Red Japanese Maple Leader - July 2023
![Image](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsI0Pnyog6MtmMJN3UcHgquue8xtGXZiyhuxfGdf5XOnUxQyRPPRNhYQ4GTsgE05IuzG8AmYee7gtPTNeUiJc7ueBL_SUinLtZ-W3EIO7ajc6bSuZl3cBJB_Fi2SMehOMXYJADiCmsI_irOScYLkX-hV89gV5rpaSMbajeCOQlMvqv0H2Z-jHQOx2sQ/w482-h640/PXL_20230704_221058809.MP.jpg)
Last month, I planted a small (1.5 gallon) unknown variety Japanese Maple tree from the orange big box store that I couldn't pass up . I still don't know that variety of the tree, but that doesn't mean I can't keep trying to 'get to know' it a bit in an attempt to figure out what variety it *is* in actuality. Back in this post , I toy'd around with what it could be - ranging from English Lace to Garnet. And that was based on the idea that it was 'upright' in habit. But, is it upright? I don't know. I *do* know that the way to keep tabs on this is to document the leader and how it grows. That requires a series of posts, but this one will serve as the kick-off. Has this put on new growth since I planted it? I'm not TOTALLY CERTAIN, but I'm pretty sure that this trio of stems that is lighter colored - at the very top - are all new (since being planted). See below for the current state of the apical meristem on this red, unknown l