Acer pseudoplatanus 'Brilliantissimum'

[fieldfest]

Do any of you have one of these, and what does yours currently look like?

I just bought an 8ft standard, partly as I looked it up and liked the look of it, partly as it was the biggest tree in the nursery and reduced from £40 to £24

My one has no leaves but does have buds

Initially i thought no leaves must be because of autumn, but why the buds?

[Conifers]

Initially i thought no leaves must be because of autumn, but why the buds?

Because if it didn't have buds, it would be dead

Looks worryingly fast-growing there, 'Brilliantissimum' is very slow-growing with dense twiggy head. So maybe you've been sold a plain ordinary Sycamore

[Mr List]

looks like you can see the graft just above soil level.

I think they look nice but sycamores are just plain weeds here so I would never buy one

[Blairs]

It will have lost its leaves early as it is in a small pot for the size of tree, so will have autumned early. Buds are a good sign, so no worries. I take it you did do a scratch test before purchase to make sure it was green under the bark and branches?

[fieldfest]

Not heard of a scratch test before, the buds are green and it does have a graft so assume the speed of growth is to do with the rootstock. I might scratch it then to check all looks ok. I will find out in spring if it's the right sort as the new leaves will be salmon pink.

[Conifers]

If the buds are green, that's (a) a sign it is alive, but (b) may be wrongly labelled - 'Brilliantissimum' has yellow/pinkish foliage and buds

Usually, 'Brilliantissimum' is grafted at head height, like a standard rose, because the top grows so slowly.

[kata]

Different nurseries have different prices,

Jackson nurseries want £28

RHS

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=39

[Mr List]

If the buds are green, that's (a) a sign it is alive, but (b) may be wrongly labelled - 'Brilliantissimum' has yellow/pinkish foliage and buds

Usually, 'Brilliantissimum' is grafted at head height, like a standard rose, because the top grows so slowly.

I was going to say that he did well getting one grafted lower down rather than head height.

there is only two sycamore cultaivars I know of this and the variegated, eskimo, I think it is called.

[fieldfest]

Bud and graft pics. Any chance its the right one or should i go back for a refund?

[Conifers]

and the variegated, eskimo, I think it is called.

Properly 'Esk Sunset', named after the Esk Valley in New Zealand. Apparently "eskimo" is a frequent misinterpretation of the name.

[Conifers]

Bud and graft pics. Any chance its the right one or should i go back for a refund?

The buds there are yellow with just a hint of green - that's good news for the identity. Ditto the yellow-brown bark. Look at buds on a normal Sycamore, and you'll see they are dark green, and the bark a darker greenish-brown.

[fieldfest]

Bud and graft pics. Any chance its the right one or should i go back for a refund?

The buds there are yellow with just a hint of green - that's good news for the identity. Ditto the yellow-brown bark. Look at buds on a normal Sycamore, and you'll see they are dark green, and the bark a darker greenish-brown.

Do you think the speed of growth is just down to the root stock then? Thank you for your help

[Conifers]

Do you think the speed of growth is just down to the root stock then? Thank you for your help

Hard to know at the moment. Maybe extra nutrients, etc., applied at the nursery. Or it could yet turn out to be a different cultivar, only spring and the new leaves will tell.

[kata]

Bud and graft pics. Any chance its the right one or should i go back for a refund?

You may get one if its not what the customer asked for.

I paid pence under £50.00 for the standard rose Brother Cadfael but it lost a life of a branch in winter. I wrote to David Austin and I now expect a replacement in November free of charge. It DOES look lopsided as they said it would reason for the free replacement.

They know from the pic I sent that the roses look nice but they insist on the freebie.

You can see the dead brown branch to the right on the black shed door.

Click for bigger Image.

Try a refund F.F if its not what you expected.