On the hunt for a Shantung maple at Metro Maples

One happening that whitethorn astonishment you astir North Texas gardens is they often indulge a passionateness for Japanese maples. In the leafy, older neighborhoods of Dallas–Fort Worth, Japanese maples capable the understory with wine-red leaves and a ballerina’s grace. Although they request heavy soakings during droughty Texas summers (and are suitable lone to the eastbound 3rd of the state, with Dallas–Fort Worth conscionable connected the borderline of that region), Japanese maples turn good fixed shadiness and heavy soil.

Some of my North Texas gardening friends are besides increasing the sun-loving Shantung maple (Acer truncatum). I was unfamiliar with this histrion until reasonably recently. Turns out, Shantung maple is simply a Texas Superstar: “Reminiscent of Japanese maple but with overmuch greater toughness. This beauteous maple has spreading canopy with charismatic foliage that turns spectacular red, red-orange successful precocious fall. Tolerates vigor and alkaline soils. Makes fantastic shadiness histrion for smaller yards.”

I decided I had to effort a Shantung maple successful my ain garden, particularly now that my plot is simply a small sunnier. But I couldn’t find immoderate successful Austin implicit the winter. So erstwhile I was successful Fort Worth a fewer weeks ago, I paid a sojourn to Metro Maples, a histrion nursery respective section gardeners recommended. Metro Maples is unfastened by appointment, which I didn’t realize, but they graciously made clip for maine erstwhile I showed up.

On that cool, cloudy time successful precocious March, I wandered the grounds, enjoying the colorful leaves and delicate, dangling flowers of Japanese maples planted successful the crushed and for merchantability successful pots. A fewer azaleas were flowering too.

Who says a shadiness plot is lone green?

While admiring the trees I met proprietor Scott Hubble, who worked astatine the nursery for a decennary oregon truthful earlier purchasing it from the erstwhile proprietor successful 2016. Soft spoken but welcoming, Scott told maine astir the nursery and his passionateness for bonsai. The full spot felt astir similar a quality park, quiescent and woodsy.

‘Orangeola’ Japanese maple

‘Orange Dream’ Japanese maple

Frilly pink-and-white azaleas made a beauteous complement to the burgundy trees.

There were beauteous pines too.

I’d ne'er seen a weeping Japanese maple, but Metro Maples had one: ‘Ryusen’.

A large maple, balled and burlapped

Look astatine the claw-like leaves, beauteous flowers, and tiny moths sipping nectar connected this Japanese maple. I didn’t get the cultivar name.

‘Osakazuki’ Japanese maple

Fall-like color

A ample koi pond enclosed by a Japanese-style obstruction adds much orange.

The koi swarmed a hello.

Behind the fence, I spotted a gangly Shantung maple with a rounded canopy of caller greenish leaves.

Metro Maples carries respective cultivars of the Shantung with richer coloring and a smaller mature size, similar ‘Super Dragon’.

I settled connected a 5-gallon ‘Fire Dragon’ Shantung maple and planted it successful the backmost plot adjacent the deck, which I anticipation it volition yet shade. It’s 1 of my sunniest spaces, and I planted it precocious arsenic I was advised. Shantungs bash not similar to person their crown sitting successful moist soil, I was told. I anticipation it grows accelerated and has bully autumn color. It’ll beryllium bully to person immoderate diverseness amid each the unrecorded oaks.

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