click image to enlarge
A famous old 'Ornatum' ('Dissectum Atropurpureum') at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum. There are equally fine examples in the great gardens and this is probably the best one in the southeastern US. This centrury-old beauty is rich red in spring but becomes slightly greener by summer but never green with red margins as do many of the cultivar's seedlings. Most of the well-known Dissectum Group cultivars will become an ideal convergence of light, airy, lacy clouds after 30 years or so; becoming less mounded, ground-hugging, and cascading. Quite a few are damaged or rendered more unique by wind, ice, and snow over the years. The results range from tragic to random fortune. This specimen has had it's share of weather challenges (ice storms and 88mph hurricane overhead) and some devoted human efforts to keep it intact, generally dense, and full.

In the old gardens one sees others that are thinned and made open by the shade from larger, nearby trees and also with paler pigments spring to fall. Dissectums need their own space and should always be freed from the competition of larger trees. They can even be moved by large tree spaces to give a good plant the lime light.

LCH

Their fine-textured elegance, grace, and refinement increases with age and enriches our gardens as few other group of plants. Giving us stunning colors from spring to late fall, these cultivars and their numerous seedlings are nearly always attractive and rarely do you have a bad or ugly look even among their palest and weakest manifestations. Even the "junk" seedlings have something appealing and worth a look. Here is really good genetics programmed for our human sensibilities even if fragile, slow, and not for unaided survival. They are freaks we love and will lovingly tend and acquire at great cost. Some need nurturing in a greenhouse or shadehouse for years before they can see the full force of a garden's environment. Yet we pamper and care for them. Art that grows and multiples is not a bad investment under any system or way or thinking.

Even in winter their artistic silhouettes make a garden finer for their prescence. The twist of an old trunk and all those wiry, perfectly positioned twigs are just pleading for a lens and film (or detector). Genetics by God, selection by man, and a blessing over and over for us all. The best is surely to come since we've just begun to explore what breeding and mass selection can due for this group. 

Nomenclaturally, the word dissectum does not need to be included with the cultivar name except where noted to distinguish them ('Dissectum Rubrum' is not the Amoeum Group plant 'Rubrum'). Thus, a cultivar may be written Acer palmatum Dissectum Group 'Crimson Queen'. One can use a subgroup too and this implies the larger group to which it has been assigned. The group name can be omitted if a section is headed with the group name or when necessary for brevity.

Unless otherwise specified, all the named clones in this group have these traits in common:

ht: 2-3m
ha: slower than species typical, mounded, semi-pendulous to cascading, or subglobose if grafted high. Mushroom-shaped as limbed-up trees. They are usually wider than tall.
ha: Older trees over 40 years may have multiple globose or cloud-like heads but this varies with grafting and training. Plants may be grafted low and planted high to tall and be nearly pendulous.
ls: high incised, secondary lobes often very numerous  (4-10) and narrow (2-8mm),  tertiary lobes or teeth common but absent in some, lace-like or occasionally thread-like, tertiary lobes often
ls: 1-6mm wide.

LCH

Acer palmatum 'Autumn Fire'
ha: vigorous, semi-erect, spreading mound overall
lc: light yellowish-green margined pink in new growth, later medium to dark green
afc: bright red, often very showy
ls, lm: 7-9-lobed, coarsely incised, intermediate to the Matsumurae Group in some blades
ll, lw: 10-13cm long and wide - very large

Acer palmatum 'Balcombe Green'
ha: weeping, vigorous
lc: green
afc: light yellow and orange
so: Ian Fitzroy (online catalog 2005)

Acer palmatum 'Berrima Bridge' ('Berrima Ridge'?)
ha: vigorous
lc: green new growth, later tinged bronze to red
afc: red, often very showy
or: Berrima Bridge Nursery, NSW, Australia as seedling

Acer palmatum 'Birthday Wishes' ('Birthday Dissectum')
lc: light orange tinged pink new foliage, later green with rose-red tints
ls: highly incised, very lacy
or: Miyama Maple Nursery, CA USA

Acer palmatum 'Chantilly Lace'
lc: coppery-red new growth, later green
afc: yellow and gold shades
ls, lm: very finely incised much as a filigree-type
ch: cold hardy in PA USA
or: Bill Scwartz, PA USA

Acer palmatum 'Chelwood'
lc: red becoming bronzish-green or reddish-green, an Ornatum-like plant
afc: copper and orange
so: Ian Fitzroy (online catalog 2005)

Acer palmatum 'Demi-sec'
ha: slower, mounded to subglobose much as 'Green Globe'
lc: medium green
or: Firma Esveld as seedling

'Dissectum' - click image
Hershey Gardens, PA USA. August 2005. These are darker than some 'Dissectum' but not so bronze as to qualify
as Ornatum Subgroup seedlings. The backdrop of old blue atlas cedars are simply stunning!

Acer palmatum 'Dissectum' ('Dissectum Viride', 'Viridis', 'Dissectum Viridis', 'Green Cutleaf')
ht: 10-14 ft.
lc: medium green, usually a pale or lime green by summer. Plants vary. Seedlings of Ornatum Subgroup
lc: which are very bronze or green will form a transition to this plant.
ns: the epithet viridis is not essental since the original 'Dissectum' was green. The addition of that
ns: epithet was only used to contrast it with the early reds. Vertrees bases his use of  'Viridis'
ns: on an unspecified piece of literature calling it folia viridia. The epithet here is based on Thunberg's 1784 reference.
ns: As this mutation is not known from the wild, botanical ranks of var. and f. are by no means acceptable. It must
ns: be noted that the rank of forma was once used before the cultivar rank was invented and accepted. In modern
ns: nomenclature a true var. and f. must have wild origins. Dissectum Group here is used in the broadest sense, including
ns: clones of all foliage colors. Some use Dissectum Atropurpureum Group for seedling reds and Dissectum Group for seedling greens.
ns: The correct name for a red group (if any is used) would be Ornatum Subgroup.
or, in: Japan since before 1700's and likely before, known in the West snce 1784 when Thumberg used it but not seen
or, in: for certain there until Siebold introduced to Holland in 1844. The plant 'Dissectum Paucum' aka
or, in: 'Palmatifidum' or f. palmatifidum has been confused and lumped with it. Distinctions are made below.
or, in: The vanGeldens (1999) say that many 'Dissectum' in Europe are actually the improved clone 'Waterfall'
eval: many people prefer 'Waterfall' over this seed-raised and highly variable taxon.

Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Flavescens' ('Dissectum Aureum', 'Suphureum', 'Dissectum Unicolor')
ha: slight more spreading than many 'Dissectum'
lc: new growth yellow, later yellowish-green, far more yellow than most 'Dissectum'. Slight red tints and margins may occur.
afc: clear yellow
or: Hillier Nurseries 1928

Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Paucum' ('Palmatifidum' US trade in part)
ht: 10-14 ft.
ha: more vigorous than some clones of this group
lc: darker green than typical 'Dissectum', margins and apices often tinged red
ls: less deeply cut than most cultivars in this group, the secondary lobes being only a few mm long
ns: Vertrees prefers the name 'Palmatifidum'. Unfortunately is not always clear from pre 1800's literature
ns: whether the A. palmatum or A. shirasawanum clone is being described. Hence the first publication of
ns: this clone is confused (nomen confusum) and up for debate. Jacobson (1996) lists f. palmatifidum van Houtte
ns: as a basic synonum of  var. dissectum (Thun.) Miq. which we are calling 'Dissectum'
or: Holland before 1900

Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Rubrum'
lc: red becoming green with red margins and apices.  Not a true red cultivar despite the name.
or: W. Barron, England c. 1875, probably from Japan.

Acer palmatum 'Eagles Claw'
ha: smaller, slower
lc: green
afc: bright gold, showy
ls, lm: mjuch as 'Dissectum Paucum' ('Palmatifidum') but tips curved down as a claw
lu: as a smaller plant with interesting apices it has uses for large containers and bonsai.

Acer palmatum 'Ellen'
ht: 4-5 ft. - shorter than most older clones
ll: larger than 'Dissectum'
ls: more finely cut than 'Dissectum', quite lacy
lc: bright or light green
afc: yellow shades
or: Esveld c. 1992, named for the van Gelderen's daugher-in-law and wife
eval: a highly superior, smaller than 'Dissectum' and prettier

Acer palmatum 'Emerald Lace'
ht: 1.5-2.0m (10 years) - much quicker size than most 'Dissectum'
ha: vigorous, semi-erect, quite pendulous if allowed, spreading mound in time but can be irregular
lc: light green becoming dark green - much darker a shade than 'Waterfall' and many 'Dissectum' seedlings
afc: bright red, often showy
ls, lm: 5-7-lobed, highly incised
ll, lw: 7-9cm long and wide
or: David Sabo, NC USA as seedling
in, ns: Del Louck's, Del's Japanese Maple Nursery, OR USA named and introduced

Acer palmatum 'Felice'
ls: secondary lobes very long and wider, having conspicuous and numerous tertiary lobes or teeth. A distinct and pretty leaf shape
lc: greenish-red to orange-green new growth, later bronze-green margined red, usually quite bicolored
or: Esveld c. 1998, named for one of the van Gelderen daughters.

Acer palmatum 'Germaine's Gyration'
ha: cascading mound, wider than tall, slightly undulate and contorted limbs, very vigorous for this group
ls, lm: 7-lobed, rarely 9 lobed, coarsely incised
ll, lw: 9-12cm long, lobes 1.5-2.0cm wide
lc: light green, becoming dark green
afc: orange, yellow, red shades, often very showy
or, nm: Bob Vandermoss, Portland OR as seedling, named for friend Germaine Iseli
in: Iseli Nursery Catalog 1992: 33

Acer palmatum 'Girard's Dwarf'
ha: semi-dwarf
ll, lw: 10-16cm long - very large blades for anything in this group
ls: coarsely incised, very large serrations or teth
or: Girard Nurseries, OH USA

Acer palmatum 'Green Globe' ('Viridis Olandese')
ha: vigorous, subglobose to mounded, less cascading or pendulous than other greens in this subgroup
lc: pink new growth, becomng rich emerald green with some whitish tints
afc: yellow
ll, lw: 6-10cm long and wide
ls, lm: highly incised, 7-lobed
or: Fratelli Gilardelli Nursery, Italy

Acer palmatum 'Green Lace'
lc: bright green
ls, lm: finely incised, intermediate between 'Dissectum' and the filigree type leaf.
afc: golden-yellow
or: Gilardelli, Italy c. 1980

Acer palmatum 'Green Hornet'
ha: highly vigorous, long cascasing shoots numerous
lc: bright green tinged red and orange shades
afc: bright red - very rare for this subgroup

Acer palmatum 'Green Mist'
ha: similar to 'Waterfall' for cascading look, often grafted high to make a weeping tree
lc: medium green
ls, lm: 7-lobed, highly incised, mist-like fine texture
afc: orange-red, often showy, some yellow and green mixed in at first
ch: more cold hardy than 'Waterfall'
or: Willliam Wolff
in: Red Maple Nursery, Media, PA USA

Acer palmatum 'Irish Lace'
ha: cascading mound (typical of group)
lc: bright and showy pink growth, later green with pink tints and margins
ls, lm: blades slightly rugose and pleated (giving texture), 7-lobed, deeply incised
ll, lw: 7-8cm wide and long
in: Iseli Nursery Catalog 1992: 34

Acer palmatum 'Jeddeloh Orange' (11/5)
ha: vigorous
lc: orange becoming green tinged orange
or: Jeddeloh Nurseries, Gresham, OR USA
in: Stanley and Sons (online catalog 2005)

Acer palmatum 'Kiri Nishiki'
ha: cascading mound, often very strong and irregular unless pruned much
ls, lm: 9-lobed, coarsely incised, not as deep as others in the subgroup
ll, lw: 6-9cm wide and long
lc: light green
afc: gold shades, sometimes with red and orange tints
or: Japan early 1700's and likely before

Acer palmatum 'Lemon Chiffon'
lc: bright yellowish-green (chartreuse) new growth, later light green, can burn in strong sun
afc: yellow tinged red and orange

Acer palmatum 'Lemon Lime Lace'
ha: cascading mound, often a bit more irregular than others
lcyellowish-green or yellow with green new growth, later light green, bicolor look can be nice
ls, lm: 5-7-lobed, very finely cut similar to 'Green Mist'
ll, lw: 9-11cm long and wide - tending towards large for the group
afc: orange
or: seedling 1972
in: Del's Japanese Maple Nursery, Eugene, OR USA 1992

Acer palmatum 'Otto' ('Otto's Dissectum' invalid) (11/5)
lc: darker green than 'Dissectum'
so: Wildwoodmaples.com (online catalog 2005)

Acer palmatum 'Raraflora'
lc: new growth light orange to pink, showy, lagter yellowish-green with pink margins, later rich dark green
afc: very bright neon red, showy
or: presumably the now defunct nursery of this name c. 1980's.

Acer palmatum 'Red Autumn Lace'
lc: light green, sometimes tinged bronze, petioles often a nice orange or red-tinged, reddish to bronze new growth, very variable
lc: for the number of different shades
ls, lm: 7-lobed, very finely incised
afc: red or sometimes yellow with orange and red shades, often showy
or: Gilardelli Nursery, Italy c. 1992

Acer palmatum 'Seiryu'
ht: 5-7m - very tall for this group
ha: more erect than group typical, moderate vigor, somewhat stiff and rigid, not as cascading as other greens
lc: bright greenw tinged red at the margins in spring, later mostly green with faint red tints
afc: yellow to gold tints with red tints, often very showy
ll, lw: 4-6cm long - smaller than typical of the group
ls, lm: 7-lobed, coarsely incised with large tertiary lobes
ns: the name translates to "blue-green dragon"

Acer palmatum 'Sekimori' ('Seki Mori')
ha: vigorous, wider than tall, typical cascading look
lc: rich dark green with whitish suffusions or dustings
afc: yellow and gold shades, one of the best golds in the entire group
ls, lm: 7-9-lobed, coarsely incised . Vertrees (2001) calls it more feathery than lacy.
ll, lw: 7-9cm long and wide
or: Japan before 1719

Acer palmatum 'Spring Delight'
lc: light green margined red new growth, holding those two colors well into season
or: Talon Buchholz, Buchholz & Buchholz Nursery, OR USA as seedling of 'Dissectum'

Acer palmatum 'Sunset'
lc: light and bright green, very narrow red to rust margins if in some sun
ls, lm: coarsely incised with distinct well-spaced, very large tertiary lobes with large teeth

Acer palmatum 'V. Corbin' (11/5)
ha: vigorous
lc: green
lw: wider blade than 'Dissectum'
lt: thicker than group typical
so: Wildwoodmaples.com (online catalog 2005)

Acer palmatum 'Vic Pink'
lc: bright green, later a darker shade
afc: bright pink to red and scarlet shades, very showy
ll, lw: 8-10cm long and wide
ls, lm: coarsely incised and toothed
or: Australia. Previous details not reported.

Waterfall - click image
JC Raulston Arboretum. Summer 2003.

Acer palmatum 'Waterfall'
ha: strongly cascading as the name implies, very elegant with age, branches more sturdy than some 'Dissectum' seedlings in the trade.
ha: In addition to the branching, the long petioles along the leaves to hang and cascade with more beauty than typical
ll, lw: 7-12cm long and wide - slight bigger dimensions than ordinary 'Dissectum'
ls, lm: 7-lobed, highly incised as ordinary 'Dissectum' in green
lc: bright light green - some 'Dissectum' are similar but others are darker. Takes some sun for such a pale green plant. After a rain the darkened
lc: stems and trunk can be a very nice contrast. 
afc: gold and yellow shades, sometimes with bits of red
ns, or: Henry Hohman, MD USA 1920's. The van Gelderens (1999) believe this is identical to one 'Dissectum' clone long grown in Europe and
ns, or: thus may be a rename by Hohman. One cannot blame him or Dr. Blackburn of Willowwood since it surely stands out and above much
ns: 'Dissectum' crap in the US trade. If Europe had the clone all along it does not negate the value of assigning a name to a clearly superior clone.
ns: They apparently they had a better bunch of plants and did not have the need for nomenclatural branding we do in the States. The name still stands
ns: and is useful since 'Dissectum' remains a polyclonal mess. There is something good about branding in horticulture when an old name becomes a
ns: confused, variable pile of goodness mixed with junk. I don't want generic, seedlings dissectums and most of us should be be willing to pay
ns: extra for graft of proven 'Waterfall'.
lsp: Willowwod Arboretum, NJ USA (original plant in US), 4m tall x 3m wide.

Acer palmatum 'Baby Lace'
ht: 0.5-1.0m (10 years)
ha: dwarf, from witches broom, subglobose shrub with age, very sensitive to wind and environmental extremes, 2-4 inches growth a year
lc: rusty-red becoming green tinged red and greenish-red
afc: red to orange shades
ll, lw: 3-6cm long - much smaller
or: Rick Rey, Delaware Valley Ag. School 1980's as witches broom - first known sport of this subgroup
ns, in: Edward Rodd, Raraflora Nursery, PA USA.

Acer palmatum 'Barrie Bergman'
ha: much as 'Ornatum' but slower
lc: bronze-red in summer
afc: orange shades

Acer palmatum 'Beni Kumo-no-su'
ha: dense, low mound, slower than many others in this group
lc: bright red new grwoth, later bronze-green to reddish-green
afc: bright red
ls, lm: 7-lobed, very finely incised, close to a filigree type with some lobes just 1-3mm wide
ll, lw: 6-8cm wide - smaller
or: Del's Japanese Maple Nursery, OR USA as seedling 1979, intro. 1992
ns: name translates to "red spider web"
lu: this is one red smaller enough for large containers and rock gardens.

Acer palmatum 'Beni shidare'
ht: 10-12 ft. - one old plant in Japan reached 7m!
ha: slightly more cascasing or pendulous than true, old 'Ornatum'
ls: highly incised
lc: brownish-red at first, later medium red and then more green
afc: orange, red, and yellow shades
in: Yokohoma Nurseries, Japan to west in 1896.
ns: it resembles some plants of 'Ornatum' ('Dissectum Atropurpureum') but the true ones are a richer red. Since 'Ornatum'
ns: the seedling (Ornatum Subgroup) are so variable, this name still has value. This name appears to be the standard or
ns: most common red cut-leaved clone in Japan, just as 'Dissectum Atropurpureum' is the common one in the West. They
ns: are not synonyms in the true sense of each taxon. Distinct clones from old and true stock can still be identified by
ns: experts.

Acer palmatum 'Beni Tsukasa Shidare'
lc: dark red, later bronzish-red
afc: orange shades

Acer palmatum 'Bewley's Red'
ha: more erect than subgroup typical, not cascading or mounded
lc: red
or: Australia

Acer palmatum 'Brocade'
lc: red, becoming light red (not as dark as some others) but persistant, much less black than 'Crimson Queen' for example, bronze to greenish by fall
afc: bright red to crimson, some orange possible, often showy
ls, lm: 7-9-lobed, highly incised
ll, lw: 6-10cm lng and wide

Acer palmatum 'Bronze Wing' ('Bronzewing')
lc: bronze more than red, usually a light bronze-green to reddish-green
afc: yellow
or: Australia, probably a seedling of Ornatum Subgroup origins

'Crimson Queen' - click image
US National Arboretum. Summer 2005. A familiar example to many of you. This oldie next to the Admin Building now faces the Asian pavillions and gardens. It
gets enough sun for rich color but enough shade not to fry or scorch. It is planted about 5 feet above where the lower foliage rests in a walled bed. It's the ultimate
example of this clone that some of us know. LCH.

Acer palmatum 'Crimson Queen'
ht: 6-8 ft.
ha: often more dense and neat than other cultivars of this 4.b. group
lc: dark purplish-red, later a bright, rich red. Does not fade much. Has more gloss than some. It is not bronze-green or greenish-red in summer
lc: like common seedlings of Ornatum Subgroup.
or: Cascio 1965
aw: FCC Royal Boskoop Hort. Soc. 1971; RHS AGM 1993
ns, id: like 'Ornatum' this clone could be raised from seed and spoiled in comparison to grafted examples. Furthermore, I have
ns, id: been at nurseries where unlabeled stock could be assigned in error to the wrong name. Anything red and cut could be assigned
ns, id: here or there if the reassignment is made by a less than skilled person.
eval: it is brighter red and glossier than many plants sold as 'Dissectum Atropurpureum' (correct name='Ornatum'). It
eval: has proven durable in sun in some areas though perhaps not the hottest US states.

Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Nigrum' ('Ever Red')
ht: 10-12 ft.
lc: new growth more silvery-hairy than most clones, then dark red, later brownish-red
afc: red
eval: most people prefer 'Crimson Queen' for color

Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Rubrifolium' ('Rubrifolium')
ht: 10-12 ft.
lc: new growth brownish-red or rusty-red, later reddish-green, often quite dark green in some areas. A transition to 4.a. colors
ls, lm: moderaterly incised
ll: 7-10cm ling
afc: orange, yellow shades
ns: it is unclear if this is the 'Rubrifolium' of other authors such as Pax so we have decided to use 'Dissectum Rubrifolium'
ns: to maintain clarify and eliminate some confusion.
id: it is not 'Dissectum Rubrum' is more green than red with maturity. That clone has clear red margins too.
or: known in Europe since 1865. It may be from Japan but that is unclear.

Acer palmatum 'Doctor Baker' ('Dr. Baker')
ha: vigorous
lc: red
afc: scarlet red
or: US

Acer palmatum 'Ebony' (11/5)
lc: dark red. Probably has some dark brownish-red shades given this name.
afc: rust and scarlet shades
so: Wildwoodmaples.com (online catalog 2005)

Acer palmatum 'Emma'
lc: red becoming dark purplish-red, longer hold than 'Ornatum'
afc: rich orange
or, ns: Fritz van der Horst, Firma Esveld, named for his daughter

Acer palmatum 'Ever Red' = 'Dissectum Nigrum'

Acer palmatum 'Filigree Rouge'
lc: red new growth, later dark brownish-green to reddish-green, even bronzish-green
afc: orange and yellow shades
ls, lm: 7-loned, finely incised but not a true filigree-type in my opinion

Acer palmatum 'Garnet'
ht: 10-12 ft.
ha: more vigorous than most in this subgroup, also less dense than most of them as a result
lc: dark red new growth, later glossy red, non-fading in many gardens but does fade in some gardens
or: seedling from Italy
in: Guldemond Brothers, Holland c. 1959
eval: very popular in Europe and "the most widely grown" according to the vanGelderens. It is not so common
eval: in the US where in some areas 'Crimson Queen' dominates the trade.

Acer palmatum 'Hatsu Shigare' ('Pendulum Hatsu Shigare')
ha: highly cascading
lc: bright red new growth, becoming dark reddish-purple
ls, lm: similar to 'Garnet'

Acer palmatum 'Heartbeat'
lc: bright red
afc: bright crimson
or: Australia

Acer palmatum 'Inabe Shidare'
ha: cascading as "shidare" implies, lightly more erect than some in this subgroup, vigorous. Vertrees notes the
ha: branchlets are thicker and not weak or delicate as in some cultivars.
ll, lw: 9-11cm - very large for this group
lc: dark purplish-red blade, petioles brighter red, holding color most of summer unless in hot climate
afc: bright red to piurple shades but best color in drier soils
ls, lm: 7-lobed, moderately deep incisions, lobes narrowly elliptic in outline
in: Yokohama Nurseries, Japan

Acer palmatum 'Irish Lace'
ns: a listed name, said to resemble 'Tamukeyama'

Acer palmatum 'Julian' ('Pendulum Julian', 'Julian's Weeper'?)
lc: bronze-green veined green new growth, later dark purplish-red most of summer, later bronze-red tinged red
afc: orange and red shades, often very showy
ll, lw: 7-10cm long and wide
ls, lm: 7-lobed, radiating well, more finely serrate than finely incised
ch: more cold hardy, having survived -18 deg. C.
or: 'Pendulum Julian' seems associated first with Yokohama Nurseries, Japan c. 1935, introduced to the
or: US via Henry Hohman, MD USA c. 1950 and thence to the world from his Kingsville Nurseries.
ns: Vertrees uses 'Pendulum Julian' this name even though elsewhere he mentions that combining words from two languages
ns: is prohibited! Timber Press Editors where were you (again)? In the "CULTIVARS NOT YET ASSESSED"
ns: section there is yet another 'Julian' described as "soft green changing to a soft yellow in fall". After
ns: that 'Julian's Weeper' (a likely translation of 'Pendulum Julian') is described. As I've not seen all of them
ns: we'll defer until the Acer experts hash it out. The plant described above is well known in the US.

Acer palmatum 'Lionheart' ('Lion's Heart')
ht: 3-4m 
ha: vigorous, tree-formed in time, more erect than most in this subgroup, layered horizontal look with age
lc: purplish-red all summer
ls, lm: 7-lobed, highly incised
ll, lw: 8-11cm long and wide
afc: dark red
in: Duncan & Davies Nur., NZ c. 1990's, US trade 2001.

Acer palmatum 'Mioun'
lc: bronze-red
afc: yellow and orange shades

Acer palmatum 'Nigrum Select' provisional invalid name
lc: dark purple
or: Junker Nurseries (online catalog 2005), listed with them and others, and a parent of their sport 'Pink Ballerina'. Apparently a
or: selection from 'Dissectum Nigrum'. If distinct it deserves a correct and valid name.

Acer palmatum 'Octopus'
ha: cascading mound, so vigorous it can become irregular without good pruning. It was named for the
ha: long tenticle-like shoots which project and hang. They are both a good and bad trait.
lc: pink new growth, later dafrk purplish-red with greenish veins, bronze-red by late summer
afc: bright crimson red
ls, lm: deeply incised
ll, lw: 8-11cm long and wide

Acer palmatum 'Orangeola'
ha: smaller than most in this group, often densely mounded to subglobose. Good size for containers
lc: reddish-orange new growth, later green tinged bronze or red. Numerous flushes may keep the orange
lc: color going most of the summer. Bicolor effects can be very nice.
ll, lw: 7-11cm long and wide
ls, lm: deeply incised but notable for large, toothed tertiary lobes that are widely spaced
in: Greer Gardens c. 1988

'Ornatum' - click image
Longwood Gardens, PA USA. July 2005. A great example with lower limbs intact (rare at this age) on a grand lawn full of century-old
blue atlas cedars and other fine conifers. This is one of the finest examples in US collections. There is another fine one at Planting Fields
Arboretum on Long Island. The Raulston Arboretum example is one of the best limbed-up trees and is shown at the top of the page.

'Ornatum' - click image
Edgewood Memorial Park near West Chester, PA. July 2005. I saw this on a drive to Swarthmore and stopped immediately. It is nearly
as fine as the Longwood tree above but perhaps a few years younger. Note that some sections of the foliage are redder than others.

Acer palmatum 'Ornatum' and Ornatum Subgroup ('Dissectum Atropurpureum'. 'Red Cutleaf', 'Dissectum Ornatum')
ha: typical (cascading, mounded), very fine-textured, branchlets forming subglobose units or "clouds" of foliage with age.
lc: red new growth, becoming reddish-green, green tinged red, or bronze-red, usually more green in the Ornatum Subgroup seedlings
afc: orange to red shades, variable in seedlings of Ornatum Subgroup
ls, lm: highly and finely incised, mostly 7-loned, variable in some seedlings
ll, lw: 6-9cm long and wide, smaller than some other new clones in this subgroup
eval: popular as the original European clone (presumably most 100+ year specimens) and even more popular as Ornatum Subgroup
eval: seedlings where most are true to semi-true but often less persistant in summer red color. Many plants are pinkish by summer,
eval: odd shades of pink or bronze-green, green with reddish margins, or various suffusions of pink, bronze, and light red over green.
eval: some are barely distinquishable from 'Dissectum'  (the green seedlings) but tend to be darker greens or faintly bronzed.
eval: Like anything with genetic intermediacy the greens and red intergrade a thousand ways in a thousand nurseries.
eval: Better clones are reported and it is recommended these be carefuly described, photographed well, registered, deposted with major
eval: arboreta and herbaria, and when possible subjected to DNA documentation. There remains a big contention whether 'Crimson Queen'
eval: is better or not. The truth is really in the eye of the beholder. By any measure, the red foliage persistance is better with 'Crimson Queen'
eval: but some people actually like the lighter, paler look of original 'Ornatum' and not the very dark, somber clones. 'Garnet' and 'Lionheart' are
eval: two reds to consider before this one. I'd also give 'Red Dragon' a strong study too - it may prove the best of them all. I personally
eval: like the colors and lobing found in 'Tamukeyama', especially as it has proven heat and humidity tolerant in my part of North Carolina.
or: Europe. Named by Carriere in 1867. 'Dissectum Atropurpureum' is rejected now because it dates frm J. Hogg in only 1879.
ns, id: this is THE red cutleaved plant of most nurseries and gardens. It is seldom seen under the correct
ns, id: name 'Ornatum'. The name Dissectum Atropurpureum Group has been used for seedlings of variable colors but
ns, id: that is not valid since it is based on an invalid cultivar name! Ornatum Subgroup is recommended when necessary.
ns, id: There is some debate as to whether this name is later (European) homonym of the long-used 'Beni Shidare' in Japan. We defer
ns, id: to Vertrees opinion that 'Beni Shidare' ("very uniform" red tones and "always pendulous") remains distinct when it is true. The real
ns, id: 'Ornatum' (based on the oldest Western trees) is not so drooping or pendulous as 'Beni Shidare' and is perhaps more irregularly bronze-green
ns, id: than the more uniform, light red to bronze-red of 'Beni Shidare'. So many environmental factors affect the comparisons but grown
ns, id: together the true are clearly not the same clone.

Acer palmatum 'Pink Ballerina'
lc: dark purple with some leaves pink or with pink chimera
or: Junker Nurseries (online catalog 2005), own origination as sport of 'Nigrum Select'

Acer palmatum 'Pink Filigree'
lc: pink rose-pink new growth with yellow veins, later purplish-red, bicolor effects can be fine. Needs strong light for best color.
lc: It looks pinkish-green from a distance
afc: orange to red shades
ls, lm: 5-7-lobed, very finely incised. The quality of the nicely spaced lobes and teeth is very appealing to the eye (brain).
ll, lw: 7-11cm long and wide - larger than 'Red Filigree Lace'
or: Gilardelli Nursery, Italy as 'Ornatum' x 'Stella Rosa'

Acer palmatum 'Red Dragon'
ha: more compact than 'Crimson Queen'
lc: dark purplish-red color all summer compared to 'Crimson Queen', 'Garnet' and 'Ornatum'
ls, lm: 7-lobed, highly incised
ll, lw: 8-11cm long and wide - rather large by group standards
or: Graham Roberts, Duncan & Davies Nursery, NZ
eval: Vertrees and Gregory in the 2001 edition say that this may prove to be the new standard
eval: for comparing new red Dissectum Group seedlings. It seems to handle hot climates in NZ
eval: and presumably the southern and southwestern US with greater strength.

Acer palmatum 'Red Feather'
ha: more vigorous than 'Red Filigree Lace'
lc: lighter red than 'Red Filigree Lace'
ls, lm: very finely incised in the filigree style
ll, lw: smaller than 'Red Filigree Lace'
or: 'Burgundy Lace' seedling

'Red Filigree Lace' - click image
JC Raulston Arboretum. Spring 2003. Underplanting is Juniperus horizontalis 'Silver Sheen' which was named at the Arboretum.

Acer palmatum 'Red Filigree Lace' ('Red Lace')
ha: semi-dwarf, eventually (many years!) a cascading mound. Twigs are very thin and can be fragile in both garden settings and
ha: when trying to graft it.
lc: red new growth, later a darker red shade, greenish-red in hot climates by summer. Needs a bit of shade for protection in
lc: some southern and western states
ls, lm: 7-lobed, very finely incised with lobes and sublobes barely 1-3mm wide in most cases. It was the finest cut seedling ever
ls, lm: seen in the West when first offered. It is not a true filiform or threadleaf but very close.
ll, lw: 6-8cm long and wide, sometimes smaller on young plants
or: William Curtis, Sherwood, OR USA c. 1950 as seedling, later sold to W. Goddard, BC and then on to John Mitsch
in: Jean Iseli acquired the rights and offered it more widely starting in the 80's. They mastered stick budding to increase the production rate.
in: It remains very hard to propagate. I can recall when JC Raulston showed up with his first plant from Iseli and how much care and attention
in: it was given. It was almost like having acquired one's first Faberge Egg and tens of thousands where marched by it on tours each year.
in:  I believe the photo above may be that same plant. 

Acer palmatum 'Red Select' provisional name
lc: dark purple, later more green
afc: dark red mottled crimson
or: Vertrees, OR USA.
ns, id: Vertrees does not use this name. The name is more widely applied to "improved" seedlings of 'Atropurpureum'.

Acer palmatum 'Rilas Red'
lc: red
afc: bright red, showy

Acer palmatum 'Roseum Ornatum'
lc: bronze-red to bright reddish-pink new growth, often very colorful into summer
afc: orange to red shades

Acer palmatum 'Ruby Lace'
ns, id: very similar to 'Red Filigree Lace' and perhaps a way around any patent issues.

Acer palmatum 'Shojo Shidare'
lc: bright red new growth, becoming dark purplish-red, greenish center lines or sections, sometimes a bicolor look of red and green
ls, lm: 7-9-lobed, irregularly incised and toothed. The quality of the foliage is remarkable for lobing and teeth. It makes 'Ornatum'
ls, lm: look positively crude by design.
ll, lw: 5-7cm wide and longer - smaller than most
in: US in 1970 or late 60's from Japan

Acer palmatum 'Stella Rosa'
lc: pinkish-red new growth, later dark purplish-red most of the summer, even longer than 'Dissectum Nigrum'
ls, lm: 7-loned, moderately incised
ll, lw: 9-12cm long
afc: bright red, very showy at times
or: Gilardelli Nursery, Italy in late 1960's.

'Tamukeyama' ('Tamukuyama', 'Takiniyama') - click image
JC Raulston Arboretum. Spring 2005. A nice sky-backed view of this wonderful leaf. It is more tolerant of hot, humid climates than many
cutleaf reds. However it may take 100 years to reach 10 feet! It has been favored over 'Crimson Queen' by some southern US growers.

Acer palmatum 'Tamukeyama' ('Tamukuyama', 'Takiniyama')
ha: vigorous, very cascading, a graceful and elegant plant compared to 'Ornatum', especially if grafted up high enough.
lc: bright red new growth, later dark purplish-red, holding well into summer
ls, lm: 7-9-lobed, finely incised with numerous long, acuminate points.
ll, lw: 7-10cm long - tending towards the large side in most examples I have seen.
lu: it is favored over some other clones as it seems more heat and humidity tolerant
or: Japan 1710 and likely before

Acer palmatum 'Van der Akker' (11/5)
ha: semi-pendulous to horizontal
lc: red new growth, later bright red and green, bicolor effect
so: Wildwoodmaples.com (online catalog 2005)

Acer palmatum 'Volkel's Red Filigree' (2/02)
ht: 5-6 ft.
ha: mounded
lc: red
ls: lacy, finely cut like 'Red Filigree Lace'
eval: more vigorous, durable than 'Red Filigree Lace'
so: Roslyn Nursery (online catalog 2002)

Acer palmatum 'Washi-no-o'
lc: purple, becoming brownish-red to greenish red. It is very much intermediate to subgroup 4.a., a red-green neither all red or all green.
ns, id: it has been lumped with 'Dissectum Paucum' and 'Dissectum Rubrifolium' but the vanGelderens (1999) say
ns, id: this is "almost certainly incorrect. The plant photographed came from England and it was not possible to
ns, id: to identify it without some doubt."

Acer palmatum 'Watnong'
ha: cascading
lc: bright red new growth, later pinkish-red suffused over green
afc: scarlet
ns, id: it may prove a synonym of 'Baldsmith' as suggested by Vertrees (2001)
or: Watnong Nurseries?

Acer palmatum 'Zaaling'
ns: a listed name in the 2004-2005 RHS PLANT FINDER.

Acer palmatum 'Filigree'
ls: secondary lobes numerous, tertiary lobes or teeth small
lc: silvery-green or whitish-green, midrib area richer green. It is not a true chimera which very much two colors
or Joel Spingarn NY 1955

Acer palmatum 'Goshiki Shidare' ('Beni Shidare Variegated', 'Beni Shidare Tricolor')
ls: cascading mound
ll, lw - 4-6cm long (rather small for this group)
lc: geeen tinged red, marked pink, very variable, some marked with rich white chimera

Acer palmatum 'Hana Matoi'
lc: mottled pink and cream near the margins or occasionally over the entire blade
ls, lm: intermediate between the Dissectum Group and Matsumurae Group in shape

Acer palmatum 'Nomura Nishiki'
lc: bronze-green mottled yellow. The plant mentioned today by the vanGelderens is dark purple becoming paler with
lc: nothing of the variegation than "nishiki' normally implies.

Acer palmatum 'Suisei'
ha: slower than group typical
lc: green speckled white, similar to 'Filigree'. later a good, more solid green
in: Netherlands from Japan

Acer palmatum 'Toyama NIshiki'
ha: slower than most in the full group, often delicate for many years until established
lc: pink new growth, quickly green marked with pink and white chimera, every leaf a unique piece of art. It burns
lc: easily in many climates.
ll, lw: 6-8cm long - smaller on young plants
prop: difficult to propagate, even by modern grafting methods
in: J. Dickson & Sons, England 1882 from Japan