Can a red maple be tropical????

[palmaddict]

Folks,

I now have a large palm and cycad collection planted at my house in San Diego and now I am torn.  I have always been facinated by the red lace forms of the maple tree.  Their color is incredible, the leaf pattern outstanding, and because they only grow to about ten feet they can be squeezed into a corner of the garden with some shade.  Their color contrast to the greenery of palms would be a nice addition in my mind.  The book the Tropical Look decribes using cacti and succulents in a tropical garden and why can't I add a red maple.  It just seems by adding this maple to my garden I am violating some unspoken rule.  What do you think?  I already bought the red laceleaf maple but haven't had the guts to plant it yet. (I am tempted to return it to Home Depot where I got it for a good price).  Here is a photo of the plant similar to the one I purchased (mine is much smaller).

Patrick

[TikiRick]

Pat,

That is a Japanese Red Maple. Slow growing habit to about 15 feet. It does require a dormant season (hence true winter) so not sure if it will make it in San Diego. I am still trying to figure why they would be selling it there...but then again they sell palms in NC Home Depot's and people have no clue.

[Dave-Vero]

We can't grow Japanese maples in central or southern Florida.  The eastern North American red maple (Acer rubrum) is native nearly to the southern tip of Florida.  The local version of the sugar maple is native to central Florida (beautiful plant, by the way).  

There's an assortment of warm-climate east Asian maples, but few if any have the deeply cut leaves.  Someone in California would know them, or Leu Gardens in Orlando (a public botanical garden).

I have a feeling that the Japanese maples with red leaves are more popular in the US than in Japan!

[MattyB]

Patrick, I've been tempted to try the Red Maples too.  They're so beautiful.  I've done a little research and lots of people tell me that they don't like city water and they don't like our hot inland summers (like it gets in Bonita).  So, I've stuck with the flowering plums for my red foliage trees and yes they go right along with the palms in my opinion.  I bet there's someone that's growing the Red Maple though.   I'd like to hear about it too.  I was driving one day in Bonsall and saw a huge one.  It was bright red and seemed to defy the rules in the hot inland sun.

[BobbyinNY]

They grow like weeds here.... I forgot I even have one in my yard....

[BigFrond]

Yes, we can grow it in San Diego County.  However, the leaves will not be prefect because of our county water mineral content.  The leaves will be burn on the edges  or even most of the leaves will turn brown.  The tree will look excellent here if you have filtered water though.

[BigFrond]

(MattyB @ Apr. 27 2007,14:07)

QUOTE

Patrick, I've been tempted to try the Red Maples too.  They're so beautiful.  I've done a little research and lots of people tell me that they don't like city water and they don't like our hot inland summers (like it gets in Bonita).  So, I've stuck with the flowering plums for my red foliage trees and yes they go right along with the palms in my opinion.  I bet there's someone that's growing the Red Maple though.   I'd like to hear about it too.  I was driving one day in Bonsall and saw a huge one.  It was bright red and seemed to defy the rules in the hot inland sun.

Flowering plum have massive roots and the leaves are very tough to rake or suck in by the mower.  You should consider the redbud tree(red leaf variety).  The flowers are way better than the flowering plum.

[Trópico]

Japanese maples are being tried more here in Orlando. I brought two seedlings from Long Island and they are doing "OK". I figure they need some sort of acclimatisation then they will do good. I have blue spruces too.

The one in the pic is great looking! I figure Kris hasn't seen it yet...

[PalmGuyWC]

Patrick,

I have two red maples a little larger than the one you have pictured. They came along with a palm collection I bought years ago.  I don't know what they are called, but they are very finely cut and lacy. They are only red in the spring then turn green as the season progresses. I have 3 T. wagneranus that have grown up over them, and they go prerfectly fine together. The maples are at the end of a wide path and make quite a show in the spring and they look nice in early summer.

As it heats up they do tend to burn some when it gets over 100F here, but they are nice looking most of the time and worth the trouble. They go decidious in the winter time. Mine would probably do better if they got more shade.  Mine have been in the ground over 20 years and have hardly increased in size since they were planted.  I'm told they are quite vauleable, but I'm a palm guy and don't pay much attention to maples. They have an interesting twisted limb structure when they are dormant. Put your maple in a shaded area protected from the hot afternoon sun, and you and your maple will be happy. They sure add a dash of color in a mostly green palm garden. I've seen a couple of gardens where maples and palms were used together and they looked great.

Dick

[BobbyinNY]

I never even thought of mixing them together with palms.. I guess the contrast would look good.... You can buy them up here like you buy palms down in Florida.

[Randyp]

Patrick

If you can grow it and you enjoy the look of the tree you should plant it. The book can give you guidelines for a tropical look but in my opinion should not define the combination of plants that YOU should have the opportunity to enjoy in your own home. If you are trying to achieve a specific uniform look that is one thing. If you like a variety of different plants and trees that you find interesting then it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

Then again, my backyard is still bare earth so what do I know ......

Randy

[osideterry]

I've thought of planting an area Asian-Tropical... bamboo, fishtails, etc. That one in your photo would look right at home, and the color would be a nice contrast. The dainty leaves are alot like bamboo.