OK, I have to say this, but its nothing personal...

I think A.p. 'Butterfly' looks - well, DIRTY! The mottled coloration just blends together at a distance and the tree looks like a dirty athletic sock. I'll never own one...

K4

K4 I had to laugh at what you said because i somewhat agree.Ive been growing this one for quite a long time and if i were to do over again i would pick a different cultivar for this location. Its on the East side of my house and across the street is 12 miles to the next shore of the chesapeake bay.This tree takes a beating. What do you do when youve been growing one for so long? One thing for sure they are extremely twiggy.I have seen better looking versions of butterfly in ample shade, but i dont want anymore...and i have TWO! Give me some good suggestions. Thanks for the honesty! AL

Suggestions? Well, I'm just betting started myself, and have little experience with the variagated forms. I bought a A.p. 'Beni shichihenge', but its too small to tell what it would be like big. The leaf color is a blue-green with salmon pink on the edges. Quite nice. The most impressive tree I've seen so far is a A.p. 'Ukigumo', which had a luminous quality to it that was very beautiful. I have one on order. :-)

K4