How do you describe trees? Beautiful, noble, or strong may be a few words that come to mind… How about economic and environmental value, longevity, and investment?
Trees play many important roles in the landscape. In a well-maintained landscape, trees add long-term value and curb appeal to your home. When properly selected, planted and maintained, they provide shade and naturally cool our indoor living areas during the summer months. As natural filters, trees remove carbon dioxide from the air and return needed oxygen for our use.
Beauty is an obvious benefit. Glorious flowering dogwoods and cherries mark the end of winter and much needed arrival of spring! Trees for seasonal color – Japanese maples – add tremendous interest to the fall landscape.
Our tree department offers an extensive collection of the highest quality trees – in many varieties and sizes – to fit any landscape setting. Let our Certified Nursery and Landscape Professionals at Martin Viette help you select the right tree the first time! Proper planting and care instructions come with every tree that you buy.
Planting service – planting big trees can be a big job. Martin Viette can plant your tree for you; and when we plant it, we guarantee it for two years instead of one!
Japanese Maples
Lagerstroemia
Japanese maple, Acer palmatum, is a highly desirable signature plant in the landscape. Native to Japan, they are adored and prized (even collected!) for their beautiful foliar colors – spring through fall. This versatile plant can be used as a specimen in borders or in suitable containers. Locate them where they can be enjoyed and appreciated for their interesting foliage and outstanding colors.
Hardiness – Cultivars are reliably hardy to zone 6, some to zone 5. We are considered zone 7 on the North Shore of Long Island. (The lower the zone number, the colder the winter low temperatures.)
Leaf color – Depends on the cultivar and time of year. New growth can be shades of green with white or pink variegation; or crimson, red, bronze, purple. Fall color includes: scarlet, red, bronze, yellow, crimson, etc.
Growth habit and shape – Depends on the cultivar selected; unusual branch twists and formations are highly desirable with some cultivars. Generally considered a small tree in the landscape, but height and width are variety-dependent. Ask when you buy.
Pruning – Rarely are Japanese maples and their cultivars pruned. Only selective pruning would be done to maintain and accent unique form and shape.
Care – Clay soils (heavy soils that are typically found on the North Shore) should be amended with organic matter – compost or composted manure prior to planting to improve poor drainage. Apply an inch of water per week; remember to factor in any rainfall. Then, allow the soil to begin to dry slightly between waterings. Shallow-rooted, Japanese maples prefer a light covering (1-2”) of an organic mulch to protect the roots.
No one ever calls them by their formal name (it can be tricky to pronounce!) of Lagerstroemias; it’s so much easier to say Crape Myrtles (CM)! Southerners know of their charm, now we can enjoy hardy varieties on Long Island. Crape myrtles put forth an incredible display of color (pinks, magentas, whites) during the summer when few, if any, trees or shrubs are blooming. For best results, grow CM in full sun and well-drained soils. We have different varieties to choose from – from small to large shrub (or small tree). Let us help you select the right variety for your landscape.
