Golden Fullmoon maple

Photo credit: Mr. Brian Upchurch, Highland Creek Nursery, Fletcher, NC

A few months back I asked Mr. Brian Upchurch, owner of Highland Creek Nursery*, his opinion of Golden Fullmoon Japanese maple (Acer shirasawanum ‘Aureum’) in our Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7).  He responded: “I have grown it in the past and it doesn’t really thrive in the summer heat of the southeast. Many others have also tried”.

“Golden Fullmoon maple is absolutely gorgeous in Oregon and in parts of Europe. It is rarely seen in Japan, again due to the heat. If you do choose to get an ‘Aureum’, it looks great in the spring, and so-so for the remainder of the growing season.”

As better alternatives Brian suggests “Acer palmatum ‘Summer Gold’, Acer shirasawanum ‘Moonrise’ (PP 16,718), or perhaps even Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’ as similar (but not the same) plants. The color won’t be quite as good, but these hold up to the heat better than ‘Aureum’.”

“A new selection of A. shirasawanum called ‘Jordan’ looks promising, but there are no larger plants around. So it hasn’t stood the test of time.”

*Highland Creek is a wholesale only rare plant emporium in Fletcher, NC.