what is this plant?

is this a "japanese maple" like all the "non gardeny" people tell me or something else?




sorry to bother you again,but one more plant to identify-
is this


an acasia tree?

[ 08. June 2007, 07:45 AM: Message edited by: gardengnom ]

 

This looks like quite a big tree so it might be Acer Rubrum, which originates in America and is a naturally occurring maple. The term 'japanese maple' usually refers to cultivated varieties of acer palmatum and there are hundrends of varieties, many of which are quite small. Is this a current picture?
it's a lovely colour, whatever it is!

 

One of the most popular Japanese maples is Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood', which can grow up to 30 foot. Your picture looks like that. Its dullish red all year - then it goes the most magnificent bright red in autumn. But as Liz says there are so many varieties, and people usually associate the words Japanese maple with the smaller varieties.

 

The photo was taken 2 days ago.
The thing is-none of the people I know here know anything about plants (they are very good at killing them though!)
so most plants are either called "thingmiebob" or something they ressemble
Is this the famous maple tree they use to make syrup in America?

 

Acer rubrum normally has pale green leaves on first opening. If yours opens red then it might well be Bloodgood. The maple tree used for maple syrup is normally the green maple called very sensibly Acer Saccharurm, as it has the highest sugar content, but look here:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD6286.html
The yellow flowered tree looks like laburnum, these are flowering now, small trees with acacia like leaves and very common in UK, but there are some acacias with yellow flowers.

 

I just Googled this from Wilkiepedia :=

Maple syrup originates in northeastern North America, and is commonly associated with Quebec and New England, especially Vermont, and Maine. However, given the correct weather conditions, it can be made wherever maple trees grow. Usually, the maple species used are the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and the black maple (Acer nigrum), because of the high sugar content in the sap. A maple syrup production farm is called a sugarbush or the sugarwoods. Sap is boiled in a "sugar house" (also known as a "sugar shack" or cabane �  sucre), a building which is louvered at the top to vent the steam from the boiling maple sap.

As Liz says the main source is Acer saccharum, but the implication is that it can be made from other maples as well. I am looking at my little Acer palmatum disectum in a new light.

 

Many thanks to you both!
I have lots to learn about british flora than i expected...

 

I'd say that the first pic is some kind of japanese maple, although I'm not that well up on them.
The second is definitely laburnum, probably "Vossii" as the flowers look longer than the norm.

 

The first picture looks to be either Acer platanoides Crimson Queen or Crimson King.The second photo seems to be of one of the Laburnums. David.