Buchholz Plant Introductions (Part 7)

Acer palmatum

The Buchholz Plant Introduction Series surprises itself – or me anyway – when I reflect that particular selections have already begat their own progeny, and I suppose that's a cycle that could continue further.

Acer palmatum 'Higasa yama'

Acer palmatum 'Higasa yama'

Acer palmatum 'Alpenweiss'

I collected Acer palmatum 'Higasa yama' (AKA 'Hikasa yama') early in my career and I always sold out the few that I had, especially since propagation was problematic with sparse, twiggy scionwood. Today I don't even have one on the place, but I do grow a seedling from 'Higasa yama' which was discovered by Bob Baltzer, Oregon, and named 'Alpenweiss' (“alpine white”). It was deemed to be a stronger grower and more colorful besides, and I found that to be the case in my garden where my first tree (originally code-named by me as 'Baltzer-Hig') now soars to about 30' tall in just 25 years.

Acer palmatum 'Alpenweiss'

But alas, my huge specimen of A.p. 'Alpenweiss' no longer produces quality propagation wood either, and I failed to keep back-up stock because the 5-8 year old plants were in high demand. Today, a wide-spreading Acer palmatum 'Fireglow' is pushing into the side of 'Alpenweiss', and both of them are so large that they're stuck there with each other like in a (poorly-considered) arranged marriage. Even though the 'Fireglow' is loaded with seed, only a few of the ruby-red bedanglements germinate from under it every year. Under the 'Alpenweiss', however, a lawn of sprouts appear without fail and they begin light green, but by mid-summer some leaves show the white variegation.

Acer palmatum 'Ikandi'

Acer palmatum 'Ikandi'

Acer palmatum 'Ikandi'

One year we potted up a hundred-or-so seedlings from A.p. 'Alpenweiss' and most were sold at a small-pot size. One was kept aside to watch with an 'EX Alpenweiss' label, and it was noticeably variegated with pink and white, more colorful than its mother tree. I began propagating from that one seedling as soon as I could, and it was christened with the name 'Ikandi', a name maybe a little too cute, but apt when you see a crop of 3-year-olds in the greenhouse. So, the genealogy starts out with A.p. 'Higasa yama', the old cultivar that was present on Japanese maple lists as early as the 1880s and whose name translates to “umbrella mountain” – for no reason decipherable to me – then 'Higasa yama' begat A.p. 'Alpenweiss' as the second generation, and then 'Alpenweiss' begat A.p. 'Ikandi' as the third generation. Did the “grandmother” improve from the first to the third generation? I think so, and in that sense the biblical-like begatting progression has resulted in some degree of horticultural advancement. I will sow seed from 'Ikandi' if the opportunity arises, and we'll see if we can continue the improvement. In 2016 a specimen of 'Ikandi' from Buchholz Nursery was grounded at the New York Botanical Garden in Judy and Michael Steinhardt's newly renovated maple collection, along with another dozen or more cultivars from Buchholz, and it's my hope to visit these old friends again to document their development since their planting dedication.

Acer palmatum 'Kasagi yama'

Mt. Kasagi

Almost daily I walk past the original tree of Acer palmatum 'Purple Ghost' in our Display Garden, and within easy reach are hundreds – maybe thousands – of nearly-ripe samaras (seed pairs), and they all seemingly cry out “plant me, plant me – I might be the next great maple discovery.” I mentioned in Buchholz Plant Introductions (Part 4) that 'Purple Ghost' has been the most commercially successful of the “Ghost Series,” and that it, and most others in the series, originated as seedlings from Acer palmatum 'Kasagi yama'. The mother tree was introduced in 1978, according to the Vertrees/Gregory Japanese Maples, and the name commemorates Mt. Kasagi in the Kyoto Prefecture. The so-called “mountain” rises only 288 meters from the banks of the Kizu River, but it is home to mysterious rock formations and a wealth of oak and maple forests, and was a favorite place for moon gazing in the Edo Period (1603-1867). The temple on top has historically been occupied by famous monks and with the Yamabushi, warrior hermits who possessed supernatural powers.

Yamabushi

Whether or not you buy onto the supernatural history of the mountain, one could suppose that A.p. 'Kasagi yama' was discovered naturally growing in that area. Or perhaps not – maybe it was conjured up by the Yamabushi and endowed with surreal foliage colors to beguile and subdue their enemies. Who knows?, but if a legend from a thousand years ago still resonates today, it could be at least partially based on fact.

Acer palmatum 'Celebration'

Acer palmatum 'Celebration'

Acer palmatum 'Celebration'

Let's again review the “begat” situation: A.p. 'Kasagi yama' begat most of the offspring cultivars that comprise the “Ghost Series,” most notably the selections 'Amber Ghost' – detailed in BPI #6 – and 'Purple Ghost', an equally fantastic cultivar which also wonderfully begets. So, from the second generation 'Purple Ghost' we have been begiven, or have been begotten, a number of further (third generation) selections that have proved superior to, or at least interesting variations of the 'Purple Ghost' mother tree. One such is Acer palmatum 'Celebration', a seedling that was germinated in about 2007, and was eventually propagated and introduced in 2014. It was one of the two recent Buchholz introductions – along with A.p. 'Strawberry Spring' – that beguiled French maple expert Guy Maillot a  dozen years ago, and a favorable opinion of both cultivars was seconded by the Mr. Maple company of North Carolina at the fall 2022 Maple Society Symposium. I have produced about a thousand 'Celebrations' in the past decade, and this year (2023) we will graft as many scions as we can find. As I have whined previously in this series account, the problem with new introductions is that, if they win popular acceptance with the gardening public, then it's difficult to not sell them to the clamoring retail nurseries who want all they can get, while still saving enough stock to propagate for future demand. That “balance” of money today (much needed) versus future sales (which are never guaranteed) has dominated my entire career. I have said before that there's an ongoing battle at Buchholz Nursery with the sales department constantly vying with the propagation department, and the dilemma that exhausts me is that I head both departments.

Acer palmatum 'Spring Plum'

Acer palmatum 'Spring Plum' originated as a seedling from A.p. 'Purple Ghost'. It germinated about 2007 and in about 2018 the first tree was sold. After growing thousands of purple-red cultivars such as 'Bloodgood', 'Fireglow', 'Red Emperor' etc., one develops an appreciation for the “brown-reds” or “plum-reds,” or at least I do. 'Spring Plum's' new growth is a cheery-cherry red with small dainty leaves, but the tree itself lacks vigor and grows at less than half the rate as the typical red upright. What that means is little or no profit for the grower and since propagation wood is usually thin and weak, I only produce a few each year. At its best 'Spring Plum' is a delight, but good luck finding a grower to produce it.

Black Hole (NASA image)

The occurrence of black holes is a phenomenon that has long fascinated me, that everything gets sucked in and nothing can escape. I guess it has been conclusively proven that they exist in outer space, but they're very present on earth as well. When I developed Flora Farm I groaned when my money flushed goodbye down the hole as I developed the infrastructure of roads, irrigation, drainage projects etc. Nursery supplies like tools, grafting blades, keys, labels in the garden, toilet paper and the like, they also get sucked into the dark void, and it happens silently when my back is turned

Acer palmatum 'Black Hole'

Acer palmatum 'Black Hole'

Acer palmatum 'Black Hole'

One tries to fend off the negativity of black holes with humor, even if the attempt is feeble. A very dark-leaved seedling from A.p. 'Purple Ghost' arose in about 2008, and like its mother tree some black veining is visible, but overall darkness prevails, so it was named 'Black Hole' and propagated about 2015. I have a row of three stock trees at Flora Farm and all are vigorous, broad and bushy, and always loaded with excellent scionwood. I sold the original a couple of years ago, and it went to a good home, the MrMaple company of North Carolina. I can't give 'Black Hole's' estimated size and shape as a mature tree because I whack the sides and top heavily for scions on my trees.

Acer palmatum 'Frosted Purple'

Acer palmatum 'Frosted Purple'

Acer palmatum 'Frosted Purple'

Acer palmatum 'Frosted Purple' is quite distinct to the maple connoisseur, much different than the parent A.p. 'Purple Ghost', the grandmother A.p. 'Kasagi yama' and its sister (or brother?) A.p. 'Black Hole' described above. For me the speckled foliage is more fun than all the others above, at least in spring and early summer, and of course its luminance will vary depending on a full-sun versus a more shady exposure. Expecting that my nursery career will conclude, and hopefully sooner than later, I have allowed introduction originals to go to good customers where they'll be valued and cared for, and the parting is self-justified when I reason that I have a number of younger starts to continue propagation. Dr. B. of Illinois now has the original 'Frosted Purple', and I have seen photos of many Buchholz trees in his wonderful garden. However, the good doctor has landscaped his office also, and his daughter's home and maybe others around the block, so I don't know which property contains the 'Frosted Purple'. I'm blessed to have a market for my trees, and we're proud to supply some of the top independent garden centers in the USA and Canada, but it's especially rewarding when the trees find a home with an avid gardener, and even better when he buys year after year. I look forward to spending my retirement on a national tour, to wish my trees and the gardener well, and that would be a perfect conclusion to a long and challenging career.

Acer palmatum 'Miss Maple'

Acer palmatum 'Miss Maple'

Acer palmatum 'Miss Maple'

Acer palmatum 'Miss Maple'

Acer palmatum 'Miss Maple' is a lovely selection, and she possesses fluid feminine qualities that are on display throughout the seasons...like attractive women who always look good even though their appearance is never the same. I was initially hesitant to name and propagate 'Miss Maple', but the sweetheart kept luring me, and I think it was about 2016 when it went into production. I realize that a much higher percentage of gardeners would choose a purple-red cultivar, more like the A.p. 'Purple Ghost' parent, than the cream-green selection 'Miss Maple', but the latter has a luminous presence that can enlighten a dark corner in the landscape. That said, 'Miss Maple' doesn't require deep shade, and I have grown it with full sun exposure in our blistering 100F summers. She is not a total softie, and in autumn she kicks up her heels and burns to a fiery red, and I think even Old Moses would be impressed.

Acer palmatum 'Jubilee'

Acer palmatum 'Jubilee'

Acer palmatum 'Jubilee'

Acer palmatum 'Jubilee'

Old Moses and a host of trumpeting angels are also very impressed with Acer palmatum 'Jubilee', a 2015 introduction. In a previous blog I wrote:

Last week I discussed some new maple cultivars that were not listed in the latest Vertrees/Gregory Japanese Maples (4^th edition 2009). There are probably hundreds more due to the “name every seedling” mentality that maple geeks are inclined toward, myself included. A.p. 'Jubilee' forms a vigorous tree with a bushy shape. It originated as a seedling from A.p. 'Purple Ghost', and it is similar to A.p. 'Amber Ghost' but its lobes appear more deeply divided and the color is more pink. A row of stock trees grows in full sun at Flora Farm and it's almost an evening ritual for me to walk out and admire 'Jubilee'. I think of the word jubilee as a 'rejoicing,' and indeed it has a biblical connotation, originating from Greek iobelos, from Hebrew yobhel for a “trumpet” or “ram's horn.” See Levit. XXV:9.

Well, it was fun for me to review the 3rd-generation history of some Buchholz introductions. I suppose the information would be tedious for those not familiar with these selections, but hopefully the photos will whet your appetite, and you might even seek one or more for your garden. I cannot judge if I have “improved” horticulture in any way, but at least I have expanded the palette of garden possibilities.