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It looks like it has been grafted & the top is dead but the bit it was grafted onto is thriving. The supplier says it wasn't grafted. The new leaves look very different to the plant I bought and it is Crimson Queen variety which had very purple leaves. I googled it to see if the leaves change colour throughout the seasons but apparently not.

I have bought two, positioned in different places in the garden so it's not wind or sun that's caused this.

Whats happening to it, please?

Update: After looking again (with my glasses on this time) I can now clearly see where it has been grafted, thanks for all your replies. I will return both for a refund.

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Alina
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Kat
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    Can we get pictures of the stock? Specifically, I want to see if I can identify any graft lines so it will need to have good lighting. – Rob Aug 10 '18 at 17:34
  • Send a picture of the trunk coming out of the soil, let's see how deep this tree was planted. Also how long has this plant been in this pot? Did you transplant it or is it still in the same pot from the nursery? What kind of soil? What fertilizer? Have you sprayed any chemicals lately? Let's see the other tree as well... – stormy Aug 10 '18 at 21:29

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Yes this is definitely grafted. I have seen this before with Crimson Queen variety, that is the one with slim red leaves (right?). My friend had one as well, and then also it started to get these green leaves on the base of the trunk, which are of another Acer palmatum variety. They usually graft Acers because the clones or cutting poorly root, so they take the roots from seedlings of another Acer palmatum variety. Another reason to graft is that some varieties have better trunks (or better as stormy calls it: root stocks). This is often seen by apples and other fruit trees. If you inspect in more detail you can see where the graft is placed (some kind of wound).

The supplier is lying if he says it was not grafted. The dead upper part might even be caused by bad grafting. How long did you have this plant before it died?

benn
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  • Not long maybe 2 weeks, they have said I can get a refund. I was hoping it wasn't grafted & would maybe return to the plant I bought but maybe not, thanks – Kat Aug 10 '18 at 18:43
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    Okay, I would get the refund if I were you. The Crimson Queen part of the plant will not come back. – benn Aug 10 '18 at 18:50
  • It certainly looks like a botched grafting. – Rob Aug 10 '18 at 19:12
  • Definitely grafted because its a named variety - these are always grafted, usually onto Acer palmatum or Acer japonicum (green leaves, both) rootstock. You do sometimes get a naturally redleaved variety from growing from seed - but even if it looked like Crimson Queen, it can't be called or sold as that. http://japanesemaplelovers.com/japanese-maple-seedlings/ Either the nurseryman is ignorant of these facts, or is being economical with the truth... – Bamboo Aug 10 '18 at 19:53
  • Wow, I wish I could come up with such NICEness, "economical with the truth"...btw b.nota, plants are grafted onto sturdier root stock...for sturdier roots, not trunks. grins! – stormy Aug 10 '18 at 21:32
  • @stormy its a British thing - economical with the truth is a delicate yet heavily sarcastic way of saying lying through your *%#! teeth – Bamboo Aug 10 '18 at 22:46
  • Ohhhh, LOL. Major LOL! – stormy Aug 10 '18 at 22:47
  • @stormy, I kindly disagree, the graft is usually above ground so technically that is called a trunk. – benn Aug 11 '18 at 07:29
  • The entire point to grafting is to secure a hardy root stock, not trunk. The trunk is protected, the graft not so much but the weakest link are the roots. When plants die above the graft, the plant (what is left of the trunk and the roots) furiously get to work growing photosynthetic growth. Those shoots will usually look very different than the plant that was grafted on top. – stormy Aug 11 '18 at 20:00
  • @stormy, Acers are mostly grafted because cuttings/clones don't root easy, hence they use the trunk and roots of other seedlings. I am not English native speaker, so rootstock is probably the best name for it, (we don't have it in Dutch so I use trunk). I have changed in the answer especially for you to include root stock as well. – benn Aug 11 '18 at 20:38
  • @b.nota well so very cool! A dutch person! We're on the same page sounds like! Rootstock to me are very hardy roots of some hardy species with enough trunk to graph another tree, same genus with different species or phenotype that has fragile roots but more attractive top growth. Eating your cake and having it too? – stormy Aug 12 '18 at 07:59
  • It isn't that they don't 'root easily' it is that their roots are far more fragile for the environment and seasons. The roots are the most susceptible part of a plant to cold (and heat) not the top growth. So they put different, more HARDY roots onto a species/variety that we want to grow yet have a root system that will make it through the winter. Not the trunk. The trunk will be fine. It is the splicing together of hardier roots to a prettier top growth that the genetic roots of that top growth that would not be able to survive the winters. – stormy Aug 12 '18 at 21:01
  • @b.nota If I could only learn another language! Be able to write and communicate via writing in another language? Of course we will have definition problems!! You write better than most college graduates in this country! – stormy Aug 12 '18 at 22:46