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Japanese Jewels by Barbara Perry Lawton
“What is there to enjoy about Japanese maple trees? That’s easy,” says Gale Myers of Davidsan’s Japanese Maples, New Berlin, Illinois. “There are hundreds of different varieties, and each one is interesting and beautiful. From the tiniest red star-shaped leaves on a threefoot shrub to variegated pink, purple, green and white leaves with ruffled edges to ten-foot red-leafed trees with silver A. palmatum bark, or chartreuse bark with ‘Beni Zuru’ red leaves, red bark with green leaves to black/purple lacy This small deciduous tree leaves, or giant yellow leaves nearly a foot across. And that’s not usually grows from 15 to 30 feet tall, depending upon its specific even including the rainbow of fall colors! It’s like having yearbreeding. It is an understory tree that thrives in dappled shade of round big bouquets of flowers in your yard and gardens.” woodlands. The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is native to the Orient, including China, Japan and Korea. It has been cultivated by MAIN TYPES the Japanese for many hundreds of years, but was only introduced The slow-growing dwarf Japanese maples grow only two to eight feet tall. They usually have small leaves with pointed lobes. Then to the western world by way of England in the early 1800s. there are the uprights, trees (12 to 15 feet tall) with larger lobed leaves. The third and final group of Japanese maple varieties includes the dissectum group with distinctive delicate, lacy, finetextured leaves. They usually have long branches that are horizontal and arching downward—weeping. These typically grow into a PARKVIEW GARDENS mound shape and also can be trimmed up into an umbrella shape. he Japanese maples, typical maples in general leaf shape, flowers and seeds, are among the most useful and flexible groups of trees that anyone can find for landscaping. They are good choices for use as specimens, accents, hedges, bonsai and just about any situation you can think of. The many cultivars now thriving in American gardens have been selected for their attractive and special qualities of form, colors and leaf shapes.
Florist and Greenhouses 636.946.7641 www.parkviewgardens.com
“We have over 300 cultivars,” Gale says. “So we ask potential buyers what they’d like and then try to match them up with the specific varieties that should please them.” All true Japanese maple cultivars are grafted. A non-grafted
FALL is Perfect for Planting! 30% OFF All Trees
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October Harvest
of October 1st thru October 31st tion c e l e ! S s Pony Express Train • Indian Corn Straw Mazes m at Gre rdy Mu Petting Zoo • Straw • Pumpkins • Gourds • Corn Stalks Visit website for more details! Ha
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Fall is a great time to decorate with home grown Mums and Pansies. Come check out our selection! ●
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For School and or Church Groups Please call to make your reservations!
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1925 Randolph, Saint Charles, Mo
FARM AND GREENHOUSES
www.danielsfarmandgreenhouse.com
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352 Jungermann Rd. St. Peters, MO 63376 (636)441-5048 Fall Hours: M-F 9-6, Sat 9-5, Sun 10-5
The Gateway Gardener™ SEPTEMBER 2016