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Best Japanese maple for south facing garden

chrismorgan72chrismorgan72 Posts: 9
in Plants
Hi 

Could anyone suggest what the best Japanese maple is for a south facing garden that is in full sun for most of the day please?
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Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    None of them really. Full sun all day is very difficult for them, even with perfect soil conditions and climate. 
    They really need some shade - dappled shade is best, so having some other shrubs/plants nearby is ideal. Shelter from the prevailing winds too. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    And moisture.  They have very fine leaves which can be scorched by sun, wind or lack of water. 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • HotwaxHotwax Posts: 51
    Bloodgood seems to tolerate quite a sunny site. This is a picture of my Bloodgood - (the dark-leaved one at the back) in more or less full sun. It survived more than 20 years, first in a pot, then in the ground, but unfortunately the last couple of very dry summers did for it.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The purple ones will tolerate sun - quite a bit of it - but it's not that simple.
    There are lots of factors involved, and they need the right conditions. I have mine in a south facing garden [quite a lot of people round here have them in that location] but they need other protection/shade, moisture, and the right soil for them to thrive. Judging by what the OP said - those other factors may not be there  :)

    If @chrismorgan72 comes back, we can possibly guide him in the right direction though.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • HotwaxHotwax Posts: 51
    Yes, I agree with Fairygirl. I watered mine a lot, plus the tree was protected by the house so not too windy.
  • MolamolaMolamola Posts: 105
    @Hotwax Your Bloodgood was beautiful - sorry to hear it's gone (?) I know they take a long time to get to that size.  

    May I ask, what is the smaller tree behind it, with the limey green leaves? 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    edited June 2020
    I had a Bloodgood in sun for several years too in my Belgian garden but with shelter form prevailing westerly and northerly winds and plenty of moisture in the soil and high rainfall.   One spring it just upped and died and I never did work out why.   I expect they have a stress threshold/tipping point that is fatal.   

    I have planted Japanese maples in this new garden but against a north facing wall so they get all the prevailing rainfall and just early morning and evening sun and they're handy for the outside tap and hosepipe if it gets too dry.    Looking good so far.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • HotwaxHotwax Posts: 51
    Thank you Molamola. I was very sorry to lose the Bloodgood, but over two years there were huge areas of dieback, and once those had been cut off, the tree looked terrible and had to go. The lime green leaved tree is another Japanese maple, but not a named variety. They were selling Acer saplings, 3 for £5, at Westonbirt arboretum many years ago and I bought several. I think they were just mixed seedlings. I was going to attempt to sort-of bonsai a couple to go along my husband’s railway track. If you look at the photo, there are two acers which I have managed to keep small. Unfortunately everything that grows too well near the railway is eventually given the chop, and one of them is approaching that stage. That photo was taken several years ago.
  • MolamolaMolamola Posts: 105
    Really interesting - thanks Hotwax! Your trees must be thriving. 

    I've not been to Westonbirt, but made it to Batsford when I was in the area (I now live in Belgium).  This is inspiring me to try again to start Acers from seed.  My one attempt has not worked, although I have left the tray out for another season of cold segregation. 
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    My Acers really suffered due to the late severe frost [ -7C ] in mid May, so the all look a bit sorry for themselves this year.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
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