Acer Palmatum (Uknown Species)

Acer palmatum (species unknown)

March 28: I dug this Japanese maple (species unknown) out of our flowerbed. This actually came from a cutting of a tree I’d bought my mother for Mother’s Day, perhaps in 2002 or 2003. It grew well, but slowly, in a pot until I put it into the flowerbed in spring 2006. I placed a tile underneath it hoping to keep the roots from pushing downward too far. I should have tied it to the tile because it seems to have pushed up from it a couple inches. It has not seemed to thicken by much.

I did very little branch or foliage maintenance, and so there is the occasional awkward-looking spot here and there. I pruned it as I repotted it, and I hope it will grow well into the shape I’ve tried to give it.

I have tried to provide two ways to view this tree. I tried to keep in mind the idea that a really good tree doesn’t necessarily have a single ‘front’. I like the idea of trying to make the tree viewable from any point.

I hope to post pictures in the fall showing some progress with this tree. We’ll see.