What kind of maple is this?

[skippy291]

I bought this maple at a nursery, but I'm not sure what kind it is.

 

[rockm]

See the response to the boxwood post. Ditto.

at first glance, this looks like could be amur or monpellier maple...

 

[jk_lewis]

What kind of nursery doesn't label the plants it sells?

 

[JudyB]

Montpellier I think, I have one, and the leaves are a close match. If so, be careful how you treat this tree, it's basically a single flush tree. It does like a lot more heat and sun and drier conditions than other maples as well.

 

[skippy291]

I live in Houston, TX and the weather gets pretty hot over here so I guess it's good that it's heat tolerant. Are they fast growers? Should I move it to a bigger pot now and let it grow?

 

[JudyB]

IF it is Montpellier maple, then it is a s l o w grower. Single flush trees are not fast by any stretch. Better make sure what you have before you make plans for it, as the treatment is much different than amur if that's what it is.

 

[JudyB]

Now that I googled Montpellier leaves, yours have serrated edges, so looks to be something else. I'm not home lately to compare, but just googleing, I would say I was wrong about it being that. Montpellier leaves are smooth margined.

 

[qwade]

Probably A.ginnala, Amur maple.But could be Rubrum, Red maple. Both have opposite leaves on the branch. Both have double serrate leaf margins (serrated and toothed [although red maple's varies and can have either]). For me, Red maple's unique characteristic would be red twigging. Amur's main characteristic would be a very long central lobe. Hope this helps.

 

[skippy291]

Thanks for the help. I'm pretty new to bonsais. The central lobes of the leaves are pretty long, so I guess it's an Amur Maple. Some of the the leaves are serrated, but they're not too jagged or sharp. Is that normal?

 

[markyscott]

If you bought this at a nursery in Houston, it's almost certainly a red maple.

Scott

 

[Bunjeh]

I think Judy has it right. A. ginalla and A. rubrum have much sharper edges. Montpelier looks kind of like a ginalla/campestre cross.

 

[skippy291]

I searched up leaves of Montpelier Maple on Google and it doesn't seem like it's the tree. It's probably either a Red Maple or Amur but not so sure.

 

[markyscott]

It's not a Montpellier and Amur do not grow well in Houston. I've never seen one for sale in any nursery and any that did I would give a good scolding to for selling a tree doesn't grow in our zone. The only Amur I've ever seen here is the one I brought with me from Washington. It died a slow death because of the lack of a dormant season. It is a red maple. They are about the only maple sold in nurseries here. You can occasionally find tridents in higher end nurseries. and you can find Japanese maples in early spring (before the brown and crinkly season).

Scott

 

[markyscott]

Also, if you're just starting out, September is the Houston Bonsai Society club auction - it's a great place to get some trees.

Scott

 

[Bunjeh]

I searched up leaves of Montpelier Maple on Google and it doesn't seem like it's the tree. It's probably either a Red Maple or Amur but not so sure.

Agreed. It is quite possible it is a new cultivar. Maples readily cross-pollenate if they are not in a controlled environment. Case in point; there is an area here in my town where one side of the street has A. Campestre and the other side of the street has A. Ginalla. I picked up some seeds last year an sowed them. None of them are true to the parent. One in particular is interesting. Leaves shaped like A.C. but glossy like A.G,..with pink underside.

 

[rockm]

Don't assume you're seeing a zebra when your in horse country . Not a new cultivar. Red maples (Acer rubrum) produce leaves that look exactly like amur on occasion and this leaf variation is well within what A. Rubrum pushes out. No cross pollination with anything. As pointed out, Acer ginnala is far out of its comfort zone in Texas (much less Houston) heat, this is most likely Acer rubrum.

Any questionable wild maple east of the Mississippi (and some areas immediately west of the river, including East Texas) is most likely a Rubrum. It is an extremely common pioneer species.

 

[armetisius]

That rusty red color on the top side of the leaf petiole pretty much makes it a definite;
Acer rubrum without a doubt.

 

[Jaberwky17]

This is my Amur. Notice the MUCH sharper leaf serrations. there is nothing smooth or rounded about these leaves...

 

[Bunjeh]

Don't assume you're seeing a zebra when your in horse country . Not a new cultivar. Red maples (Acer rubrum) produce leaves that look exactly like amur on occasion and this leaf variation is well within what A. Rubrum pushes out. No cross pollination with anything. As pointed out, Acer ginnala is far out of its comfort zone in Texas (much less Houston) heat, this is most likely Acer rubrum.

Any questionable wild maple east of the Mississippi (and some areas immediately west of the river, including East Texas) is most likely a Rubrum. It is an extremely common pioneer species.

I believe he said it was purchased.

 

[rockm]

Ok. Missed that, but Amur maple is not really sold much in Texas. It's not reliable in the heat. Heck I have trouble with them crisping up in the Va. sunshine.