this bonsai pot.  It should put out lots of bright red leaves this week.  Right - Dwarf Golden Dragon in noon sun on the west side of a fence which is still dark.  Growth has been slow the last 2 weeks due to the cold weather and freeze, but now everything should be doing great this next week.  I have a 'No Maple Left Behind Policy' so I will be busy this week encouraging thousands of trees to grow.

Apr 21, 2009 - Fairy Hair in its second year in Texas is now 10 inches tall.  Center - Here I am giving away the 2,000th Fire Dragon® Shantung to a man from Euless who is taking it to tomorrow's Earth Day celebration to be planted by the many employees.  First sales were in the fall of 2006 on this cultivar.  Right - Very close-up of Fairy Hair.  It even has tiny sharp lobes or maybe they're hairs, but I'll have to get a magnifying glass to tell which.  The lobes are about 1/16 inch wide.

Apr 26, 2009 - A busy week which included a one day trip to Batesville, Arkansas where these fine maples were seen.  A nice bushy 7 foot Orange Dream that I sold as a small 7 gal 5 years ago.  Center - Beni Schichihenge with lots of pink.  Right - Almost a hedge of dissectums with one Waterfall, a Queen, and a Tamukeyama.

Apr 29, 2009 - Rain most of yesterday, then morning fog which highlights the spider webs on the maples, center - Hundreds of small Fireglows in the fog building up food reserves before starting summer growth (if any), and right - close-up of water droplets on a Red Emperor.

Apr 29, 2009 - February Fire Dragon® grafts already growing and ready to go into 3-gal containers, center - Close-up of Fire Dragon® growth which is starting everywhere in the growing area, and right - Close-up of a new Fire Dragon® branch that came out 4 weeks ago beneath a pruned branch, and is already almost as thick as the bamboo!

May 3, 2009 - Heavy rain puts 2.1 inches in the rain gauge at Metro Maples.  Eleventh straight day of clouds may mean May is going to be a great month for maples.  Sometimes May is my favorite month as many maples put out tremendous summer growth and the Satsuki azaleas begin bloom like Fuji Nama (left).  Center - Dwarf Golden Dragon starting vigorous growth and needs sun to make it more yellow and to grow faster.  Right - Deshojo bonsai starting to send out bright red new growth.  It's a good time to fertilize your Shantungs if you believe a lack of nutrients is preventing summer growth.

May 5, 2009 - Lower leaves of Acer truncatum 'Skinny Dragon' and new growth, far right, on another very cloudy day.  Center - Fourth Edition of Japanese Maples due out soon with 150 new cultivars, Right Center - A photo from Louis Truett showing-off his Fire Dragon® planted in the lousy rocky soil of Midlothian as a small 7 gal in the spring of 2007 and now providing shade.   Just heard the fall meeting of the North American Branch of the Maple Society is on Oct.9 in Portland, Oregon.

May 8, 2009 - Finally some sun after 2 weeks of clouds.  Left - Bigtooth maples are really nice but highly variable with slow growth making production nearly impossible so now I putting all my efforts toward Shantung maples.   Center - New growth on Fire Dragon® is still an orange color due to the clouds.  I have also been gettting larger than normal leaves and longer internode lengths.  The leaves also are not as glossy as usual but will become so, which helps to deflect some of the sun's intense rays.  Right - New growth on Blaine's Dragon which is still being tested as a possible new cultivar.

May 10, 2009 - 'Baby Dragon' Shantung finally starts to grow after getting frozen several times.  A few small branches didn't survive.  Center - Azalea 'Kinu no tsuki' in bloom and colors are deeper and brighter due to the cooler weather we are having this May.  Right - Acer palmatum in bonsai training and look at all the branches I have from the constant pinching of the new growth.

May 15, 2009 - Last of the azaleas are blooming.  Left - Yomo no haru, center - Shiryu no homare, right - One of the many variations on Shinsen.

May 16, 2009 - Cold front brings rain all day and dedicated customers.  We had people from Allen, Cleburn, Austin and even Houston today.  Left - Acer truncatum with nicer than usual new red growth.  Center - Test plant Stella Rosa has some bright red new growth which darkens to the colors seen near the bottom.  It does not seem to get as purple-red as Inaba or Crimson Queen.  Right - Shantung maples should really grow fast this next week and shown is new growth on a future introduction I have named 'Golden Dragon' which has brilliant yellow-gold fall colors and so far has produced the most uniform leaves I have seen.

May 17, 2009 - Plenty of rain and now cool sunshine and Sunday so I am taking the day off and going to the Dallas Arboretum with Scott and Roy to check on the maples.  Left - Roy by my Fire Dragon® Shantung which was planted 2 years ago as a 7 foot 15 gallon.  It is about 15 feet tall and the Hackberrry nearby has been removed so it now has plenty of room to grow.  Center - This huge 12 foot wide Murasaki kiyohime is about a 6 inch caliper that the arboretum planted 2 years ago and looks great other than some damage along the path.  Right - Scott giving a thumbs up to this very full 8 foot Shishigashira that gets a lot of sun.  It was also planted 2 years ago.

May 20, 2009 - Left- Deshojo in bonsai training.  Now vigorous with bright red growth coming out everywhere and soon I will be pinching the new growth.  Center - No trees are brighter than maples in the Texas sun.  Here is the green of Fire Dragon® Shantung and the red of Japanese maple Fireglow, both being grown in about 2 hours of direct midday sun.  Right - Seedlings of a special small leaf Trident maple.  I am not sure the mature size of the leaves yet and only got about 30 of the 200 seeds to germinate.  Ideal weather this week and new growth is starting on the small Japanese maples..

May 22, 2009 - Clouds roll in on this week's picture of Dwarf Golden Dragon.  It's grown about a foot on 4 branches.  Center - Sixty-five big maples arrive from Oregon and this morning pictures shows them still tied up.  There are big Fireglows, Murasaki kiyohime, Ogon Sarassa, Osakasukis, and some Wilson's Pink Dwarf, etc.  Right - First picture of Tiny Dragon, a 3 year old seedling (or more) with leaves the size of half dollars.  I put my keys in the pot for comparison.  It is in a 2 gallon pot in my fastest growing spot to see if I can get it to grow or produce normal leaves.

May 25, 2009 - Here's some of the new arrivals with early morning wet leaves from last nights rain.  Left - the biggest Murasaki kiyohime we've ever had.  It is 8 foot across.  Center - A 10 foot, 2 3/4 inch caliper Fireglow.  Right - The biggest Sharp's Pygmy I've ever seen at over  four foot tall.

May 26, 2009 -   Left - Shades of green and a MoonriseTM in a small pot for the second year.  Center - This has got to be the best azalea flower ever, but Shinsen is slow and harder to grow and not very hardy so I grow mine in a pot so I can protect it from sudden cold snaps.   Right - Shantung maples love temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees.  I added Gysum and Calcium nitrate on the 24th as I think they are not getting enough calcium in my mix.  This could be from the low transpiration rates from all the clouds, from too much magnesium in my fertilizer, or from just too much nitrogen and potassium.  This is about my only chance to get them perfect as very hot weather is soon to be here.

May 28, 2009 - Summer growth is starting on the moe vigorous maples.  Growth is later than normal due to the late freeze and 4 weeks of nearly constant clouds.  I have not had that much rain but the low temperatures allowed me to let the maples dry out some between waterings which benefits them as it encourages root growth which then helps produce shoot growth.  On some of the slower varieties I have been nipping some of the terminal leaves to encourage new shoots.  Left - Paperbark maple new growth can be red or orange.  Center - Orangeola is producing orange colored leaves in about 50 percent shade.  They can be much more red in more direct sun.  Right - Sun filters through the oak canopy and highlights the bright red growth on Shin deshojo.

May 31, 2009 - Left - Butterfly in a little noon sun was planted at an angle to hang over the pond, center - calibrating my salt and pH meters and testing the water.  Getting close to the 9th day since applying calcium nitrate to my Shantung maples and soon I might see some results.  Right - Dwarf Golden Dragon in noon sun and it is so bright it makes my camera aperature to close which creates the dark background.

June 5, 2009 - Shaina is especially nice in the garden but those in pots and more shade are not as red.  Center - Shantung maples are turning greener and growing again after one day of applying more calcium to my mix.  Right - Red Filigree Lace looks good next to the yellow and oranges of the Shantung maple shown directly above.

June 7, 2009 - Left - No that's not hail damage but normal openings, called lenticels, in the shoot of a very vigorous Shantung maple.  Lenticels can capture oxygen or release gases but some tree species may get clogged from dust or pollution.  Shantung maples do not seem to suffer from that problem but you can occaisionally clean them with a hose for better performance.  Center - Fireglow in some late morning sun is bright red but looks purple in the shady afternoon.  Right - It's confirmed that Emerald Lace is a vigorous grower as all 4 of my February grafts are growing new shoots.

June 10, 2009 - Afternoon heat followed by more Texas severe storms in the evening.  Left - New growth on Golden Dragon Shantung maple is a bright red.  Center - Blaine's Dragon Shantung is even more colorful now than in May.  Right - New discovery called TARP Dragon is actually 6 or 7 years old and 2 foot tall.  It is now planted in the ground yet the summer growth is much slower with closer internodes than normal Shantung maples.  Leaf color is also a bluish-green.  I will not know for many years how big this one will get.  I have seen many dwarfs that were sold as having a mature size of 2-4 feet, but after fifty years or more they become 12 to 15 feet tall.

June 14, 2009 - Deshojo growing with very long internodes probably from all the phosphorus in the root stimulator that was applied 4 weeks ago.  Center - I am going to declare spring over and this year it will be remembered as the "Year of the Rhodie".  All the Rhodies look great and the azaleas had better bloom than in years past.  Last year it was the year of the tomato, sunny, hot and dry, but this spring the tomatos are lanky and late in producing from the many cool, cloudy days all of April and thru mid-May.  Right - I have had several calls about leaf hoppers chewing up maples.  Shown is Osakasuki with new growth and if you look carefully you'll see the cotton like nest on the stem and the chewing on the recently matured leaves.

June 17, 2009 - Aratama is being tested in the hot sun and while the brilliant spring color has changed to pastel purples, light red, and green it is loaded with new bright red growth in many places.  Center - Update on the Coastal Redwood seeds that germinated June 2007.  So far this year it has grown nearly 3 feet.  Right - February Orangeola grafts are growing and seemed to have benefitted fom the Epson Salts I applied last week.

June 18, 2009 - Butterfly has seeds lacking in chorophyll, just like its leaves, center - Back on April 8 I reported a hard freeze and no damage.  It turns out there was some freeze damage especially on some regular Shantung maples down in a low spot and they are just now pulling out of it.  Notice the freeze damage on the left and also the many small spots on the leaf in the top center.  Right - Good news on Fire Dragon® as there's more proof that it is hardier.  Here is one that is growing vigorously and being trained with bamboo and pruners in the Chinese penjing style to go into a nice shallow pot in a few years.

June 25, 2009 - Suddenly very hot and the native plants are wilting or dropping leaves.  Left - Fire Dragon® in a new growing area showing the natural wide spreading shape with large low branches.  Scott is putting straw over the sand to cool the area.  Center - Dwarf Golden Dragon is growing well but not as fast as Shantungs normally grow and the new growth wilts in the noon sun, but it was just planted last February.  Right - Yasemin could not hold its color in several hours of hot sun (some of it is underneath a large Shantung and those leaves are more red) but the seeds are a sparkling red.

June 29, 2009 - Baby Dragon got a little frozen10 weeks ago (and even was in leaf at 24 degrees before that), but now appears to be healthy and growing new shoots.  Center - Aratama test plant in full sun (not recommended for any Japanese maple) is growing several new 6" shoots with a unique red color.  Right - TARP Dragon is now growing in 7 places and maintaining a compact habit with very nicely-toothed leaf lobes even during the current heat wave which has been exceptionally hard on all trees.

July 4, 2009 - Red leaves of Moonfire (center), the blazing white sun, and blue sky over a Fire Dragon®.  The sudden change from ideal weather to extreme dry heat has been keeping my wells running full-time.  I use about 3,500 gallons a day to keep 18,000 trees going.  Some private mansions in Dallas use over 27,000 gallons per day.  Right - After 3 weeks without rain I decided I better go water some new plantings.  The nine foot Shantung on the right was planted the same time as the totally brown 9 foot burr oak on the bottom left and neither had been watered since the last rain.

July 7, 2009 - A break from the heat and some rain at Metro Maples!  The nice weather will help the trees to get ready for more heat to come.  Left - Skinny Dragon is growing over 20 shoots on top and is now beginning to tower over the maples in the growing area.  Center - Tiny Dragon, a new test Shantung, is finally starting to push summer growth.  Picture is larger than actual size.  Right - Acer palmatum is appreciated this time of year for its beauty and for its toughness.

July 14, 2009 - Temperatures over 100, up to 105 degrees (40.5 c) and not going below 80 (26.7 c) at night every day for a week.  The good news is that the trees have now adjusted.  Left - Home Field is what I call this area that was planted in January.  Over 90 percent are growing new shoots (slowly at the moment) and are watered with only 1/2 to 1 gal every other day.  Center - Dwarf Golden Dragon first graft has new growth starting. Pictured in noon sun which was already 100 degrees.  Right - The top two-thirds of a Columnar Shantung I call Doric Dragon.   It is over 25 feet tall but only 9 feet wide.

July 20, 2009 - Brighter colors on Shantungs occur after only 4 days of cooler weather.  If we were not so hot we would have these rich colors all summer.  Left - Doric Dragon is a dark red when its not too hot.  Center - Dwarf Golden Dragon's color in the early morning.  Right - growth on Fire Dragon® a beautiful red.

July 26, 2009 - Left - Shindeshojo in full sun got burnt 2 weeks ago but now after 2 good waterings and some root stimulator it is regrowing.  Center - Peaches 'n Cream retains the reticulation but now the green veins are a little darker.  Right - Seiryu new growth is pale green and the older growth below is a rich blue-green.  I had 3 rains this week totalling .4 inch and because I have a 'No Maple Left Behind' policy, I spent all week rationing the water with a hose to try and get everything wet.  The weather looks good next week so the last 2 days I have put out nutrients on certain varieties in anticipation of new growth that I have been trying to get since May.

Aug 1, 2009 - Four rains last week for a total of 2.2 inches and the 5 foot Wilson's Pink Dwarfs I got from Oregon last May are growing.   The new growth is more orange than pink but still very nice and distinctive.  Center - Close-up showing detail.  It looks more pink from a distance.  Leaves are very small.  Colors most likely will be brighter in the spring when temperatures are cooler.  Right - My wife spun this yarn and had me take a picture for a knitting website that has about 500,000 registered users.  I chose my Japanese silk screen with maples in fall color for the backdrop.

Aug 4, 2009 - August could be very exciting as seen by this Fire Dragon® maple planted in the ground last February and just now starting summer growth.  Stay tuned to see how this branch develops.  Center - On the right are the small leaf Trident maple seeds I purchased and planted last March.  The smaller leaf Trident on the left was recently discovered and dug up underneath one of my own trees.  The small leaves are useful for bonsai.  Right - Oliver's maples have recovered from the late freeze and now are growing slowly.

Aug 7, 2009 - Left - MoonriseTM is holding its yellow color very well despite another 100 degree day with hot winds.  This one is in a 25gal in dappled sunlight.  Center - The Aratama test plant did burn in all day hot sun, but look at it grow now.  I'd say it is better than average for sun but not the most sun tolerant.  The colors throughout the year have been identical whether grown in all shade or in sun, although in sun the reds lasted a little longer.  Right - Mikawa yatsubusa is a very interesting dwarf and also one of the easiest to grow.

Aug 9, 2009 - Left - Dwarf Golden Dragon is still growing but now the new growth is not as orange, perhaps from the 2 weeks of clouds or the hot winds.  Center - Hang these small bottles of fox urine to keep critters, like squirrels away.  It works.  Rabbits aren't chewing my spitter tubes, raccoons aren't eating my watermelons, and armadillos aren't digging up my small maples.  Right - Good news.  After much research on tree nutrients,  and spending thousands on filtering the water, I finally got this Shantung maple to put out some summer growth like it used to do.  This picture was taken with a telephoto lens as the tree is about 20 feet tall.  Besides a better nutrient program for my very sandy soil, I believe the higher pH 7 irrigation water with much less iron are the main factors.

Aug 14, 2009 - Left - Two year old Baby Dragon Shantung graft is well over 2 foot tall and well-branched.  It has a nice upright and weeping shape (note it cascading over the rock), and has not been staked or pruned.  Center- New discovery, Tiny Dragon, is now planted in the ground.  The leaves are the size of quarters and half-dollars and so far is very slow growing.  Right - Shantung maple seeds and even some leaves are all over the ground.  They were chewed-off by squirrels.  The seeds normally ripen in late October.

Aug 18, 2009 - Left - This Kiyohime had most of its leaves removed on August 1st and now is sending out all new leaves.  Center - After only 4 days from planting, Tiny Dragon is already happier and getting its first summer growth leaf.  Right - Ogon Sarassa summer color is brown but wait until you see it in fall.  The seeds and stems are a nice greenish-yellow.

Aug 24, 2009 - The first branches on the Fire Dragon® on the Maple Knoll.  It is now a 4" caliper and doing very well despite the hot sun and the choppy weather we've had all year.  In a couple of years I'll remove the little branches on the bottom interior.  Center - My Ginkgo which is usually never watered is turning fall color on half the leaves.  It is now 12 years old and even though it has never done this before, when trees get big they need water to stay healthy in Texas.  Right - One of the easiest Japanese maples to grow is the laceleaf Seiryu.  Back behind it in a little more shade is a big Fireglow that retained its June coloration after leaving Oregon and then living in a pot.

Aug 29, 2009 - The week starts very hot and was hard on the trees but ends with cool mornings and highs in the upper eighties.  The trees should really like this.  Left - Dwarf Golden Dragon still growning, now at 22 inches on several branches so the ultimate size is unknown.  Center - Praying Mantis on an underwatered Red Filigree.  At least the burnt leaves are protected from insects.  Right - Still one of my best looking maples is this Nishki Gawa, now a 4" caliper and 12 years old.

Sept. 9, 2009 - We are now in limbo season as summer is gone but fall is not quite here.  Great time to plant because you have 90 days to grow roots before the cold December weather.  Left - Camera looking right up the trunk of the first main branches of my 20 foot Fire Dragon® .  The open crown and deep root system allows you to grow many things underneath a Shantung maple.  Center - This little guy gets the jump on the competition and starts eating Osakasuki seeds which ripen in October.  Right - Close-up of Nishiki Gawa in bonsai training.  The bark turns from smooth bright green to a thick lumpy grey.  It was planted with a slant and is on top of a ceramic tile to get the roots to grow out and not deep, so it will be easy to put in a shallow pot someday.

Sept 12, 2009 - Non-stop rain is good for the trees but make sure the drainage holes in your pots don't stop-up!  Besides soaking the lower roots of trees, all this rain helps to flush away accumulated salts in the upper substrate.  Left - Close-up of Dwarf Golden Dragon now with a little more red growth.  The main veins are always a bright yellow in every season.  Shantung maples have usually stopped growing shoots by September but this year I have several still putting out new leaves.  Center - The yellow color is never as bright on overcast or rainy days but the overall shape is easier to capture.  Notice the normal green color on the Shantung behind it on the left.  Right - The largest Fire Dragon® we've ever had for sale is this 3 inch caliper in a 65 gal.  I am guessing it is 10 feet wide and over 12 feet tall.

Sept 15, 2009 - Left - Over 9 inches of rain so its time to see why this 20 year old azalea is looking thin, losing branches, and growing very slowly.  It was found to be dry!  After 6 years of hot and dry summers the bark became so dry that it will not get wet again, so we dug it up, cut some of the old woody roots, and replanted in fresh aged pine bark in an attempt to save it.  Center - Getting crooked and misshapen trees ready for the first ever clearance sale!  I need the space for other maples so many 6 foot tall Fireglows, Bloodgoods, etc. are on sale for $25.   If you have a spot for them then will be nice plants in 2 years or next spring you can cut them back and have a 1 1/2 inch caliper short one.  Right - Finally a little sun to show-off the shape of this very nice Skeeter's Broom.  It is like Shaina but columnar to 6 feet and holds a purple color exceptionally well during summer.

Sept 20, 2009 - Left - Finally some sun and a few maples have started growing, like this Shin deshojo.  Some of the azaleas are starting to bloom also.  Center - Close-up of leaf base and veins showing details on Shantung 'Skinny Dragon'.  Notice the leathery texture.  Right - Leaf of 'Skinny Dragon' showing the skinny lobes.

Sept 27, 2009 - Wow, lows in the 50's this week, a 47 degree drop from a 102 degree high just 4 weeks ago.  Left - Autumn Blaze looked different from a distance and up close I notice it is beginning to turn red.  Center - Then I went to check 'Show Dragon' as it is always the first Shantung to turn color, and low and behold the petioles (leaf stalks) and main leaf veins have turned red, which is a sign that fall colors are approaching.  Right - This 12 foot Shantung was one of my best but 50-80mph winds last Tuesday blew it out of the pot and now some of the interior leaves are changing colors.

Oct 3, 2009 - Left - Aratama recovering (growing new leaves) from too much sun.  Center - Dwarf Golden Dragon test Shantung appears to have stopped pushing out new leaves.  This one has recently lost some of its bright golden color because the lower sun angle is now creating shade from the nearby large post oaks.  It was planted in its location for the fastest possible growth and not necessarily for the best colors.  Later I can remove some oak branches if I want to.  Right - First year graft showing more intense late-season  yellow and reds when receiving more sunshine.

Oct 10, 2009 - More rain, clouds, and chilly weather.  Over the last 30 days I have received 13.2 inches of rain and it has been what I call hot only 3 days.  We are having an Arkansas fall.  Left - Twenty foot tall Shantung maple at the front gate on a cold afternoon.  Center - Great picture of Murasaki kiyohime with a Sango Kaku and Fireglows in the background.  Sango Kaku gradually turns more yellow with each passing  day.  If you were out here today did you notice this combination?  Right - Here is Ogon Sarassa now returning to a purple color.  Earlier it was shown as a vibrant spring red then a brownish color in summer.

Oct 15, 2009 - Left - Understock for next year's grafting is moved closer to my greenhouse but hopefully they can find some sunshine first.  Center - This Shantung has gone into early early fall color and perhaps in a few more weeks there will be lots of fall color, but the earliest I can remember a lot of fall color is mid-November.  The dramatic drop in temperatures and cold nights and lots of rain is making for an early fall.  Right - Autumn Blaze is still turning more red and is always early in the fall.

Oct 20. 2009 - Record early fall has started.  Left - This Fire Dragon® is being blasted by the wind and is coloring-up.  Others that have been recently dug or planted are doing the same.  This year it seems any stress is leading to early fall color but even the unstressed ones are beginning to turn from all the cold rain last month.  Center - Last picture of Dwarf Golden Dragon before we see what the fall color turns out to be.  Right - This small low branch is the only part of this Fire Dragon that has colored.  One of the coolest things about Fire Dragon® is that it turns red in sun or shade, acid or alkaline soils, high or low nutrient status, or even after 17 inches of rain and six weeks of clouds.  The only way not to get red is if the leaves fall off early from stress which gives you a mixed orange-yellow color.

Oct 22, 2009 - Left - Another 3.7 inches of rain, then cold winds.  It's as wet as I've ever seen it.  This Fire Dragon® Shantung is a few days away from peak color.  It was dug and replanted in September to grow on further.  It seems that all the ones that were repotted or planted this fall will have early fall color.  Fire Dragon® is an excellent predictor of the weather so expect a frost within 2 weeks.  Center - Some of the Fire Dragons® are first changing to yellow, orange, and then to red.  Right - Here are some for sale with brilliant red on top and  lower multi-colored leaves.

Oct 26, 2009 - Cold rain all day.  Left - Fire Dragon® 25gal sales area before loading some going to San Antonio and Granbury.  Center - Logo on coffee cup and actual color which is Cardinal red in the RHS Colour Chart.  Right - A gallon of Shantung seeds were picked and will be dryed slightly before storing at forty degrees.

Nov 5, 2009 - Back from Arkansas where the color was not good.  Probable the worst ever.  Most trees were finishing and looked drab from all the clouds and rain.  Left - This Fire Dragon® is an unusal orangish-red color with more yellow leaves on the bottom, also most likely due to the clouds and rain for 2 months.  Center - This Shantung is a test plant named 'Spotted Dragon' and although it has not done this in 2 years we are getting a lot of yellow with many reds spots as before.  Is there any other tree that can do this?  Right - The 30 foot Autumn Blaze that Scott and I transplanted last year is just about peak color.

Nov 6, 2009 - Left - Shantung 'Skinny Dragon', now 12 feet tall,  fall color is orange and yellow this year and not as good as usual due to the 2 months of rain, so I will have to wait another year for a perfect picture.  Some of the top leaves dropped green and the lower ones last only a few days.  I think many of its roots were submerged in water most of September and October.  Center - 'Gate Dragon' is twenty feet tall now and has always been brilliant yellow, but this year the top is showing some oranges mixed in.  I think most of the seedling Shantungs will have oranges and reds also this year.  Right - This Japanese maple 'Green Cascade' is one of the first to color-up in fall and it is starting.  Usually a brilliant solid orange for me, it is going to be a mix of red, yellow, and orange.

Nov 9, 2009 - Three days of clouds but I need the sun for good pictures.  Left - Blaine's Dragon Shantung test plant is now 3 years old and every year it has been all red.  Center - 'Gate Dragon', shown again, is starting to color towards the bottom now.  Right - Fire Dragon® is starting out orange-red and a new soil and foliage test shows that I am getting closer to what it needs.  I've added some gysum to reduce the sodium levels and also got too much boron in it this year by accident.  Hope to see you Saturday for Metro Maples 15th anniversary.

Nov 10. 2009 - Left - The first of the Bigtooth maples that I have in the ground looks pretty good.  Center - The last of the Fire Dragon® Shantungs are coloring-up.  All of them in pots are already finished.  Right - The first of the Trident maples also looks good this year.  Most of the Japanese maples are still slowing beginning to turn.

Nov 11, 2009 - Left - Here is Scott trying to get my 16 year old,14 foot Red Emperor onto a cart, to put in a 95 gallon, so we can sell it.  Look at all the roots we got.  Center - Only this one Shaina out of the dozens we have is colored-up.  Maybe this one was a little dryer.  Right - A photo of Inman (we call him Henry) loading up 2 trees in his new big landscapper truck.  He has been planting for many of our customers.

Nov 12, 2009 - Left - My Caddo maple is mostly yellow this year.  It's at its best when it is orange.  Center - 'Gate Dragon' Shantung still turning yellow towards the bottom but the top is already browning so I'll have to wait another year for a great picture.  It turned cold so fast and early this year.  Gradual temperature change would have resulted in better colors.  Right - A couple of 'Golden Dragon' Shantung in 10 gallon pots.  This was selected for good fall color and a great leaf shape.

Nov 13, 2009 - Left - Arkansas sugar maple is getting good color.  Center - This Chaulk maple is over twenty feet and is a southeastern sugar maple and it is red for the first time.  Right - A 3" caliper, double-trunk Fire Dragon® was dug and moved into the new shrine garden

Nov 15, 2009 - This paperbark maple is turning a stunning red near the front gate.  Center - Seeds of Fire Dragon® have a tinge of red on the wings.  Right - Dwarf Golden Dragon turns yellow, although there were some small sectors of red.  More study is needed on this exciting new seedling I've called Dwarf Golden Dragon to determine its height, width, grow rate, and colors.

Nov 20, 2009 - Nice temperatures all week with several cold mornings but no frost, and rain overnight.  The Japanese maples are just starting to go into vibrant fall color.  Most have been slowly turning a red or purple for several weeks now.  The above average temperatures so far this month have slowed them down.  Left - My Florida sugar maple is looking good.  This one grows native in East Texas.  Center - The plantings in this new garden (I call it my Shrine Garden) are almost done, and then some rocks and fence will be added.   I chose first to put in the plants I wanted and then figure out what to put in the center.   Right - This Trident maple is still turning red.  It started doing this 2 weeks ago.

Nov 22, 2009 - Yesterday was a little busy but too bad the sun didn't come out until today.  Left - Green Cascade is still chainging colors, leaf by leaf.  Some have just fallen early from too much rain.  Center - The Fire Dragon®  from above with bright sun shows a brillianat orange color.  I put this shot in the Best Photos in 'More Maples' as I've never had a picture quite like this before.  Right - Beni Kawa has been a yellow for several weeks now.  Some areas are much more red than this photo of yellow with red tips and veins.

Nov 23, 2009 - Left- Looking straight up my 25 foot columnar Shantung as the last of the yellow leaves hang on.  Center - The same Fire Dragon® as yesterday's photo but now more red than orange.  It is looking like what I call the #2 color which is bright currant red with Chinese yellow edges.  Color names are from the RHS Colour Chart..  Right - I still have some Fire Dragon's in the back in some shade and in the ground which are late in coloring,  but I have never seen one turn red in sections like the one shown.

Nov 24, 2009 - The Japanese maples are now turning fall colors.  Left - Tamukeyama, a beautiful and strong lace leaf with a cascading habit.  Shown from underneath the tree.  Center - Viridis, a great mix of yellow and orange, another beautiful lace leaf.  Right - Koto no Ito with excellent fall color despite leaf lobes that are only as wide as a piece of string.  The name translates to 'string of old harp'.

Nov 25, 2009 - Gorgeous weather and at lunch I notice the most beautiful deep reflections from the pond, so Scott and I paused in amazement while studying what the waters could reveal.  Left - My largest Shantung maple clearly reflected in the deep waters with the beautiful blue sky.  Center - Doric Dragon, a columnar Shantung, is finishing fall colors.  Right - A Fire Dragon® and a green Trident maple reflection inspired and reminded me of what I hope the garden to become someday.

Nov 26, 2009 - The simple gifts are the best this Thanksgiving with beautiful trees, blue skies, good food and music, cats, dogs, and family.  Left - Acer miyabii is rare from Japan's northern island but beautiful and easy to grow.  Center - Up one of the trunks of mother Fire Dragon® as the last of the lower leaves fall.  Right - Acer sieboldianum 'Sode no Uchi' turning its 9 to11 lobes multi-colors.  A very hardy and easy to grow maple from Japan's mountaineous forrests. Easiest way to tell it's not a "Japanese Maple" is its erect habit.  There are still lots of Japanese maples with sof t yellows and reddish-purples inching their way towards the brilliant red, orange and yellows.

Nov 27, 2009 - Left - A great Japanese maple in fall color is this orange and yellow Viridis or Waterfall.  Center - Skeeter's Broom, like many other cultivars, has been this TCU Horned Frog purple for several weeks now.  Right - Picking leaves to create a small picture of fall color for everything in my catalog.  The new web catalog will be published this winter.

Nov 28, 2009 - Some great colors today with more to come.   Left - Another picture of Sode no Uchi, now with more reds mixed in with the yellow.  Center - Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium', also called the Fern Leaf Maple, is an old hardy favorite and found in most arboretum across the country.  Right - Acer shirasawanun 'Palmatifolium' has a beautiful 11 lobed leaf with splotches of orange and red starting to appear over the bright yellow leaves.  We have a had a long fall period this year as many trees started changing colors 5 weeks ago and now the last of them are beginning to change.

Nov 29, 2009 - Fall is a great time to work in the garden.  Temperatures are nice, the need for watering is low,  and there is not the rush of chores that spring brings.  Left - Beni schichihenge is an interesting mix of pink, red, and purple with white edges.  Center - View from the entrance.  Cooler weather and clouds are back but the timing is right for peak Japanese maple color in a few days, and hopefully some sunshine too.  Right - This Orange Dream is an interesting mix of colors.

Nov 30, 2009 - How about some bright red in Texas for sun or shade?  Left - Make your boring roof look good with a Trompenburg Japanese maple.  Besides a great leaf shape and spring colors, it is not surpassed in the fall.  Center - Still another Fire Dragon®  turning red.  Now with my largest Shantung a brilliant yellow in the background.  Right - Skeeter's Broom is now very red and as good as Shaina.

Dec 1, 2009 - The rain is back which makes the photos less bight but there is color everywhere I look now.  Left - Meigetsu has huge leaves loaded with every color.  Center - Pixie is new, but fall colors are looking very good.  It is a sport of Bloodgood but only gets 8 foot tall.  Right - Palmatifidium is also loaded with rainbow-like colors which will be brighter in a few more days..

Dec 2, 2009 - Snow on maple fall color is very rare in north Texas and is great for finishing up the pictures for this year since cold fog and late freezes is how we started.  .  Left - Coonora Pygmy always has very good fall color.  Center - A Tamukeyama covered in snow.  Right - I thought I showed the last of Fire Dragon® Shantung for the year, but I couldn't resist one more.

Dec 3, 2009 - The year is almost over.  Cold weather all day, but it's way better than the 90 degrees I had 4 years ago .  Some of the last to have fall color are the young seedling grown Acer palmatums.  Left - They come in all colors like red/pink/purples.  Center- bright yellow.  Right - Orange.  This is a vigorous and easy to grow small green leaf Japanese maple, the kind that can be found growing in the wild for about the last 80 million years, and used as understock for my grafting.

Dec 4, 2009 - Freeze this morning and a hard freeze expected tonight.  Its been a great year for Metro Maples with a record number of customers, 48 inches of rain, fall colors that started early on some varieties and then it went on for a total of eight weeks now, and also many opportunities to learn more about maple trees.  Fire Dragon® sales continued exceptionally strong and I now have some excellent licensed growers that will grow it.   The new test plant Dwarf Golden Dragon and Baby Dragon Shantung both did great in trials and both will be propagated as fast as I can.  Left - Orangeola, orange instead of ruby-red fall colors for the first time ever (photo by Scott Hubble).  Center - A seedling I call KJ Atro that continues every year with this mix of colors.  Right - Baby Dragon Shantung with some red for the first time ever.

Dec 8, 2009 - Still fall colors on several varieties despite the hard freeze three days ago.  Left - Ueno yama with excellent colors.  Center - Kamagata, for a dwarf, with pretty nice late fall colors.  Right - Aratama a beautiful mix again this year.  Don't forget to also check the Great Maples Page this winter as I am going to redo that as well as the Catalog.  THANK YOU ALL FOR A WONDERFUL YEAR.

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