The Growing Edge – June 2016

This Month's Featured Trees

This month we are featuring two small deciduous trees. One is know for it's flowers, the other for it's spectacular autumn foliage.

Acer palmatum dissectum
Weeping Japanese Maple

The gracefully weeping Japanese maple tree is an excellent small feature tree. It's mature height is dependent on the initial graft height of the tree.The graft is where the weeping form of the tree is attached to a strong upright stem. In time, a weeping maple can reach a width of 5 metres with a slow to moderate growth rate.
The weeping maple is rounded and spreading with pendulous branches. The young branches first spread, then cascade into a wide-growing, pendulous tree.

Soft green foliage in spring becomes darker green in summer, wide spaced leaves, deeply incised with seven to nine long, fine lobes that are in turn deeply divided and serrated. The diverse, but more often brilliant scarlet foliage colour holds well in protected sites.

Adaptable to a range of soil types once established, but prefers a moist, well drained soil. The weeping maple should not be planted in exposed areas where hot summer winds may stress the tree and leaves may scorch.
The Weeping Japanese Maple is ideally suited as a feature tree in protected gardens.

Malus ioensis plena

Betchels Crab Apple

It is during winter that we see the unique structure of the Betchel Crab's branches.
Malus ioensis plena, also known as the Betchel Crab Apple, has an excellent spring floral display as well as rich autumn colour.

The Betchel crab apple is a small growing tree and is a good choice where space is limited. It will reach a maximum height of 6 metres and a width of 4.5 metres.
It has a slow to moderate growth rate that forms a broadly spreading rounded crown. The summer foliage is a deep green leaf with serrated edges. In autumn this crab apple has rich dark red and orange foliage. Masses of mildly fragrant, double flowers appear in late spring, a soft pink bud opens to large, rose-like flowers with prominent yellow stamens. The Bechtel Crab Apple prefers slightly acidic, well drained soil in full sun to partial shade. It grows well in most soils except those with a particularly high pH level. A good centrepiece in a small lawn and other areas where space is limited.

Winter is Bare Root Season

Order Your Trees

If you haven't already ordered your bare root stock this year, it's time to get in before the seasons stock sells out. We are happy to email out an updated availability list for your reference. Stock will begin arriving around the middle of June

Prune Your Bare Root Stock

Even though bare root trees can be quite small, it is most beneficial to the tree to give it a prune. During the digging process, many of the feeder roots have been lost and that loss needs to be represented in removal of some of the branches as well. Pruning will ensure an easier, more successful transplant. Any of the staff at Blerick are happy to do this for you if you are unsure of what needs to be done.

What's Looking Great

Dwarf Lilly Pillys

These trees are bushy and dense, ideal for creating a privacy screen along a fenceline or boundary. The small purple berries will attract native birds.

Winter Accommodation

With snow season around the corner, our cottages are filling up quickly for people looking for a homely place to stay after their day at the snow. We have cottages suitable for both families and couples.