Michael J. McGroarty
Perry, Ohio 44081 Copyright 2011
Japanese Maple Inaba Shidare is one of my long time favorites. It’s from the family of Lace Leaf Japanese Maples with a weeping habit and cascading branches. Bright red colored leaves in the spring turn a dark crimson red in the summer. Inaba Shidare holds it’s summer in the heat better than a lot of other Japanese maples. In the fall, just before the leaves drop for the season, this tree is on fire with a brilliant red color. With regular pruning, at least once a year, it will maintain a nice compact head that weeps almost to the ground. It seldom grows much more than 48″ high.
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I recently purchased a Inaba Shidare but when I got home I saw that it had another tag on it saying it was a Crimson Queen. It’s about 3′ high, no leaves as yet. Anywat to tell which it is.
Linda,
Honestly? There is no way to tell which it is, so since it’s tagged Crimson Queen we’ll have to assume that’s what it is. But that’s fine, Crimson Queen is a wonderful tree and grows and looks exactly like Inaba Shadaire. Very, very nice tree.
I recently bought a small balled and burlaped red japanese weeping maple with deeply incised leaves. It was marked Inaba Shidare. I just noticed that the leaves are now green. Was it mis-marked? I have read that inaba shidare leaves remain red.
Michelle,
Inaba Shidare is very much red in the spring, turning darker purple as the season goes on. That’s if the plant gets enough sunlight. If shaded all red Japanese maples will turn green.
It is not in much shade during most of the day. Dappled perhaps in early morning or mid to late afternoon as the sun moves over my 3 story house. I planted it in the center of a 14 ft, circular bed that I have always considered a sun bed as opposed to a shade bed. Sun plants have always thrived in that location. I can send you a photo from my phone if you tell me the address.
What time of year should the pruning be done?
Ken,
Any time of the year, when the plant needs it.