hey brandy!

i, too live in LA, right outside of N.O. last winter i bought two JMs, a crimson queen and an orange dream. both are doing pretty well. the orange dream is suffering a little from too much sun. (we lost some shade in katrina) but the crimson queen is doing very well, in my opinion. if you have a shady spot in your garden i'd plant them there. also, some relatives of mine have bloodgoods that look great. (they live here also) hope that helps.

toni

The shantung maple, acer truncatum, might be a good pick. Its much tougher than any acer palmatum cultivar in southern heat. If you really want a palmatum Ive been told orangeola is good for dissectums, probably better than crimson queen. fireglow is a good small upright. Maybe bloodgood. The plain green species tree is reccomended often here (south central texas) and I think its tougher than most cultiated varities.

If you're not attached to acer, think about a chinese pistach. Very tough, good red fall color. Bigger and faster than just about any acer palmatum. but lacks that sophistication.

Grandidentatum (bigtooth maple) is a texas native so can take the heat, but towers above any palmatum (up to 50 ft).

I have a bigtooth and a pistach and my climate is hotter and drier than yours. The shantung is a "Texas Superstar" which means some aggie thinks its really great for our climate. But then again,,,,,I hate aggies.

@tcharles26

Do you have mature bigtooth maples that produces already seed ?