Still VERY new in the USA, a lot of unknown's. From what I have seen so far, does NOT like full sun at all. More time needed to evaluate by everyone in many locations.

Schmoo

Bhawkins,

You might want to visit Metro Maples in Ft Worth. They have JMs that perform well in DFW area. They also have other maple trees as well like Shantung Maple and Big Tooth Maple.

Here is a link that might be useful: Metro Maples

yes, i'm a regular there. i bought an orange dream & a osaka suki last week, to go with a couple firedragons & a red emperor i bought from them last year. great place!

the shirazz's at northaven are a very unique bright pink, i've never seen a jm with that color. expensive though, $350 for a 6 ft tall 10gal one. i'm tempted because of the color. but i dont give my trees lots of special attention, they need to be rather hardy to put up with me!

Oh okay. There doesn't seem to be much information about it after googling it. Just that it's "heat" tolerant but it came from New Zealand and I have no idea what the climate is like there.

I wish I could plant some JMs but I don't have much shade to speak of at the moment. I just have to wait for 5 shantung maples to get big enough before I even try... But then, Keith will probably come up with more varieties of SM and it'd be a heck lot easier to grow in caliche soil! Shantung maple sure grows fast.

Lou in Midlothian

I have 12 Japanese Maples in my back yard. It is shaded with a clump of pines and other trees. Most of my maples are in the ground and understory trees. I have had a Crimson Queen in a pot for 16 years on my porch. I am a grandmother with grandchildren that are married, I am 68 yrs. old. I have always loved these trees. You can plant a maple on the East side, or North side with out any trees in your yard. Keep them, out of the middle of the yard, or they will get too mucH direct sun. Here is the key to grow ANY Japnese Maple in Texas. THEY MUST BE PLANTED IN RICH SOIL AS YOU WOULD AND AZALIA SHRUB.THEY HAVE BROUGHT FROM JAPAN AND THEY CANNOT TAKE TEXAS CLAY. YOU MUST KEEP THEM OUT OF DIRECT SUN, ESPECIALLY TEXAS AFTERNOON SUN. YOU MUST NOT, OVERWATER THEM. WATER THEM ONCE A WEEK THROUGHLY, LET THEM DRY OUT A LITTLE AND THEN WATER AGAIN. LOCATION, SOIL, WATER....THATS IT, AND I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU IN SOME SMALL WAY. ANN IN ARLINGTON TX.

I live in Arkansas, not much different than the Texas climate. The summer sun can get pretty brutal. That being said, I bought a beautiful Japanese Maple 'Shirazz' last spring for only $20. I'm not sure exactly how large they can grow, though it doesn't seem to be in any hurry to get there. I planted it in a large self-watering container. Since it was sitting in full, direct sunlight at the grocery store that I bought it from, I left mine in a location that receives direct sunlight all day long. It stayed there all year long and didn't seem to mind. None of the leaves got scorched or sunburnt. I made sure to keep it well watered, and it did just fine. I'm not particularly experienced with growing JMs, but I didn't encounter any problems with mine. I have since purchased three more varieties of JMs. Though, those are smaller in comarison to my 'Shirazz.'

Wow that is beautiful, so you probably have a few more by now? Ann Richardson/Arlington Texas