Samaras

Discussion in 'Maples' started by whis4ey, May 30, 2007.

  1. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I have never seen so many on my Japanese maples as this year
    There is going to be a lot of seed propogation next year :)
    I am even getting some on my lace leafs which I am anxious to try, as I have yet to grow a lace leaf from seed
    These are on Acer palmatum 'Suminagashi'
     

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  2. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Sam, lots of samaras here too. First time I've seen them on Villa Taranto.

    Although "Maples for Gardens" says that A. pseudoplatanus 'Corstorphinense' rarely sets fruit, it is loaded with great tresses of pinkish samaras, which contrast beautifully with the now yellow-green leaves.

    -E
     
  3. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I would love a few seeds from Villa Tarranto .......hint hint hint hehehe
     
  4. Gomero

    Gomero Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    I confirm. Lots of seeds all over my maples. But I am really surprised how early they have appeared this year.

    This phenomenon has already been mentioned in another thread in this forum by members in North America: more maples than usual are setting lots of seeds very early in the season. This widespread fact seem to exclude local conditions as the trigger and point out to some global parameter(s) as being the cause, but, which one??

    Gomero
     
  5. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Sam, I'd be happy to send you some v.t. seed. I'll contact you in the late summer, or email to remind...

    -E
     
  6. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Thanks Emery
    Keep in touch
    You can let me know if there is anything you would like in exchange :)
     
  7. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    heheheh -- I might think of something... :)

    -E
     
  8. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Collecting samaras for someone else makes you a Good Samaritan

    :-)
     
  9. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    This tree near me in Vancouver, BC was identified last year as Acer pseudoplatanus and I love the samaras. The tree's not much to look at, I have to say. That development permit sign was there last year.
     

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  10. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Hi Wendy,

    Hope they don't cut down your tree...

    Very pretty samaras indeed. The A. pseudoplatanus var erythrocarpum form is a naturally occurring variation of the regular sycamore. Yours also has elegant, acute angles on the samaras. We have more than a few of these growing naturally in the hedges here I also enjoy them very much.

    Trees you might enjoy with this feature are A. cappidocicum ssp sinicum, and A. heldreichii ssp trautvetteri.

    On the subject of fruit generally I have hardly any this year, even on the normally prolific sycamores.

    -E
     
  11. JoeMaple85

    JoeMaple85 Active Member

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    How old are trees when they set out seeds for the first time?
     
  12. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Depends on the species, perhaps? ;)

    I guess A. palmatum doesn't need to be that old, certainly less than 10 years after grafting. Not sure with real seedlings though.

    -E
     
  13. katsura

    katsura Active Member 10 Years

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    emery, my trees have far less samaras this year as well.
    last year 2007 was a prolific seed year and now 2008 much less
    pretty much on all my maples
     
  14. dawgie

    dawgie Active Member 10 Years

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    Funny, my Villa taranto is just about my only JM with seeds this spring -- about 6 of them. Perhaps we could work out a trade involving some Guinness stout.
     
  15. Poetry to Burn

    Poetry to Burn Active Member

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    'Hogyoku' and 'Osakazuki', my oldest trees, are most heavily fruited this year. Besides these the others are very light to not at all.
     

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  16. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    hehehe
    Chimera was good enough to send me some Villa taranto last year, so you are out of luck
    They haven't sprouted yet though :)
     
  17. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    I've been so eager to see the samaras turn on this tree this year, the one in posting #9 that was identified as A. pseudoplatanus var. erythrocarpum (if I understood correctly). But now, they look like they're going to dry up before turning red, as it's August now, and I see my original photos were from June. So I wasn't imagining that it was taking so long. What they're lacking in colour this year, they're making up for in size. They're right at the top of the range I read about in length (depending how that's measured - does the length include the seed? If yes, it exceeds what I read by quite a bit). I don't see any measurements for width, but the individual blades are generally just about 3cm across. Surely these are champion samaras.

    I happened to see the owner of the property, the day he had just cleared all the weeds from the site. He is hoping his development approval comes through soon (this is four years after the permit request photo was taken). He thinks he will not be allowed to cut down the tree, though truly, it's pretty weedy itself, wrapped around a utility pole and an elm. I went on at great length about what a special tree it is, but I'll be surprised to see it part of the new development. And even if he keeps it, I'd expect the new building owners to figure out some way to make it disappear.
     
  18. katsura

    katsura Active Member 10 Years

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    Pseudoplatanus samaras are fascinating because it is so obvious that they are
    either with seed or a dry sack. My 'Leopoldii' and 'Brilliantissimum' produce every
    year. Like you picture above on the left, the tips of the wings turn brown. I pick
    Leopoldii in early September because the embryoes are mature and I often germinate
    in Sept with this year's crop maybe 2-3 inches tall by late Fall. I take the embryoes
    carefully out of the seed pod for more immediate germination.
    Has anyone ever had their pseudoplatanus 'Esk(imo) Sunset' produce seed?
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2012
  19. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    That was in 2007
    This week I checked in the fridge and, lo and behold, dozens of sprouting Villa taranto seedlings
    I have potted a number of them up since .. still some more to do
    Just goes to show ... never give up on seeds that haven't sprouted for a while :)
    Thanks Chimera ....
     
  20. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    It's a bad year for seeds here in 2012, and in pseudoplatanus erythrocarpum just went straight to brown. I actually lost 19 variegated pseudoplatanus seedlings over the winter...

    Mice ate almost all my seed from outside seed beds, so this winter I'm going to get a little fridge to store them in. However I did get a few Villa Taranto seedlings, oddly the only palmatums that grew. Sam did any of the VT seed I sent you last year germinate?

    VT is sans samaras this year, though.

    -E
     
  21. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Do you know Emery .... I have just re-checked, and the Villa Taranto seedlings that have all sprouted are the ones you sent me last year, and not the older ones from Chimera
    Now ... just how does one place a "RED FACE" on this board? :)
    Just goes to show that French seedlings are faster than Canadian ones .... LOL
    (no offence Chimera, just my attempt at an embarrassed joke)
     
  22. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Ha, the well known fertility of "Le Cerceuil!" :) (If only it were so, in fact...)

    Not to worry, no offense was taken! They make nice seedlings, glad you have some. Maybe more next year too, hopefully.

    I guess I need to get mine into pots, actually.
     
  23. kaydye

    kaydye Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Has anyone started collecting them yet? I am wondering if I should collect earlier since our spring was a full month early this year. I usually start mid-Oct. Would there be a problem collecting them Early Oct., like next week?
     
  24. katsura

    katsura Active Member 10 Years

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    I usually pick my 1st seeds on October 1st and they have always been fine &
    germinated the next Spring.
    Good luck
     
  25. Gomero

    Gomero Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Abundance of seeds in all maples aver here this year, but I will not be picking any since ,I do not have place for any more seedlings ;-))

    Gomero
     

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