It's A Little Chilly ..

(for almost being July) and rainy here, near the Southern New Jersey coastline. I was letting the puppies out for their morning routine, and decided to take a quick stroll around the property (despite the dampness). This Japanese Maple, planted near our front entrance, caught my eye. The misty rain was collecting on her leaves like pearls. There was just enough light filtering through the clouds to reflect off the surface of the tiny droplets, creating a glistening effect. I was quickly inspired to capture the moment. I rushed the dogs along through their business, which they did not appreciate (growl growl).

I Went Back Indoors ..

To fetch my Canon EOS Rebel T1i so I could grab a few shots of the water on her leaves. I was really after the black and white composition, in a macro type shot. I did take a few dozen shots, but the one I liked most is this one here...

Settings ..

F-Stop was set at f/5.6, exposure time was 1/60sec, ISO speed was set at 400 with a 209mm focal length. I had a 4x magnification filter installed as well.

Unaltered ..

Here is the original shot in full color. I mostly always shoot raw then alter them. With the use of the 4X magnifying filter and an F-stop of 5.6, you have very little wiggle room as far as depth of field. This is why just a slim portion of the photo is in focus. This was my intention.. This was the look I was going for.

The Tree ..

So the tree is called Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’ or commonly known as a Japanese Laceleaf Maple. This variety is 'Ornatum' so now you get Acer palmatum Dissectum 'Ornatum'. That's a mouth full. I purchased it from a local nursery. My wife wanted me to plant it here at the front walk (against my better judgment), and it has grown on me. I didn't want it here, knowing that it was going to grow larger. I have been sticking to my pruning schedule and she hasn't gotten too large for this space yet. The tree is roughly 20 years old now. Her canopy has a waterfall effect as it is cascading toward the ground (a weeping effect and so some call it a weeping Japanese Maple). It grows nicely here in NJ with a little protection from the brisk winter winds (which will burn or even kill a your tree) and well drained soil. The cutoff for planting zones (5-9) would be very Southern NY to our North. As far as planting this bad boy South of NJ, I wouldn't plant it any farther South than North Carolina. If one day I retire to a tropical location, I would dearly miss this tree.

This Specimen Here ..

Always leafs out in the early spring with silvery green leaves that very quickly turn a bright crimson red. Since this tree receives only a few hours of direct sun light a day, her foliage retreats to a pale red where it remains for most of the summer. In the fall, around mid October, the leaves make a color change to bright red before falling to the ground. Specimen trees require specific and precise pruning techniques in order to preserve their intended beauty. Consult a professional or professional advice before attempting to prune them. I wouldn't want you to make a costly mistake. Young 5-8 yr old trees cost approximately $100-300 USD here on the East Coast.

Beautiful Branches ..

I love to look at this canopy from underneath when cleaning up in the spring as well as when all of the leaves have fallen in the Autumn. The older bark is a light tan to mid shade brown, but the young wood is an awesome shade of green. Sometimes it appears almost a florescent green, especially the growth that is less than a year in age (see bellow). You'll also see where I made a prune cut last fall. The tree is already beginning to heal its self, as the bark is starting to grow over the wound.

I Almost Forgot To Mention ..

This variety I have here was grafted. I do not remember what was used for the understock/root stock (they usually don't tell you). The Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’ can be grown in three ways; from a seed, cuttings or grafting. Grafting seems to be the preferred method for most growers. I have read that when using seeds, you do not always reproduce similar characteristics to the parent tree. When cuttings are used, there may be difficulty in effectivly establishing the root system. So..grafting seems to be the most successful method out there for producing the Japanese lace leaf maple. I grew a few using this method while obtaining my Horticultural degree. I am sorry to say that all my plants died after a few years. Oh well..It was fun to do though!

Thanks For Stopping Bye ..

and reading to the end! I enjoyed sharing this photo (and a little bit of useless plant knowledge) with you. Let me know what you think or if I have my facts screwed up..lol. It happens sometimes. I think they made a bumper sticker for that saying.

;-)