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hairmetal4ever

Norway/Shantung maple hybrids...worthwhile?

hairmetal4ever
10 years ago

I've read a lot here and there about the Acer truncatum x platanoides hybrids - the two most commonly seen are 'Pacific Sunset' and 'Norwegian Sunset' - but there are a few others, too.

Mostly, however, the sources discuss their reliability for growth rate and fall color in the PNW. Sugar Maple-like fall color in a more adaptable tree, basically, without the suckage of the full blooded Norway Maple.

Are they worthwhile here in the Mid Atlantic or anywhere East? Or, are we better off with a straight Shantung Maple or the real Sugar Maple?

Comments (13)

  • canadianplant
    10 years ago

    I thought most places advise against planting norway maples. They are invasive even up here...

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    10 years ago

    These are hybrid maples, not Norways, and are sterile, so pose no issues with invasiveness.

    Can't speak to their performance outside of the PNW other than they are extremely heat tolerant and adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions. And relatively fast :-))

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    10 years ago

    Mr Maple website sells shantung culitvars if you're interested.

    Blaine's Dragon for it's red fall color.
    Skinny Dragon for its narrow lobes and mostly bright yellow fall color.
    Golden Dragon for its nice leaf shape and excellent yellow fall color.

    You can take a look at what they look like at this website - http://www.metromaples.com/ShanCultivars.htm

    My brother tried Norway/Shantung hybrid in Houston, Texas and it didn't do very well there but his shantung maples are doing pretty good.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Mr Maple website

  • hairmetal4ever
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I love the "straight" Shantungs, but was wondering if the hybrids were worth considering.

    I'd assume Acer mono would be OK with our ~40 inches of rainfall per yr.

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    10 years ago

    Whaas,

    I didn't know that they were grafted on A. mono rootstock. Perhaps, you could get SM seeds and grow them as rootstock to do grafting (or hire someone to do that for you). Would be interesting to see the difference.

    Hairmetal, Shantung maples seem to do fine in Houston that can get insane amount of rainfall any given year (easily over 50 inches). In fact, best rainfall wise year, I saw the most growth, I think 6 or 7 feet back in 2007.

  • hairmetal4ever
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    OK, so regarding the "straight" Shantung cultivars (as opposed to hybrids), I've only recently read about "Blaine's Dragon" vs. "Fire Dragon".

    How do the two compare?

  • ltruett
    10 years ago

    I haven't had as much experience with Blaine's Dragon as with Fire Dragon. My BD is still somewhat small and really hasn't grown a lot and not much fall color. I have 4 FD at my mother's house that are 15+ feet tall and are doing well with decent fall color (for Houston) at times. Honestly it seems to be hit and miss with the trees. Some grow really well and some don't, probably due to natural variability between trees and the understock they are grafted onto. I have a Skinny Dragon that is growing really well and a few seedlings that are doing well. I have a purple Shantung hybrid that has sucked so far but the root system was poor when I got it. I even got a note from the HOA to replace the "dead" tree in my front yard that is the hybrid. I'll give through next spring to see what it does. I also have a bunch of small seedlings in the ground just to see how they grow and they range from a few inches tall to 4+ feet tall.

  • whaas_5a
    10 years ago

    They are essentially both the same. One found by the dad (Fire) and the other by the daughter (Blaine).

    The Blaine's Dragon apparently has a more interesting leaf shape.

    Those are the only two selected cultivars that I'm aware of that turn red. Several others are selected for Gold. Including song sparrow's intro below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Acer

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    10 years ago

    Blaine's seems to have slightly but noticeable more purple reddish compared to Fire Dragon. At the old house from to years ago... The only online place that I know of that sells Fire Dragon is Sooner Plant Farm but it gets sold out fast. At the new house, I have Super Dragon, Blaine's, and Skinny. Skinny grew like a weed in the first year. Blaine's grew about 3 ft. Super Dragon didn't grow much (not expected to be fast grower though).

    Ltruett is right when it comes to variable growth rate for Shantung maples. Some grew slow while some grow fast.

  • hairmetal4ever
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Lou - which one is that - Fire Dragon or Blaine's Dragon?

    Amazing color.

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    10 years ago

    Hairmetal, that's Blaine's Dragon.

  • hairmetal4ever
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    WOW - that's intense color. Even here in MD that would be an intense red, but Texas? Wow.

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