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Don't Cry For Me: European white birch trees are commonly planted for their graceful weeping foliage and papery, white-and-black trunks.
Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
Grower of Japanese maples plans sale of his exotic trees
By Tony Tomeo
Last week, I described how some rather esoteric plant species may be found at the local Farmers' Markets. Because vendors at the markets are not normally affiliated with mass production-oriented growers, they may grow and market cultivars and varieties in which they are truly interested.
For example, Chi-Tao Yuan of the Saratoga and Mountain View Farmers' Markets grows some of the most extraordinary Japanese maples I have ever encountered. I have grown many Japanese maples, but nothing compared to Yuan's.
What I neglected to mention is that Yuan will be conducting a more extensive sale of Japanese maples at his Saratoga home on May 5. This event is recommended for serious Japanese maple enthusiasts. More than 50 cultivars will be available. Some are extremely rare and, otherwise, very difficult to obtain.
Garden enthusiasts considering attending this event should be aware that, although Mr. Yuan grows very exotic Japanese maples, he does not promote the more common varieties, or the larger specimen trees often found in nurseries or garden centers. In fact, he often directs patrons at the Farmers' Markets to nurseries for commonly available Japanese maples.
Some of Yuan's cultivars with which many of us are not familiar, but would impress Japanese maple enthusiasts, include but are not limited to: Hanami nishiki, Kotonoito, Kinran, Tsuma beni and Tsuma gaki. Anyone interested in attending the Japanese maple sale may contact Yuan at yuansplant@yahoo.com. He prefers to be contacted by email, but may be contacted by telephone at 408.867.6860, by those who, like myself, prefer not to use computers.
I should also remind garden enthusiasts that Spring in Guadalupe Gardens is April 28. More information is available online at www.grpg.org, or by calling 408.298.7657. Spring in Guadalupe Gardens was featured in this column on April 11. Those who would like a copy of the old column, but cannot find one may retrieve it online at www.svcn.com/archives by doing a key word search.
Incidentally, I am working on a website of my own. I really don't like computers or the Internet, and have consequently been hesitant about doing so. I am available via email, however, at LGHORTICULTURE@aol.com. I am usually in the office on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and am not usually able to return calls on Wednesday afternoons, Thursdays and Fridays. I do not return calls on weekends, unless requested to do so. Any suggestions for the column should be received two weeks prior to any preferred date of publication.
Tree of the Week: European White Birch
When we were in college, Brent Green (my colleague whom I continually joke about) and I would visit nurseries after bare-root season to collect European white birch trees, Betula pendula, to install in his mother's garden. Although they seemed puny at the time, they matured into an impressively "natural" grove among an impeccably maintained garden.
The average European white birch may grow to 35 feet high, but is usually limited to about 20 feet wide. Many may be grouped in groves where foliar canopies mix, allowing for many trunks in a small area. The trunks are actually the most ornamental feature of the trees, which only provide light shade. The clean white trunks are punctuated by black striations and resemble "cookies n' cream" ice cream.
Because birch groves are informal, they are often amended by adding younger trees. When adding new trees, it is very important that they be of the same species and cultivar as the original trees. Jacquemontii birches are often substituted because their white trunks are easily confused with those of the European white birch. Unfortunately, as they mature, their canopies grow upright rather than pendulously, and their trunks lack the deep, black striations. Garden enthusiasts who have accidentally mixed two species may be frustrated by the lack of conformity and assume that one or the other is somehow diseased.
Several species and cultivars of birches are available in nurseries and garden centers. The European white birch is the most commonly available. They are most often grown from seed, rather than grafted onto understock, are various other cultivars.
Horticulturist Tony Tomeo may be contacted at 408.358.2574.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
