Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Last To Fall

The Japanese maples are often the last to get fall color. Just as often they are apt to get froze and turn brown before the color has a chance to develop. There are good years and bad years. It is a risk you take on the edges of their zonal preferences. The Japanese maples like a prolonged gentle fall without any harsh interruptions.



So far half good. These two have great color on the bottom half. Their top halves were froze and have turned brown.



Tonight and tomorrow their bottom halves will likely be toast. The winds a howlin, the temperatures plummeting, and a real killer freeze is bearing down on us. We're about to do the 20's.

The offspring of one or both of these two Japanese Maples fell out of the ground and followed me home a couple of years ago. It is planted in the cabin side bed and has grown quite well from a tiny seedling to a two and a half foot tall sapling. It has stubbornly refused to turn. I think that option for this year is now gone. My three other Japanese Maples are long since naked and ready for the harsh interruption.

3 comments:

Siria said...

I need to get me a beautiful Japanese maple! It's a shame those gorgeous leaves will be gone so soon.

Larry said...

Beautiful! I expect mine will be frozen by morning as well, but I've enjoyed them immensely this fall! Larry

Dianne said...

I noticed this afternoon that mine was a very beautiful red, the prettiest that I have ever seen it. And, I have never looked for a baby, but after reading your blog, I certainly will be.

Afraid I may be getting a couple more starved horses tomorrow. Got a call from the animal shelter benefactor this afternoon.