I wanted to plant a weeping japenese red maple in my landscaping project this year but I live in zone 4?

Question

From the research I have done on the internet they wont do good here. I have been looking for something else weeping that I could use. Anybody know a good weeping tree for zone 4.

Answer 1

Trees that may interest you:

Fagus Sylvatica 'purpurea pendula
Nyssa sylvatica - weeping cultivars available
Betula pendula 'youngii'
Ulmus glabra 'Camperdownii'

There are new cultivars of trees coming out all the time. If you see a tree you like that grows well in your area, check to see if a weeping version is available, you will be surprised.
Also check with your local nursery, there may be plants available to them that they don't get in on display that may suit you. Good luck, I love weeping trees as well.

Answer 2

The Bloodgood Japanese maple is about the hardiest of the lot. It you have a protected microclimate you might make it work. To help, you could get chickwire as a cage around it each winter. Mulch it heavily and then fill the cage with about 3 bars of Tom Cat rat poison and straw and leaves.

An alternative might be be the acer ginnala 'Flame' or 'Embers', good zones 3-7. They have leaves that are an 1 1/2 inches long, similar to a Japanese maple and are a deep bright red in the fall. The common cultivar seems to be red all year long...just the acer ginnala. They have bright red seed pods and actual flowers. The growth habit of this tree is very weeper-like although not a true weeper.


If you are looking for another alternative, check out the weeping crabapple 'Red Jade'. It is very pretty in winter with its red berries. The buds in the spring are a pink that open to white.

Answer 3

How about a pea shrub? They're about 10 feet tall and they even look pretty in winter. http://www.djroger.com/Siberian%20Pea%20Shrub.htm