Firstly please don't use Jap in this forum many find it offensive even as an abbreviation if you want to abbreviate use JM...

Secondly you don't say how big ,old or what type of maple ...many do "ok" in full sun even in your zone and age and size does seem to help in this ...I would expect some sun damage.but it is something we all live with ..But if it has been through last summer and did ok I would say you have a pretty sun hardy cultivar ...heat doesn't get much worse than that was last summer ...It's too late to move, no good place to move and yours seem to have done ok last summer ..I think you are worring a bit too much ... ideally you should never plant any JM in full sun imho ...but ideals are not oft met ... just chill out and enjoy your tree ..david

this is a bloodgood JM sorry, type faster than i think lol. it is maybe no taller than 20 inches.

there was some burn spots on the leaves last year, but, i think it's because i was spraying Hartz Stay Off dog training aid, and i think the wind directed some onto the foliage.

thanks

how deep do roots of these trees usually run?
cuz i found out later on in the year, some parts of my lawn are solid rock about 15 or 16 inches down, kinda makes me wish i woulda planted it on a raised mound.

oh yeah, and maybe, i could plant a tree that would overshadow it, something that would have to grow much quicker than the jm and what would look good w/ it? any suggestions?

ok and I'll let some others imput after this short post ..yikes 20"..hummm I still stand by my statement that if it got thru last summer ok you are probably ok.... but your soil situation is another matter ..others here have had more experience with that than I cause my Illinois black dirt goes down yards.. But I will say JM's are generally shallow rooted ...but only compared to oaks and say sugar maples ... don't let anyone tell you that they are "truely" shallow try to dig up a 10-12 footer. My fear , and as I said others will know more, is water ponding under the tree on top of the rock causing root rot etc... my instinct is otherwise you would be ok the roots will just spread outwards more and possiblyn stunt it's growth...BUT if it is that small you might want to consider digging it up this fall after leaf fall and raising the bed and replanting it ... that should only help it.with root growth and any ponding water problems.David

sorry i guess, winter distorted my memory, it's probably 28 to 32 inches...i got to lookn at it when i left today.....

ew....never thought about that, the yard has a very slight downhill slope, think will help?