The feathery green leaves are typical of the dissectum group, as is the gently weeping "mushroom-like" habit. The yellow autumn colour is excellent.
See it in our Maple Glade.
The specific plants available are fantastic semi-mature specimens with wonderful architectural, almost quirky habits. They have fine purple deeply divided leaves, turning scarlet in autumn.
Arising as a chance seedling in Oregon in 1979, this pretty cultivar was not actually named until 1996. It is less pendulous than the usual mushroom shaped dissectum, though still quite broad. Pink edged, pale green new growth matures to mid green in summer before taking on spectacular red autumn colour. Deeply toothed substantial leaves make this a really rewarding plant to grow. In time, expect 2m by a greater width.
See it planted at the top of our Quarry Garden.
A recently introduced dissectum from America. The leaf shape and habit is familiar, being typical of the dissectum group, but the bronzey-orange colour is quite distinct. Yellow autumn colours. A. palmatum dissectum 'Watnong' is very similar, if not the same.
A recent Australian selection, that is slow growing so perfect for pot or garden. Rusty red-purple summer colour turns orange red in autumn. This cultivar stood out for me last summer - they looked fantastic and kept their colour well under difficult weather conditions.
ACER palmatum dissectum 'Benishidare Tricolour'
See Acer palmatum dissectum 'Toyama nishiki'
This Australian selection is vigorous as a young plant, but not upright. Thus it seems to naturally attain a wonderful quirky and Oh so "Japanese" shape. It really is very distinctive when seen amongst other dissectums. Young growth is green, becoming flushed with red or bronze through the summer, which is actually the other-way round to how most colours develop. Autumn colours are complex shades of orange as the nights draw in.
An excellent recent Australian cultivar which when launched was described as a purple foliaged equivalent of 'Seiryu' (ie with upright habit as opposed to the usual weeping shape.) The reality in my experience is a little different. Here it has never exhibited a desire to develop a strong leader, though I do concede that it is bushier and more rounded in habit, and not as strongly weeping as more typical dissectums.
Some would be tempted to describe this as another purple dissectum, but really there's so much more to it than that. The young growth emerges a unique shade of rosy purple before deepening to purple. As summer progresses, this evolves with shades of bronze and even green, dependant on light levels. Pale green bark is a surprising counterpoint to the leaf colour. Autumn colours are rich shades of orange and red. It has a beautiful open, weeping habit.
See it in our Maple Glade.
More compact than many cultivars, this delightful Australian cultivar forms a tidy, dense mounded shape. Bronze is an excellent colour description for the leaves - not dark enough to be purple, but much more colour than in a green. Primarily yellow autumn colour perhaps with a hint of orange.
An American introduction, we have found this recent selection to be extremely vigorous and well behaved as a young plant. The new leaves emerge a coppery red, whilst the exact colour they maintain through the summer will be influenced by light levels; being greener in shade but maintaining richer reddish hues in more light. Golden yellow to crimson autumn colour. Expect the same size, shape and habit that is typical of the group. The photo shows autumn colour. See it planted in our Quarry Garden and Maple Glade.
This selection of the purple dissectums is a real classic. The graceful feathery leaves are a persistent deep reddish purple colour, enduring periods of high summer temperatures with the minimum of leaf scorch. Vivid scarlet autumn colour. This tidy cultivar is more compact than some, typically forming a neat, dense mound. 1m
See it in our Maple Glade.