Zone 7 simply means how cold it'd get in your area. What matters more is how hot it gets. Green Japanese maples tend to do better in full sun as long as it doesn't get hotter than 85 degrees (maybe 90*? I forget). Does your clay soil drain well? Japanese maple does not like very wet feet.

A. truncatum (Shantung Maple) is much tougher than Japanese maple in very hot weather in full sun in Texas. It grows faster and will get bigger than Japanese maple.

This is from www.metromaples.com in Ft Worth, Texas-

Most Sun Tolerant - Upright: Acer palmatum, Sango Kaku (Coral bark), Seiryu, Omureyama, Osakasuki

You could look at Trident maple. Maybe Paperbark maple but it's a slow grower.

By the way, if you're interested in 'Fire Dragon' shantung maple, the only way to get it is to drive all the way to Ft Worth. Not yet widely available unfortunately. It's a nice tree and easy to grow in full sun in hot weather.

Thanks Lou. I don't know how well the clay drains but is something I had considered because I know Japanese Maples don't like wet feet - guess I'll have to dig a hole, grab the garden hose and find out.

Our summers can get up into the mid 90's with some days in triple digits yet I've heard the Emperor, Boskoop and Fireglow do well in sun and now I hear Sango Kaku does too. Augh my conditions may be too much for any of these, yes?

I had thought of the Trident but cannot seem to find a reliable picture of one so I don't really know what it looks like. Does anyone have a link or photo they can share?

Now Lou, you tease, tell me about a great possible but then add that I have to drive to Texas to get it. I spent 10 years too long in Texas and was glad to see it "in the rear view mirror" LOL. Thanks appreciate you!

USDA 7 or Sunset 7? (Sometimes people in the western states post Sunset Climate Zones here, not realizing that the others are using USDA Hardiness Zones).

Sorry bboy, I'm on the low end of the learning curve, I've never had a garden or yard before. I checked and it seems both USDA and Sunset Zones in my case are 7. Forgive my ignorance but what do these two different Zones mean and how does one use them?

I have taken some landscaping courses and this never up.

USDA system in general use but is based only on average annual minimum temperatures recorded over a specific 15 year period. Hence "hardiness zones". Sunset maps show distribution of complete climates rather than low temperatures, but are not in general use - most people not familiar with the Sunset system will not have any idea what areas and conditions these refer to.

Thanks bboy. Sounds like the Sunset would be the better one to use. I'll do more research and be sure to ask about it in the tree course I've signed up for. Much appreciate your feedback.

Regards,
Danell

Your location puts you in the vicinity of forestfarm, one of the most important retail nurseries in the country. The Siskiyou-Klamath ecoregion is also the western analog to the Southern Appalachians in terms of wild plant diversity, with a concentration of ancient species predating the last continental ice sheet and inhabiting a maize of different soils. If you get bored or frustrated with your yard you still have wonderful plant-related outdoor recreational opportunities in nearby mountains!

Forestfarm is participating in the development of the Cascadia Botanical Garden, a slowly unfolding long-term project on the former Steve Miller estate not far from the existing nursery site. Thousands of kinds of plants, based on the collections of the nursery will be grown and displayed there.

At present the nursery houses and sells a large assortment of Japanese maples. Where they are the vegetation is primarily chaparral and small thin pines etc. If you are out near Medford you could be in a drier grassland area, where Japanese maples may need the humidity (and perhaps leaching of mineral salts in the soil) of a heavily irrigated site (with good drainage).

Frustrated? Me? No! Is it that evident? LOL. Your right though there is plenty of outdoor activity here and seldom a weekend goes by that I and the dogs are not on one trail or another.

I know about Forest Farms, stellar reputation. However, they are mainly mail order and do not encourage the public to come visit. I did send an email though and was told if they have something that may work for me they could set up a preview.

Yep, grassland area and possible need to leach the soil - spot on bboy.