Just a suggestion. Why not grow your own Korean Maple from seed. I'm sure individuals will be highly variable in shape/form. Being grown from seed, genetics will highly vary in most species (exception would be if there are only a small wild population and/or very few individuals introduced to the nursery trade and so you have a found effect with few genetic variables). If you were to start a group of them, then you can select the one you like best and give the rest away. I am currently stratifying seed of this species as I type.

Arktrees

That's a good idea, Arktrees, but I'm totally inept at doing this sort of thing. I'm pretty good at planting and nurturing, but growing from seed takes a certain patience & skill that I seem to lack. I've told myself that once retirement comes, I'll have more time and inclination to do this. We'll see.

As I mentioned in another thread these plants can have an awkward and irregular form in general. I rarely come across a nice form but I guess thats in the eye of the beholder.

I found that the plants grown in container are more irregular and they seem to put on sporadic, vigorous growth. Reminds me of H. paniculata when grown in pots. There is a nursery around here that grows them and they have even growth that is focused more on caliper.

Keep in mind many of these hybrids are grafted on Acer palmatum.

I had 10 to chose from this past spring between Arctic Jade and North Wind. I ended up with a pretty nice North Wind. Its foliage emerges burgundy, looks stunning upon a secondary flush against the dark green foliage.

Call around to see if any of the nurseries are bringing in Iseli stock. Maybe special order a 3 gallon plant. I think they still have them available.

Ark, has a good idea to grow from seed which will immediately give you choice to select for form (and pruning to your liking). Just need some time and patience.

I'm guessing maples have their own forum as they are quite possibly the greatest genus when it comes to deciduous trees. The mirad of species and cultivars offers so many different textures, forms, bark, fall color, adaptability etc.

But if you look for 2-3 years for THE specimen, then you could easily have a 4-6 foot tree by that time. It takes much less time than you think. You need good culture techniques (not so hard), consistency (a bit harder), a watchful eye (the fun part), water, the right fertilizer, proper media, and right pots. Then you also get to brag you started it from a seed, and look at it now. Even then, nothing precludes you from continuing to look while you work to generate your own.

I myself do this because I enjoy it. I currently have a couple of candidate Shantung Maples that I'm raising. One (the best one) is intended as a house warming gift to a friend when she finally decides to buy a house. I have other friends that I gave a seedling Blackgum that started to grow at about the time their daughter was conceived. Then followed that up with a White Oak for their son. They get to watch them all grow up together, and the kids know those trees are for them. Point being, this can be far more fun and memorable with you get a bit creative with it.

Just a few thoughts,
Arktrees

Bob,

When Broken Arrow Nursery resumes business next year I'd go with a seedling of Acer pseudosieboldianum or even Acer triflorum. Everything is marked 'Out of Stock' today - so I know that's because they aren't shipping, currently.

I bought a big old seedling of triflorum from them this fall. It was a hell of a deal.

For you to find these Dr. Hasselkus hybrids on zone 4 rootstocks may be a challenge, whereas Broken Arrow Nursery has both I mentioned as seedlings.

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: Broken Arrow Nursery

On the subject of Acer triflorum, perhaps these photos will interest you. This is from the end of October, and this is my own tree. Click on images for larger pictures.

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As for Korean Maple, I have only Acer pseudosieboldianum ssp. takesimense - Ullung-do Island Korean Maple that is not considered as cold hardy. Beyond that, I just planted it this fall. So not much help for you there.

Arktrees

I appreciate all the help. I do have a decent-sized Three-flower Maple that is becoming quite gorgeous. I moved it three years ago from my other place and mildly mutilated it's root ball. It seemed to benefit from the abuse, although now that I read that it sounds kind of sick. Anyhow, I'm looking for one that will give me the best odds of developing into a spreading, but shapely, small tree with outstanding fall color. Asking too much?

Personally I think so unless you want to grow them from seed and watch them develop for 3 years min.

I paid $60 for a 3 gallon North Wind, which was cream of the crop for exactly the shape you described. Its much more ornamental than the species in my opinion (same goes for Arctic Jade and Northern Glow).

Its listed to zone 4 so perhaps a call into Iseli about the rootstock is in order if you are thinking about taking this route.

basic,
It took a couple years before our triflorum got it's act together, and I have a MUCH longer growing season than you do. Ours was moved after a couple years as well. IMHO, they are a bit sensitive to drainage. When I got our tree, the roots were less than ideal, and it looked like it was from too much water, even though the potting media drained. So I ended up planting it out well before I wanted to and crossed my fingers. Once moved to the current location it has thrived growing feet/year. Yours is probable just recovering from planting and perhaps the new site has a bit better drainage.

Arktrees

Re: your rant on a separate Maples forum........:-)) The genus Acer is one of the largest of any tree genera and arguably one of the most popular. And since there are some 800-900 registered cultivars of Japanese maples alone - far more than any other deciduous tree species I can think of off the top of my head - it was supposedly deemed useful to forum discussions to allow maples their own individual forum. Judging by the volume of discussion the Maple forum generates (mostly during the growing season), it was a pretty good call :-))

But many of the same knowledgeable posters who frequent the maple forum also visit here regularly as well so just as efficient to get you questions answered here - as you have - as there!!

A persuasive arguement, Gardengal, but I'm still not convinced. I just read through the current page of postings on the Maple forum and there are numerous posts that generate 1-2 replies. You're right that A. palmatum is popular, accounting for 50% or more of the OP's. However, I still think any poster seeking as large an audience as possible would be better off on the tree forum. Just my .02, which is no doubt influenced by a severe case of Japanese Maple envy. ;)

I think its more why it was created vs it being a worthwhile forum. Its a lame duck as of today. To your point people just go to the tree forum but also GW has lost ALOT of folks or they just aren't posting anymore.

When I first jumped on in 2005ish I could barely get my posts in.

Same thing has happened with the Conifer and Shrub forums. GW increased Ads and imposed restrictions on photo galleries which have certainly hurt the traffic as well.

I don't know the policy now, but it used to be that new forums were considered when requested often. It was likely less a case of booting the maples out of the tree forum as people who were interested in maples requesting their own forum.