Best Snakebark Maples?
Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:08 am
I have no personal experience, and I know it is subjective, but all I have to go on is what the Nurseries put in their descriptions for the plants ... so any first-hand opinions would be apprecaited.
I want a couple of Snakebark for the Winter garden - obviously needs to look good in Winter :) from descriptions I have read some appear to have particularly good Winter bark. The Winter garden is visible from the house, so Autumn Colour is also a, secondary, value.
I've found Karan Junker's descriptions the most helpful, along with those from Bluebell Arboretum and Nursery
Acer capillipes 'Antoine'
A narrow and upright tree with handsome green and gray bark covered with fine silver, snake-like lines once established. New stems are dark purple/red. The leaves are large and dark green in summer, turning shades of yellow, orange or red in autumn before falling. A fantastic tree for winter interest and with the narrow habit is more suitable than some of the other snake-bark maples for gardens with limited horizontal space. 6-8M x 3M
Acer x conspicuum 'Elephant's Ear'
A rare selection of snakebark maple with very large leaves, sometimes up to 1 ft long on established plants, green in the summer and turning golden yellow before falling in autumn. The bark is an eye-catching dark green in colour with vivid silver lines running vertically up and down the stem. A beautiful specimen shrub in the short term, or eventually a very small branching tree. 5M x 5M or bigger
Junker: leaves up to 30cm long and 20cm wide! Lovely golden yellow autumn colour
Me: Not sure about this one, of interest for the leaves ... so could put this in the Woodland / Hydrangea garden maybe?
Acer x conspicuum 'Mozart' / Acer pectinatum 'Mozart'
A small tree with deep purple-red bark covered with vertical, sinuous silver lines. The leaves are bright green and turn butter yellow in the autumn before falling. An attractive small tree all year round, the vivid stem colour makes it particularly suitable for planting in a winter themed border or garden. 6M x 6M
Acer x conspicuum 'Phoenix'
Rare with colourful, striped bark and large, cool green leaves in the summer months which turn to a fantastic, fine gold colour in autumn. The bark is a faint green/yellow in the summer and brightens to a vivid pink, yellow and orange with silver snake-like lines in winter. An outstanding plant with year round interest which deserves pride of place in nearly any garden! 6M x 6M
Junker: amazing winter bark is a bright orangey-pink with pure white stripes and never fails to attract comment. Autumn colour is bright yellow, though it does tend to lose it's leaves early in the autumn. Avoid too wet or enclosed a site to minimise the risk of fungal problems in winter.
ACER x conspicuum 'Silver Vein'
Junker: arguably the best of the classic snakebarks for garden suitability and good colour with its rich purple and white striped winter bark. 5m.
Me: I've read, on other sites, of Silver Vein being a favourite.
Acer davidii 'Rosalie'
A superb small garden tree, with beautiful silver and red striated bark when young, which as the plant ages slowly turns dark green and silver on the more mature stems. In a good autumn, the dark green leaves can develop fetching, clear-yellow and orange tints before falling. A handsome small tree with very colourful winter bark! 10M x 8M
Junker: one of our favourites. The young growth opens a delightful chocolate colour, eventually maturing to green, but initially contrasting superbly with the delightful hanging racemes of pale coloured flowers. Although the bark is a pleasant green with white striping in summer, it really comes into its own in winter when it turns a rich reddish-lilac colour, highlighting the white striations.
Acer davidii 'Serpentine'
Junker: one of the most graceful of the snakebarks with smaller leaves and free-branching, gently arching habit. Seeds freely produced, creating a very attractive contrast. Wonderful orange autumn colours.
Acer grosseri
A handsome garden tree, with green bark covered with fine silver lines once established and dark green leaves which turn shades or yellow, orange and red in autumn. Grows to be a small tree in time and although hardy will usually do best in sun or light, dappled shade with some shelter from strong wind. 10M x 8M
Me: I'm one for Good-Do'ers, this sounds more "fragile"?
Acer tegmentosum
One of the loveliest of all Snakebark maples, with magnificent jade and silver striated bark, complimented in winter by striking mahogany coloured buds. Unlike most other Snakebark maples, this plant is almost as spectacular in summer as it is in the depths of winter, with lush, large green leaves and an excellent display of bark. The leaves will also turn good shades of butter yellow in a crisp autumn. A stunning maple with year round interest and a 'must have' for nearly any winter garden! 10M x 8M
Junker: handsome small tree and arguably the hardiest of all the snakebark maples. It remains comparatively small and lightly branched so that the bold leaves and white striped bark can be appreciated with ease. This is such a tactile plant. The winter stems are covered with a white bloom, which sadly rubs off when caressed! (seed grown plants which will vary). 4-5m
I want a couple of Snakebark for the Winter garden - obviously needs to look good in Winter :) from descriptions I have read some appear to have particularly good Winter bark. The Winter garden is visible from the house, so Autumn Colour is also a, secondary, value.
I've found Karan Junker's descriptions the most helpful, along with those from Bluebell Arboretum and Nursery
Acer capillipes 'Antoine'
A narrow and upright tree with handsome green and gray bark covered with fine silver, snake-like lines once established. New stems are dark purple/red. The leaves are large and dark green in summer, turning shades of yellow, orange or red in autumn before falling. A fantastic tree for winter interest and with the narrow habit is more suitable than some of the other snake-bark maples for gardens with limited horizontal space. 6-8M x 3M
Acer x conspicuum 'Elephant's Ear'
A rare selection of snakebark maple with very large leaves, sometimes up to 1 ft long on established plants, green in the summer and turning golden yellow before falling in autumn. The bark is an eye-catching dark green in colour with vivid silver lines running vertically up and down the stem. A beautiful specimen shrub in the short term, or eventually a very small branching tree. 5M x 5M or bigger
Junker: leaves up to 30cm long and 20cm wide! Lovely golden yellow autumn colour
Me: Not sure about this one, of interest for the leaves ... so could put this in the Woodland / Hydrangea garden maybe?
Acer x conspicuum 'Mozart' / Acer pectinatum 'Mozart'
A small tree with deep purple-red bark covered with vertical, sinuous silver lines. The leaves are bright green and turn butter yellow in the autumn before falling. An attractive small tree all year round, the vivid stem colour makes it particularly suitable for planting in a winter themed border or garden. 6M x 6M
Acer x conspicuum 'Phoenix'
Rare with colourful, striped bark and large, cool green leaves in the summer months which turn to a fantastic, fine gold colour in autumn. The bark is a faint green/yellow in the summer and brightens to a vivid pink, yellow and orange with silver snake-like lines in winter. An outstanding plant with year round interest which deserves pride of place in nearly any garden! 6M x 6M
Junker: amazing winter bark is a bright orangey-pink with pure white stripes and never fails to attract comment. Autumn colour is bright yellow, though it does tend to lose it's leaves early in the autumn. Avoid too wet or enclosed a site to minimise the risk of fungal problems in winter.
ACER x conspicuum 'Silver Vein'
Junker: arguably the best of the classic snakebarks for garden suitability and good colour with its rich purple and white striped winter bark. 5m.
Me: I've read, on other sites, of Silver Vein being a favourite.
Acer davidii 'Rosalie'
A superb small garden tree, with beautiful silver and red striated bark when young, which as the plant ages slowly turns dark green and silver on the more mature stems. In a good autumn, the dark green leaves can develop fetching, clear-yellow and orange tints before falling. A handsome small tree with very colourful winter bark! 10M x 8M
Junker: one of our favourites. The young growth opens a delightful chocolate colour, eventually maturing to green, but initially contrasting superbly with the delightful hanging racemes of pale coloured flowers. Although the bark is a pleasant green with white striping in summer, it really comes into its own in winter when it turns a rich reddish-lilac colour, highlighting the white striations.
Acer davidii 'Serpentine'
Junker: one of the most graceful of the snakebarks with smaller leaves and free-branching, gently arching habit. Seeds freely produced, creating a very attractive contrast. Wonderful orange autumn colours.
Acer grosseri
A handsome garden tree, with green bark covered with fine silver lines once established and dark green leaves which turn shades or yellow, orange and red in autumn. Grows to be a small tree in time and although hardy will usually do best in sun or light, dappled shade with some shelter from strong wind. 10M x 8M
Me: I'm one for Good-Do'ers, this sounds more "fragile"?
Acer tegmentosum
One of the loveliest of all Snakebark maples, with magnificent jade and silver striated bark, complimented in winter by striking mahogany coloured buds. Unlike most other Snakebark maples, this plant is almost as spectacular in summer as it is in the depths of winter, with lush, large green leaves and an excellent display of bark. The leaves will also turn good shades of butter yellow in a crisp autumn. A stunning maple with year round interest and a 'must have' for nearly any winter garden! 10M x 8M
Junker: handsome small tree and arguably the hardiest of all the snakebark maples. It remains comparatively small and lightly branched so that the bold leaves and white striped bark can be appreciated with ease. This is such a tactile plant. The winter stems are covered with a white bloom, which sadly rubs off when caressed! (seed grown plants which will vary). 4-5m
