2015 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners

Acer palmatum var dissectum 'Viridis' - green laceleaf maple is a member of the Dissectum Group of Acer palmatum. Mike Dirr calls the group "Perhaps the most refined of all maples". We believe the fine textured filagre foliage is beautiful at any time of the year from the lime green expanding new foliage to the green seasonal foliage to the fall color. This gorgeous plant is particularly effective in spring when the lime green new foliage emerges. The fall color is a wonderful blend of oranges, yellows and brilliant red. Viridis maple grows wider than tall to about 6-10 feet tall by 12-20 feet wide. Frequently found pruned to a small tree with a cap-like growth pattern; once planted the weeping form can be allowed to gorw to the ground if a cascading appearance is wanted. These plants are propagated by grafting (side graft) to an Acer palmatum 'Dissectum seedling'. The seedlings of Acer palmatum var dissectum often exhibit great variability which can lead to new selections. Scions are grafted to one-year old rootstocks. Propagation by cuttings has been successfully done with pencil sized cuttings using high hormone percentages (8,000-20,000 ppm IBA) with mist. The mounded cascading form with red fall color image was taken at Pine View Nursery, Leitchfield, KY by owner Kevin Collard.