There are some words and terms which we bandy about on the website with abandon but we appreciate not everyone may be familiar with all/any of these. We aim for this list to be ever-expanding as we think of new words but if there is something you think should be on here, just let us know!
Cultivar
A particular sport of a plant which has been selected and bred within the horticultural sphere. By definition, a cultivar does not occur in the wild and so any such naturally occurring variations of a species would be described as a ‘variety’. As with many trees, Acer palmatum produces seeds that have a wide spread of genetic variability and this may be demonstrated by variations in leaf shape, size, colour, habit etc. It is the selection of stable, strong-growing seedlings with new or unusual characteristics which may result in (after several years of growing and propagating) the introduction of a new cultivar. Other cultivars may be selected from genetic mutations such as witches brooms, Acer palmatum ‘Skeeter’s Broom’ being perhaps the most obvious example.
Grafting
A propagation technique which produces plants that are genetically identical to the parent. An incision is made into the trunk of the rootstock (or understock) and the scion (small piece of propagation material from the parent plant) is inserted and bound together. Eventually, the two pieces unite to form a new tree. It’s obviously a lot more complicated than this but it should give you an idea about the production!
Japanese Maple
What is a Japanese Maple? We are often asked what the difference is between a Japanese Maple and an Acer. The answer is nothing; they are one and the same thing. Acer is the scientific name (hence italicized) and Maple is the common name – Japanese Maples being those species native to Japan. The most well known are Acer palmatum, Acer japonicum, Acer shirasawanum and Acer sieboldianum, although there are around 20 other species (give or take a few, depending upon which taxonomist you speak to!).
Witches Broom
A witches broom is a genetic mutation that occurs occasionally in trees and manifests itself as a dense, twiggy growth within the branches of the parent. Numerous Japanese Maple cultivars have been propagated from witches brooms and are often identified by their dense growth and generally compact stature. A characteristic common to all witches brooms is that the middle lobe of most leaves is dramatically reduced in length.