wait until it leafs out.. snap a pic.. and ask here.. the JM forum.. or the name that plant forum ...

now ... i can not grow many JM's in my z5 [basically ONLY bloodgood , the deep maroon one] ... its an issue of winter wind for me ...

perhaps you may want to see if this one can survive.. before you drop a couple hundred more on 2 more ...

not every zone 5 micro-climate is the same.. and only you.. will be able to find out if a JM will thrive in your area ... all i am cautioning.. is whether you want to experiment with high cost.. large sized specimens ...

the newness of your sub.. means there arent many large trees/conifers ... to cut winter winds .... to create a micro climate where it might thrive ...

unless .... you are planting on the side opposite the prevailing winter winds ...

i know you have a big project going.. i am not trying to dissuade you from it all.. just trying to tell you the variables you need to address ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: how to post pix

Thanks Ken. The donated japanese maple was located about 20 miles north of us and was thriving. We transplanted it along the north side of our backyard so it will be blocked to the north by a 6' privacy fence. Hopefully that will be adequate for it's survival. As soon as it leafs out I will post pictures as you suggested.

Are we to understand that you are asking for the name of the cultivar? You can post 1000 pics but no one here can tell you that. First of all, you may not have a cultivar but instead, a seedling grown tree.
If you provide a pic we can tell you if you have an atropurpurea type, variegated type or a dissectum. For instance I have 'Osakazuki' a green-leaved, heptalobum type with outstanding fall color. I have abundant volunteers of this tree. Posting a pic on this or any forum cannot accurately identify whether or not the plant is a cv.

I know it is a seed grown tree that was grown here in Illinois but who's "grandparent" was grown in Wisconsin. Basically, I just want to be able to order a tree or two that will have similiar characteristics to it. I am not very knowledgeable about what a "cultivator" is so sorry if i wasn't clear.

i have never understood the 'grouping of three' mentality of garden design .... but i think that is my 'collector' jean saying... something like..

'i like the idea of 3 JM's ... but i am going to group 3 similar plants.. but each will be a different color ... so they would all have the same shape and form .. but be different ...'

but if you want duplicates.. all the power to ya!!!!

one way to insure you get EXACT duplicates.. would be to track down someone who grafts.. in winter.. and find out how to get them to graft pieces of the tree you have ... they would be small.. and take time to grow to size.. but that would accomplish your dreamscape ....

and there is always google.. check out the link ...

your base problems.. is most likely going to be the fact that there are hundreds.. if not thousands of named varieties of JM .... so even if yours was named .. you might not be able to find the name.. hence the suggestion to replicate the one you have ...

i am enjoying your project.. dont get frustrated.. and dont stop coming back ... and since you are building a garden.. do understand.. it is not really an instant gratification thing.. its something.. that if you enjoy it.. it evolves over the years ... build the backbone .. and the rest will follow .. i fear you have that drawing.. and are going to get frustrated.. if you dont have it picture perfect by 6/1 ... short of a $25000 budget.. most of us dont work in that world of instant gratification ...

ken

ps: define cultivar .... its a VARiety that is CULTIvated ... for given specific properties ... e.g. the common morning glory is a small white ... while a 'cultivar' or variety of morning glory .. that is commonly planted.. is the giant sky blue 'cultivar' ...

there are many cultivars.. or 'named' varieties of JM .... and as alluded to above.. but there are many seed grown versions ... named varieties are EXACT DUPLICATES of the original named one .... seed grown plants are not supposed to be named .. because they are not duplicates.. due to the vagaries of dna within the seed itself .... you may not be able to tell them apart.. they are so close.. but they are not EXACT ... that is the best i can do in one paragraph .. short of a doctoral thesis ...

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Just so you can make yourself more easily understood, a 'cultivator' is a tool used to till or cultivate the soil :-) A plant that has been selected for very specific characteristics and with a distinctly unique name is known as a 'cultivar' for cultivated variety.

As others have mentioned, if your is a seed grown tree then it has no cultivar designation and is a just an example of the species, Acer palmatum. And because there is huge variability in seed grown plants, depending on their parentage, even the species trees can be very distinct and dissimilar from each other. That shouldn't discourage you though - even if not exactly the same, species Japanese maples can be lovely trees. You might also want to check into selecting one or two named cultivars instead. Many of us who grow JM's can get quite addicted to the huge range of colors, sizes and growth habits these trees offer and how they never fail to compliment a garden.

Thanks everyone! As of yesterday, the Japanese Maple was just about to leaf-out, so I will post pictures in the next day or two. If anyone cares to see our backyard project, there are pictures, plans, etc in the "Landscape Design section" titled " Landscaping Ideas for Backyard - Privacy".

Here are a few pictures of the Japanese Maple now that it has "leafed-out":

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Any suggestions on two other Japanese Maples that might be good matches?