Kotohime 4/2/07

Kotohime is one of my favorites. It leafs out early (by mid-March) in rich rust/brown/red/orange colors and then gradually lightens to its current terra cotta color in early April. It turns green for summer and then in the autumn is pale yellow/orange. It's very short petioles give the plant a congested and bunched up appearance which is charming given it's tiny leaves.

Kin Shi 4/2/07

This semi-dwarf compact linearilobum has lovely light yellowish-green spring color and turns orange/yellow/gold in the autumn.

Komachi Hime 4/3/07

This is my first spring with this cultivar in my garden, so I really don't have much information (nor expectations) about it. However, it leafed out rather early and adds some intense color to its part of my garden.

Shin de Shojo 4/3/07

Each spring we try to decide which cultivar is producing the best red color, and though we never come up with a clear winner, Shin de Shojo is certainly always in the top three. The vividness and intensity of the red leaves is almost alarming. It goes red and orange in the fall, but I think it shows its colors best in the spring.

Naruto (buergerianum) 4/3/07

This is an interesting cultivar. The photo shows it just leafing out in shiny bronze tones. Very soon the leaves will turn green and the edges will curl inward, a habit that is disturbing to those not familiar with Naruto. More than once I've been asked what's wrong with it!

Winter Flame 4/3/07

Winter Flame has much in common with Sango Kaku except that this is a dwarf which is more compact and denser in its growth.

Ueno Yama 4/3/07

What a lovely spring maple. Always a light yellow as it leafs out, and it holds its color for many weeks.