2007 Plant Sale shopper Jennie writes:
Just wanted you to know that the Friends Plant Sale Japanese Maple I bought last year made it!
I’ve wanted a Japanese Maple for years, and researched price, varieties, and hardiness…always nervous that it wouldn’t survive…
So I went ahead and bought one that you offered for sale last year. I wintered it over, still in the ground, with a pile of leaves encased in burlap, and lo and behold, it survived!
It’s planted in the middle of a perennial garden, gets afternoon sun, and is somewhat sheltered by wind coming from the south — but for the most part it’s in a pretty open area.
I’m in Mendota Heights, which I swear is true zone 4, especially last winter, and definitely a colder area than it was in the city where I used to live, so I was delighted that this tree made it. Thanks for offering them last year!
I’m looking forward to my volunteer shift this week and the sale. I hope it’s a great year for the sale!
Thanks, Jennie! We love to get feedback on the plants you grow. Of course, we can’t be blamed if we particularly like the success stories, but we’re very interested to know what doesn’t do so well, too.
Here is a photo of a Japanese Maple planted a few years earlier (note: this is not Jennie’s tree), shot last summer just a few blocks from Friends School in the Hamline Midway neighborhood.
Photo by Pat
What Japanese Maple did you buy, and in your research, are there other small Japanese maples you would recommend for MPLS?
Jill,
The tree Jennie bought from us was Acer palmatum atropurpureum, and they were specfically seedlings of the variety Bloodgood, which has been grown with some success in Minnesota, although because they were seedlings, they are not actually considered to be the variety Bloodgood (because Bloodgood’s traits may or may not come true from seed).
I emailed Jennie to see if she would like to respond to your question, and here is what she said:
“I never did find a Japanese Maple in a catalog or store that said it was rated for zone 4. Also, although I had great luck with zone 5 when I lived in the city, I was concerned about the cooler weather in the suburbs — in fact, I’ve noticed that gardens in St. Paul are always about 1-3 weeks ahead of me on bloom times.
That said, I chose to buy the Friends Japanese Maple because I really trust the plant sale to pick varieties that are appropriate for our area. I know that the tree they sold requires some winter protection, and that’s okay, but I also knew they wouldn’t add it to the sale if they weren’t reasonably confident that it could survive, given the proper care. I think the price also was a factor; as the tree I bought at the Friends sale was about one third the cost of what I had seen elsewhere.
Around the garden centers I see the Emperor variety quite a bit — in fact, it might be the only one they sell. I’ve seen them around for 3 years now, and becoming more common (and less expensive), so I guess that means people are having some success with them. So I guess I would recommend to buy a tree from a local store and not in a catalog or on line, and ask where the tree has been grown - because these 2 or 3 foot trees have been around awhile, and if they have spent their time in Minnesota, even in a greenhouse, I would feel more confident taking the risk.
Just my personal opinion - certainly not a well informed one, as I only have the one tree that happens to have survived the first winter in my yard, so I will continue to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. It’s just gorgeous now - and has already become a focal point in the bed, so I’m hoping it continues to thrive!”
Hope that helps with the Japanese Maple conundrum.
Pat