This wonderful little tree was given to me by one of our long time members Janice Meyers. Janice grew hundreds of Japanese maples from seed and this one just stood out as very unique. So she named it after her mother Sadie.
Janice hung on to it for some time but then she was getting ready to move and wanted to know if I’d like to have the tree to preserve it for future generations. I said; “Of course I would!” So she shipped it to me and I’ planted it at my nursery along with a lot of other unique Japanese maples that I have.
But this particular tree is unique because I have the one of the only ones in the world! Finally I am just now getting around to getting a photo of it posted so I could show Janice how well this tree is doing and how beautiful it is.
Most importantly, this is how new plants are discovered. Out of thousands of seeds or seedlings, maybe one is actually unique enough to earn it’s own place in the world.
Janice told me that this beautiful tree can be grown from cuttings and right now I have plans to see how successful we are at propagating it and one of Our Members will be making it available to the public once we are successful with it.
Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond.
The maple is just beautiful!! So happy to see it and would love one for my yard.
Mike if you need any help propegating I’d love to graft some. Send me a note if interested. You can control everything that happens with it. It’s just “my thing” to enjoy grafting up unique stuff. I don’t even need to get anything out of it but to do it.
-Bill Ryder
Bill,
I appreciate the offer. If you want to graft something you should try the Japanese maple Geisha Gone Wild. I have some, but not really big enough to offer you any wood. Maybe next winter. So far I love that little tree.
Hi Mike, we are members outside Memphis Tennessee and we only do Japanese Maples. You can find tons of Pics on our FB page under Spirit Hill Maple Nursery. Our grafting season isn’t until next August, but we could easily graft ya up a few and send a few custom liners back to you the following spring. It actually sounds like fun to this maple geek. How old is she? Is she a multi branch upright, or weeping? If it’s weeping you got something special with those palmate leaves. Have you observed any seasonal characteristics? Spring, summer, fall leaf color? Does the bark change color during the winter? Yeah I could go on. We only sell in the midsouth selecting trees that grow well in our heat and crazy springs so we don’t have a website just FB.
Scot,
See my comment to Bill about grafting on this page. If you are grafting Japanese maples for warmer climates you could easily sell them in our members area if you are offering wholesale pricing. You really need a website. Facebook is a platform that belongs to somebody else and for whatever your page could be gone tomorrow. A webiste and an email list. https://secure.backyardgrowers.com/business-center
So Mike since this post is a few years old how did the cutting trial go? . Have you been selling cuttings? Since I live in the Southwest and so many members don’t ship here I doubt I’ll ever be able to get one but wanted to see if it’s being grown now . Love the look
Helene,
So far it is not being grown. Cuttings of Japanese maples are tricky.
Mr. Mike the tree is awesome. We live in Central TX. While traveling a few years ago I
convince my husband to look for your place to visit. We could not find it by the
address and believe me we saw a lot of back roads. Finally stopped at a local pub for a beer. The area is so much prettier than cactus, mesquites and cedars. The
Japanese Maple is next on my bucket list. My guess is that I will have to grow one
is a pot plant (tree), i.e., when you have cactus, mesquites and cedars usually a
sign of no soil, just plenty of rocks. Just the name of the game. Always enjoy your
e-mails, Warm thoughts
Kathy,
Sorry you missed me, should have asked them at the bar, most folks around here know where we are.
Mike, that is one of the prettiest Japanese maples I have ever seen, The scattered brilliant leaves are just stunning. I’ll have to make sure and see it when I come to next year’s shindig. I certainly do hope you have success propagating it. It should be propagates so people can enjoy it. Lynn
Hi, Mike
Your story was done in 2019. Would very much like to see what it looks like now in 2021……almost 2022!!
Hi Mike
Are all te trees have five-star leves on them ?
From:Jim
I don’t know for sure.
Cool tree!
Hey Mike. I thought you told me in your email that she named it after her daughter! Not her mother! On the website you told everybody that she named it after her mother. Who did she name it after??
I have to say though that it is a beautiful plant and that I would love to have a cutting of it when they are ready. Thanks.
Your friend,
Keith P.
Keith,
Pretty sure she named it after her mother and when she pointed that out to me I corrected the website.
That little Japanese Maple looks like a shrub, not a tree. How tall will it be at maturity?
Love your posts, I’ve learned so much
Linda
Linda,
It is an upright Japanese maple so it has the ability to grow probably to 15 or 20 feet. Regular pruning has kept it small and compact which allows you to really enjoy the colors of the foliage. But if let grow it would get considerably taller.
I definitely want to be invited to your Open House next Spring if you have another. I would Love to see this gorgeous Japanese Maple in person! as well as learn some of your secrets! I have been on your Mailing List several years and have learned a few things I didn’t know!
Linda,
You are welcome to come anytime when we are open, but I’m not always there. I’ll have a few wholesale days in the spring or later spring, just stay on the email list.
MIKE, wish i could grow them japanese maples here where i,m at sorry ta say they will not grow here in zone 4/5 i think its jist to cold and to much snow.. ya have such a beautiful treasure,, i grew 66 outa 100 apple seeds last year if the 66 make it next spring i,ll trans plant out,, jist planted some wild/domestic/feral plums this month ta see what i git.. i know what everyone says that ya wont git any good fruit off the trees,, but how did JOHNNY APPLESEED git his apples? so i figured i,d git something from the apple and plum seeds.. thank ya fer the photos of that beautiful little tree
Russ,
Snow is a great insulator. When my plants are covered with snow I am very content and unconcerned. Cold with now snow, that’s a different story.
I live near St. Paul minnesota, and grow some varieties of Japanese Maples. Zone 4b. I was able to grow more easily in St. Paul in the city limits than here in the outer suburbs, but have had luck with some. Near the side of the house protected from strong winter winds helps some over winter. For some, a wall or dense hedge or fence is enough. Protect the trunk from browsing rabbits in winter.
I LOVE THE SADIES DELIGHT. ARE YOU BY CHANCE MAKING THESE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE?
Ronda,
We’ll try.
Good morning, How can I buy some Japanese Red Maples. I got some seeds and they did not Grow. I love Japanese Red maples
John,
I don’t ship plants but many of our members do. Japanese maples in our members area go really cheap when available. http://backyardgrowers.com/join
Hi John, Are you aware that the maple seeds require cold treatment in order to sprout ? You can plant them in the fall outdoors , or place in a damp baggie in refrigerator for about three months in refrigerator before planting.
More about that here https://japanesemaplelovers.com/growing-japanese-maples-from-seed/
I LOVE THE TREE AND I LOVE THE STORY~ IT IS BEAUTIFUL AS THE TREE.
A lovely plant!
Since the success rate rooting cuttings from Japanese maples is so low, would it be better to propagate them by air layereing?
In addition to the foliage, much of the beauty of a Japanese maple is in the branch structure. Thoughtful pruning that does not leave them looking like a bushy shrub but allows a graceful branch structure to develop may be a better choice for these trees.
Of course, some varieties of Japanese maple develop beautifully on their own, needing little or no shaping to develop their branch structure. Simply removing any dead wood, crossing or rubbing branches is all they need.
RMW,
I have known people to air layer a few Japanese maple, Butterfly is one that comes to mind.
That’s a GORGEOUS little tree!!!!!!
How I wish I lived closer to you, Mike!!! Is there any possibility that you may be growing some of these from seed?
Delores
Delores,
Since I did this post just a few days ago I’ve heard from Janice and she corrected me and told me that she was successful rooting this tree from cuttings so we need to try that next summer. She also told me that she named it after her mother, not her daughter, I need to correct my article.
Your backyard is now a museum! With this rare beauty.
Suzanne,
My yard is packed with rare and unusual plants. They truly are special.
Gorgeous tree. I am just starting a bonsai collection and one of them is a Japanese Maple. I have seeds for next autumn in Australia being March – April. Can’t wait. Also have Jacaranda seeds. Cheers,
AWESOME! You both get a garden award in my book. The tree is stunningly beautiful! Love the sight and what you are doing, Mike, even though I can’t garden right now. You are an inspiration, because you love what you do!
Thank you Elizabeth!
Love the Maple! Awesome story! I’ve often wanted to propagate Maples, especially the Lace Leaf ones, no success so far.
Thanks you for sharing.
That’s a beautiful tree that looks more like a shrub or bush. Do you plan to graft and from it?
Nancy,
Janice told me that this is one of the few Japanese maples that can be grown from cuttings so we’ll give that a try.
Guys, I love this story! Thank you for sharing, both of you!
Beautiful tree! Better watch over it carefully or some cannibis loving person may attempt to take it home with them. 🙂
Danny,
I’ve got others that look even more like Cannibis than this one!
I can fully attest to the difficulty of rooting Japanese Maples having tried to do so countless times. I bought a leafless tree, 3′ feet tall, after it had dropped it’s leaves at a local lumber retailer because they marked it down from $80 to $9, so I couldn’t pass it up. I actually bought two of them, but one gets partial sun during the day, and the other sits in the shade all the time. The Partial sun tree is about 3x bigger than the shaded one, and when I prune it every winter, I attempt to treat the cutting and skin one side of the stem of bark and stick it in. No luck whatsoever, and the same is true of the Crape Myrtle that I’ve started from seed harvested down in Wilmington, NC. They just don’t want to send out new roots. The opposite is true of cuttings from rose bushes, Rose of Sharon, and especially Concord grape vines. They thrive and prosper once cut and put into pots with compost soil.
Terry,
There are a few Japanese maples that can be grown from cuttings and this is one of them. But not from hardwood as you are trying to do. You really need to try them as softwood cuttings. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
Mike,
Do you know any good Japanese Maple varieties for Zone 4b? I will also take any referrals for sellers, as nurseries around here sell trees that are for Zone 5 that will not live.
Thanks
Mitch,
I really don’t, maybe some google search will turn some up. My advice? But a few small ones and just see how well they do. Most are cold hardy to a point. Got down to 22 below here a few years ago and most survived. Many were damaged, but most survived.
Thanks, Mike. The coldest temps in the History of my area last year killed off several of my Zone 4 Cherry trees though. I guess there’s only one way to find out.
Hello Mike thanks for posting the picture. I have been looking for a unique Japanese maple to plant for quite some time. And that one is definitely beautiful. Would it be possible to purchase a cutting from you? If so please let me know the price and I will be happy to send you a check.
Rodney,
You’d have to get a softwood cutting in June to have any chance of success with it, and softwood cuttings are very difficult to ship.
Mike, I must have missed something somewhere. What is it that makes this Japanese Maple tree unique?
Sheilla
Sheila,
The multi colored foliage that changes through the seasons.
Mike will you be offering rooted cuttings of this particular Japanese Maple? Would love to have a Sadie’s Delight.
Kayla,
It’s possible, and if not I’ll probably have a member or two that will be growing them for sure. http://backyardgrowers.com/join
Beautiful tree I’ve had a lot of trouble trying to get them to live here in east Texas don’t know why maybe soul issue haven’t had time to research since I moved but gonna try again with having my soul analyzed but that’s a beatiful specimen
Mike,
Pretty hot and sunny in Texas, they’ll need some shade. Google for Japanese maples for warmer climates. Some do better than others.
Thanks Mike for sharing this story. I find your kind and humble nature refreshing. I always look forward to an email from you. The weather here in north central Florida is challenging enough and now I’ll be dealing with the time change. Ain’t nursery growing grand?
Diane,
If you think Florida is challenging try Ohio. Getting ready to winterize all of my water lines.
Mike, just to make a few minor corrections: This unique Maple is NOT directly from seed. It is from a rooted cutting taken from the original seedling plant. And Sadie was my mother.
I was told that I could not get rooted cuttings from a Japanese Maple.
Well, that plant is the living proof that it can be done.
No, it is not easy. I probably never got more than 20% success rate from rooted cuttings, but that was well worth it for me. Commercially, no big nursery would bother.
Getting the rooted cuttings established and through their first winter is the real challenge. Once you get them on the other side of that first winter, you have a good chance of getting them established. But by then you are down to about 3% survival rate and tickled to see every one of them leaf out in the spring.
Thanks for keeping this one in such good shape, Mike. I know you will honor it and I give full permission for any propagation you every want to do.
Thank you Janice for the details, been a long time since you told me the story. There are a few Japanese maple that do work from cuttings, it’s awesome that Sadie’s Delight is one of them.
It is a beauty. Thanks for posting.
Mike, I think that comment was from Sadie. She said “Janice was my mother”. If it is not Sadie, then it is one of her siblings. Aside of that, it is a pretty little maple..
George,
Janice has corrected me, Sadie was her mother, I have to correct my article.
Mike, does that mean you will be doing cuttings from this tree, and have it available for sale in your selection of fine quality nursery stock?
Anteek,
That is entirely possible. I think that Janice would love to see this very special tree of hers in a lot more gardens that just mine or hers.
Thank you for posting this picture. It is just beautiful. I sure hope you have success in cuttings. I live in Lake County (Wickliffe), but will hopefully be moving to Arizona sooner than later. It is a little warm and dry there and I’m afraid I would not have your success, I can only wish. Thought I would not have to go thru another winter, but the best laid planes…………. I will have to have a whole new outlook on growing in Arizona, I’ve been here in this house for 73 years! Your plant looks just wonderful. Best Wishes and Good Luck with your cuttings.
Sherry,
I’m sure you’ll enjoy Arizona. Have fun!