Acer shirasawanum 'Autumn Moon'. I've got one in a container and it does very well - maybe too upright for you? Spring and fall color are fabulous and nice summer, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Form and Foliage

I'd say 'Inaba Shidare' and 'Beni Hoshi' have been the most trouble free for me followed by 'Viridis'. The 'Beni Hoshi' will green up a bit in late summer but gets a nice red fall color. All three get afternoon shade year round.

tj

Hi Whaas, Between one of my brothers and i were growing about 30 or more different cultivars. If you could narrow down the site requirements like sun vrs shade - upright verses weeping etc etc. We may have some thoughts to suggest. The one thing to keep in mind is that we are in Md......AL

Oh, Suzanne?

I have a baby 'Autumn Moon'. I just love this plant and when I see photos like yours I can't wait for it to grow up!

No Will, unfortunately no summer pics, just late spring and those were incidental to taking pics of other things.

The 'Inabe Shidare' held its color well but I see you say you're not a fan of lace-leaf type, so it may be out.

A poor pic, but the latest in the year I have (mid-June?)

'Inabe Shidare' and hosta

'Beni Hoshi' much earlier (not long after bud break).
As I say, it will green up some, but very late in summer.

tj

I have a small Autumn Moon that was a Larry Stanley one gallon production and planted in 2006 and I swear, I'll be dead before it looks anything like the ones posted previously in this thread. Stem growth is about an inch a year. Looks fine otherwise.
I don't have a good picture to post, but a.palmatum Ryusen is becoming my favorite for the time being - nice weeping habit and the fall color is great.
Marshall

Hey Whaas, Im like you..'red dragon' is hard to beat. They will get big though. We just moved one a few months ago that was at least 9' across. My latest red is my 'rhode island red' and i really really like it. Works great for my small size garden. lots of characteristics i like. If you liked green leafs i would say 'mikawa yatsubusa' and 'shishigashira'are must haves.For shade ive always liked 'shigitatsu sawa'. foto below.My brother has 'aka shigitatsu sawa' that is awesome red version.

Al, thanks for the pics and suggestions!

Pic two, bottom left...what is that squatty dense selection?

Hi Whaas, The squatty dense maple above is ap'tama hime'. Also i was thinking maybe ap'pixie' might interest you. I grow one in a pot and its very slow for me. I wouldnt know where to start with your climate. Theres always trial and error. Good luck...AL

Whaas, just thought of something - do you know A. p. 'Capersi's Dwarf'? I love it - these are photos taken in April, as you can see the new foliage is pretty. It is nicely green through the summer (although I have it in part shade; it would burn in sun). Not sure if it would grow or available where you are...but the comment above about the dense squatty one made me think of this.

Here is a link that might be useful: Form and Foliage

Great suggestion! It does do well here from I've heard and I have one on order with Topiary Maples in NY.

Thanks for posting the pic!

Oh good! You are most welcome...once I figured out how to post pics it is easy...I like this one even when just bare branches - it has interesting architecture that is different from any of my other maples and the stems are nicely green (at least here) throughout the winter. Fall color is decent but not spectacular. Have fun with it!

Hey Whaas, It seems like you have really 'mapled - up' this early spring. How about posting a list of all your chosen cultivars. Im sure youve picked some cool ones. My latest purchase is a ap 'Fjellheim', from Whitman Farms and the quality of trees she sent my brother and i were an 11 on a 1-10 scale.Also planted an as 'Autumn Moon'this past fall and cant wait to see that leaf out this spring.F and F is killing me with that gorgeous photo above.I hope mine looks that good.

Some of these may not be JMs per say but none the less they are Maples! Some aren't necessarily dwarf either but most these plants are going to lack vigor in my neck of the woods.

Acer palmatum dissectum 'Orangeola'
Acer buergerianum 'Miyasama yatsubusa'
Acer campestre 'Carnival'
Acer shirasawanum 'Jordan'
Acer circinatum 'Del's Dwarf'
Acer palmatum 'Coonara Pygmy'
Acer palmatum 'Ryuzu'
Acer palmatum 'Caperci Dwarf'
acer shirasawanum 'Bashful'

Gotta say that A. campestre 'Carnival' is a stunner. I finally snagged one last fall after lusting after it for a while. I've got it planted with Cryptomeria j. 'Knaptonensis' around it and am hoping that the white foliage theme works...we'll see when 'Carnival' leafs out. I just planted a 'Jordan' last week. I will check out the rest of your list as you clearly have an eye!
I use 'Autumn Moon' foliage as the masthead for my blog, my desktop background, etc. Talk about eye candy...

Here is a link that might be useful: Form and Foliage

That's funny, I've also got 'Knaptonensis' planted around my 'Carnival'. The cryptomeria are getting too big too fast though. Last year I pulled one of the three out, and the other two may be also coming out pretty soon. I thought this one was supposed to grow pretty slowly, but I think that some growers' selections grow faster than others.

Alex

Interesting about the 'Knaptonensis' size...mine have stayed small but have only been in a couple of years - they may still be in the sleep/creep stage. I thought that they were supposed to be slow, too. I see that they are called 'semi-dwarf' by some (that's hedging themselves!) and that might mean that nobody really knows. I guess we'll find out! After your comment and the reading that it prompted me to do, I might move mine further away.

Some of the smaller ones I love are:

Komachi hime
Brandt's Dwarf
Green Elf
Tiny Tim
Mr. Sun
Kuri jishi
Beni hime
Hime shojo
Elmwood
Mikawa yatsubusa
Fukinagashi
Oku kuji nishiki
Barbara
Skeeter's Broom

'Knaptonensis' gets larger than I first thought. I've had this one a few years. It's back in a pot after being in the ground a year. I put it in too much sun and decided to put it back in a pot in light shade. My other one in the ground is growing real slow and shows some sign of burn.
They are tricky to place so as to avoid sunburn and still get color. I have found that adequate summer water and relief from the afternoon sun in my Seattle area climate is essential.
Mike
{{gwi:666739}}

Great photo, thx! And it looks larger than the 2' that most sources claim. I did find one that said 3'. Yours in the photo has lovely color. I have mine in a place that has dappled shade in midday but shade the rest of the time, the color has been pretty good but not as 'solid' as yours. I think I"m in the same bind - if I move them to more sun, they'll burn. I've had the same problem with a few other things that claim to have 'more color in full sun' but then they burn. I have one poor Cotinus 'Ancot' that I've moved four times trying to find the right spot. We'll see what happens this summer!

Whaas, If you are looking for a stunning red fall color check

into A P 'Baldsmith'. This is one of my favorites during the

fall show!

Jack

I had one nursery owner tell me that the younger plants are more desirable from the east coast than the west coast as they put on more caliper and have heavier branching.

Interesting because the two orders from NY where FAR superior than the two orders I got from the west coast (see a couple of them in the dealing with Ys post).

I'll post pics in a few weeks after the plants leaf out.

I have a palmatum called 'Lima Gold'. Damn rabbits ate it to about 3 buds however this winter. It's REAL slow growing. I grafted it several 5 or 7 years ago and never got to be as large as a soccer ball. It's absolutely rare as Hen's teeth. Just thought I'd add to this conversation.

Dax

Dax, you need a dog! Just install the invisible fence and you'll be set!

Hopefully it shoots back up nicely for you.

whaas, 'Sharp's Pygmy' is a nice small one too. It's not too flashy, but has been a good performer for me. Mine is in a South facing bed with mostly miniature conifers and has done really well despite all of the sun.
Here's a pic from last Spring,

Dan

Dan, Awesome layout!......great everything...i have to stare at that photo for a while to take it all in...nice!

Acer palmatum 'Shaina'

That is a beauty mac !

late to the party, but waas, no Tamukeyama? not quite a dwarf but they can handle the sun and have great fall color ;)

Here is a link that might be useful: Tamukeyama images

A few more dwarf palmatums from this Spring.

Acer palmatum 'Aratama'

Acer palmatum 'Yuri hime'

Acer palmatum 'Fireball'

Dan

Couldn't resist!

If it's red, I probably have it. I'm taking red (not pink) crape myrtles (15 and growing), JMs (70 to 80 of them maybe more), regular maples (probably 20-30)

The Red Crusader, Lozita and Crimson Carole retain their beautiful reds thru the summer, as of course does the Fireglow and Red Dragon.

I am not limiting myself to size here, because in the very first posts someone mentioned Viridis. That baby, around here, becomes quite a huge, 20-30' tree. Of course, that takes time but it does happen and that's no dwarf.

Baldsmith gets huge here and has survived deer and rabbits, and dog stompings for several years. It perseveres.

Don't forget the lovely Red Pygmy. It's like a Koto no ito, only very red.

One of my very favorite, gorgeous red WAY dwarfs is Octopus. Shaina is maintaining 8 years of HORRENDOUS Maryland drought and full sun. This year, finally, some leaf burn, but it's hanging in there beautifully.

Dis. Nigrum and Inaba Shidare are doing extremely well in high heat, drought, and only some shade.

Question: My Ryuzu is green.

Love the suggestions! I am building courtyards in front (all sun) and am planning some dwarf-ish plantings so I don't block all my view of my front acre. I love your pics and your ideas!

Those are three nice plants, Dan. Have those troughs needed more attention with the drought this year?

tj

Hi tj, suprisingly the troughs haven't received a whole lot of extra attention.
The plants are well established in their pots with nice root systems so I think that has helped.

Dan