Hi plantmarker, how about A.p. 'Beni Otake'. It hold it's red color really well for me and have noticed no sunscald despite having it placed in a western exposure. Just a thought, Dan.

There are not alot of choices in the red linearlobums...there are a few promissing new ones ... but the main older ones are Beni otaki , Atrolineare , Red Scolopedrifolum ( which some consider the same as the atrlonair...some say differnt), Red Pigmy, Red Spider,Hubbs Red Willow... .. In my opinion NONE of the above will stay red in full sun with the exception of the Hubb's and Red Spider ( but I wouldn't recommend putting either in full sun) ...my Red Spider lost all it's leaves last year..but grew back nice new RED ones when given a little shade ...the Hubbs did fine in virtually full sun...but if in partial sun or dappled shade they all" may" do ok if not quite as red although as I said my Red Spiser did good in shade... all seem very winter hardy but pretty well crisp up in direct mid summer sun.( except as noted above).. mine are 5-6 years old It may be as they age they will take the sun better...but you are MUCH farther south...So you do the math....As I said there may be others or some new ones ...I personally have found contrary to what anyone writes.... in my area no JM will do optimally in full mid summer hot humid sun...period David

I see Dan posted as I was ...he is a bit farther north ... I love the Beni otaki as an all around great tree and recommend it highly for my area as far as winter hardiness and all arounf=d beauty but mine sunscalded to the MAX last summer by Aug the only red leaves were new ones!!!...even with a bit of shade ...maybe Dan's is older as I said above or that 200 + mile differnce did the trick...I would expect you to do worse with just about any tree in full sun mid summer than either of us ..David

Hi David, don't you hate when things cross-post. It happens to me all the time and it seems like you're trying to refute someone elses opinion and actually you are just offering an opinion about the original question. I was thinking about the location of the 'Beni Otake' and it may get more shade from a 'Riversii' Beech than I realize. It is about 5' tall and around seven years old. It's the only true red linearilobum cultivar I have so it was kind of a choice of one :-). It has been a good performer for me though. Dan

Enkan is another newer cultivar that supposedly holds its color pretty well...although I doubt it would hold past about the first of July along with the others in alot of sun.

I always forget about Enkan ...I grafted a few last year ...I really like it's fast growth pattern and does seem pretty heat resistant and it is NOT wimpy seems like a winner!! ...Don't know about it's winter hardiness ..but my experience so far is that all Linearlobums in general are all pretty darn winter hardy PERIOD...Don't know why but they all seem to blast through our winters up here vitually unscaved ...weren't really badly effected by last springs debacle!!... they seem the opposite of most dissectums for here anyway ;>) David

I live in NC as well and have several red linearlobum varieties. Beni otake holds its red color well but will green up some by late summer. It also turns deep red in the fall. However, my Beni ubi gohan keeps its red color all summer long and turns a brighter red in fall. I also have a Villa taranto, which has red leaves when they emerge and turns to a greenish red in June or so. It never gets totally green and turns gold in the fall. V. taranto really has more of a mixture of colors as the new growth is always red.