Hi westy
In my opinion, zone 8 to 6 grow is best. Soth Carolina, north Carolina, georgia, Tennesee , Alabama or west coast.but not Denver. Avoid heay snow and dry cold area. warmer the weather maple grow fist.
For nusery production, consider type for easy B&B or you can grow in different size of pots. selct where easy access to water. Growing hoby or nursery production also makes different to consider where you want to go/grow.

If you are going to import from Japan or China, location of air port and custum office should be consider too.
yama

The ideal place? How about Japan!! :-D

OK, that was cheesy but I had to get it out.

The climate in Japan is most similar to parts of the Southastern US. Virginia, Tennessee, Carolinas, Georgia. Very humid, with summer temps in the 80s and 90s. Winter temps a little milder. Of course, Japan has areas where the climates differ, just as we do in the South. The climate in the mountains will be much different than lower lying areas. Also Oregon and Washington seem to be good areas for growing JMs. Most of the really huge JM nurseries are out there.

If you're interested in Tennessee, let me know. I have a friend who sells rural real-estate. You can buy land pretty cheap if you get outside the big cities. I have 22 acres, and I paid less for the whole thing than what many 1/5 acre lots sell for in the suburbs. You'll need room for all those JMs, right?!

Regards,

K4

That's the only reason I'd love to go to Japan! My DH has been there and talks about the gardens all the time and he's not even into gardening. Good info - I'd love all the states you mentioned but the only one I think he'd do is North Carolina (golfer) because we could get into the foothills to escape the humidity but then I think humidity is good for JMs!!! I'd give anything to move to Oregon or Washington - love the rainy misty weather, too. Now if I could just get the kids to all move with us.

I'm so in love with these trees.

Westy

I live on 10 acres in the foothills southeast of Seattle. Japanese Maples do real well here if not planted in bad, fast draining soil in full sun. They self seed all over the place and in some cases they are a tolerable weed. I pick the best and grow them on for evaluation to be planted out after they are about 6 ft. tall or so. They like our heavier soil with some drainage.
Japan has summer monsoons, we have dry summers. We share common low temps for the most part.
Here's a picture of my driveway in the Fall. I do not water them in the summer once they are established.
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