Charlene and Daisy, been following both of your posts in this forum on Full Moons. I purchased mine from a Gig Harbor nursery that specializes in Japanese Maples about 3 yrs ago. The leaves on the second and third pics in post 2241852, and the second pic in post 2257373 look like mine.



My question is are the first pics in both posts that I identified (852 & 373) Full Moons, the narrow center portion of the leaves makes me wonder? Also, can the seedlings with the narrow center center portions be something other than Full Moons? Only have 2 Japanese Maples, Full Moon and Fire Glow ( 3 yrs also) first time growing them. When I looked up Full Moons, I remember something about rounded leaves with 8 or 10 points.

Just looking for info.

Steve, your tree looks beautiful! Are the photos showing the current colors?

As to the technical questions, I am sure Daisy and perhaps others can be of more help.

All my seedlings are from the seeds on one tree Branch.

Daisy, I am glad you think this one may be a keeper. I also like the one with orange leaves, because the mother tree is all green now.

Let's see if these mutations are stable or not.

I like this one, too. Because it has the orange color even in the summer when the mother tree is all green.

BrooklynStart said:Charlene and Daisy, been following both of your posts in this forum on Full Moons. I purchased mine from a Gig Harbor nursery that specializes in Japanese Maples about 3 yrs ago. The leaves on the second and third pics in post 2241852, and the second pic in post 2257373 look like mine.



My question is are the first pics in both posts that I identified (852 & 373) Full Moons, the narrow center portion of the leaves makes me wonder? Also, can the seedlings with the narrow center center portions be something other than Full Moons? Only have 2 Japanese Maples, Full Moon and Fire Glow ( 3 yrs also) first time growing them. When I looked up Full Moons, I remember something about rounded leaves with 8 or 10 points.

Just looking for info.

Acer Japonicum are the Moon Maples, Fullmoon Maples and Amur Maples. The difference in the leaves is because they are all different cultivators.

Japanese Maple are Acer palmatum but, there are thousands of variations (cultivators).

The last one I threw in there was Acer circinatum (Vine Maple), the American cousin of Acer Japonicum. Someone asked why it doesn't look like the Vine Maples that grow in their area and the answer is its a different cultivator.

So the answer to your question is they are all different cultivators of Acer Japonicum.

Charlinex, pic taken yesterday. Tree is in a pot, dead branches are due to lack of water two yrs ago--missed watering for few weeks in summer.

DaisyI, thanks. Did not realize all those you mention were that closely related, Acer Japonicum. As I stated, new to Japanese Maples. I purchased mine based on color, what little I read, and to differentiate from neighbors. I also have only Santori Dogwood in neighborhood, most others are white flowered, some with verigated leaves.

DaisyI, what are acer shirasawanum then? Are they no longer a thing? I can't keep up. I thought those were the moon maples. Honestly I was never clear on the difference between palmatum and japonicum to begin with so I don't have a head start here.

Acer shirasawanum is similar to Acer Japonicum but, a different species.

All the 'Japanese' Maples look similar but there are differences in leaf style and seeds. Sometimes location plays in there.

PlantingOaks & DaisyI, after Planting's post, I started to get confused, I also thought Full Moon's were A. Shirasawanum from what I read when purchasing mine. I accepted Daisy's A. Japonicum as true, but with question in my mind due to lack of knowledge on my part.
Possible explanation is: Just looked in my 2007 Sunset Western Gardening book, it showed A. Japonicum as FullMoon maple. It also showed A. Shirasawanum 'Aureum' as Golden Fullmoon maple. The A. Japonicum also listed A. Shirasawanum 'Aureum' as a subspecies--not sure if it was telling me that it was a subspecies or something else, but did tell me they are closely related.
High school biology was back in 1960.
Daisy, can you help?

Steve, that sounds like the sort of confusion I remember having! Hopefully Daisy can set us all straight.
Though, if I recall, they all hybridize to some extent, which surely doesn't simplify matters. Maybe it's a translation issue?

The entire genus of Acer is divided into Sections. The Acers in each Section will cross pollinate with one another. All the maples we are talking about (Shirasawanum, Japonicum and palmatum) are all distinct species in the Section Palmata.

When you see a name in ' ' at the end a species name, its a cultivator of that species. Acer Shirasawanum 'Aureum' is genus-species-cultivator. Golden Fullmoon Maple is a common name. Common names are incredibly misleading at times.

When figuring this stuff out, find the most current information you can. With DNA testing, thngs are constantly changing. Check the most current version of CatalogueofLife.org for accepted genus species (it doesn't list cultivator names).

Hope this helps.

DaisyI, thanks, I think I have a fair understanding of what you have stated. I also read more in Sunset Western Garden book & readup about A.j. & A.s. online. Reminds me of when I was studying electronics in the service, never saw an electron but understood how they worked and what they did. Think I will go online and search for another book related to economics theory and how it relates to current events--I'm serious, read over 10 for enjoyment since 2000, wife reads trashy novels.

@brooklynStart
If you find anything, let me know. I've been thinking there must be some very smart people with very interesting ideas about the current economic...'novelty' lets say...but don't really know where to start looking. (and with that I will stop mixing politics in with our maples. Sorry)

Back to Daisy. Am I understanding that Acer Shirasawanum 'Aureum' might in reality be a complex hybrid, with at least some Shirasawanum ancestry that the breeder thought resembled that genus more than the other two?

Like how 'Fantin Latour' isn't actually 'rosa gallica' or 'rosa moschata', but just a hybrid? (although I guess roses use 'x centifolia' and other terms instead so not really a direct comparison)

Acer Shirasawanum and A. Japonicum are both recognized species with distinct taxonomic differences.

Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum' is a hybrid between A. Japonicum and A. shirasawanum.

Another update.

It's interesting that the seedling in a bigger plastic pot has 4 pairs of leaves, while its siblings in smaller pots only have 2 pairs.



This smaller seedling was given a bigger pot yesterday.

This colors have turned out to be interesting. The mother tree and its siblings are mostly green at this time of the year.

Charlinex, Did you see my post on Japanese Seedlings? I have some nice colors but only in areas that stress the seedlings. Possible these are stress colors? Some along the drive way I hit with Roundup. Didn't mean to but it happened. They survived and showed some weird leaf patterns and colors that looked great but not long lasting. They outgrew it in future leaves.

Its interesting your baby maples survived Round-up as that product was originally invented to get kill maples.

Stush2019 said:Charlinex, Did you see my post on Japanese Seedlings? I have some nice colors but only in areas that stress the seedlings. Possible these are stress colors? Some along the drive way I hit with Roundup. Didn't mean to but it happened. They survived and showed some weird leaf patterns and colors that looked great but not long lasting. They outgrew it in future leaves.

Hi Stush, thanks for sharing your experience. I would like to see your post and pictures.

I have 4 seedlings. They are kept in the same area with the same watering schedule - once a day. Two have been transferred to bigger pots. Another two stay in the old pots. This one is in the old pot and is one of the big and strong ones.

I just took this photo a moment ago. The seedling in the green pot is the biggest one. The red one is the second biggest. These two have not been repotted and are in the original pots. I assume they are least stressed, would you agree?