Amur Maple

The plan was to replace the Amur Maple

this year, an order had been placed

at the greenhouse.

This spring the Amur Maple looked 

really good ~ in fact too good.

In 2000, this little sprig was planted.

I wrote about in 2010.

A Child and A Tree

A little girl, in first grade, one day brought home a sapling well

pretty much a stick. We were to plant it in the ground. It is a good

thing that it came home with instructions -- when you have

young children in the house it is always busy. So after the stick stayed

on the counter for awhile with a wet brown paper towel and a baggy

wrapped around it we got it planted.

The paperwork (which I still have) indicated that the trees were

donated by MANTRAP VALLEY CONSERVATION AUXILIARY -

a local group.

Tree --- Amur Maple

Height --- 15' to 20'

Foliage --- glossy dark green, variably

yellow, orange or red in the fall

A slow growing small tree or large shrub native to

Northern China. May be pruned to a single stem which

is seldom straight. Very Hardy...

Fall of 2010

This poem also came home with the sapling --

CHILD AND TREE

Please let this tiny seedling show the years your child's in school.

They both develop quite the same; it's part of nature's rule.

Plant it firmly in the ground, with sun, and room to grow.

Give support while it is young; it must grow straight, you know.

Feed it wisely, not too much, and watch it weather storms.

If given freedom in good soil, a lovely shape it forms.

The same is true of children, you cannot push or shove;

Just understand and gently guide, and show how much you love.

It's true your patience will be tried when progress seems too slow;

Yet tree and child are gaining strength though outward signs don't show

And pray to God to help you in your handling child and tree--

A dozen years from now you'll be so pleased with what you see.

September 2010

Ten years later and now a senior in high school --

I came across this little tidbit as I've been working on

daughters' scrapbooks - what a little treasure.

---------------

Now, another 16 years look at it (not too

bad).   The branches are all over, some are

broken and trimmed and some hang low

bothering the guy that mows.  But overall,

it looks pretty darn good and the birds

like it right next to the birdfeeders.

Now 26 years old.

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So now the rest of the story....

The new replacement Amur Maple arrived

and it took some time to decide where

to plant it. 

One day I was mowing around the old

Amur Maple and the Peony garden and

I stopped.    Behind the Peony garden

lining the woods area is this brush or

bushes....  I don't recall them changing

color but I pull out my cellphone to ID

the bush....  Yep behind the Peony garden,

the edge of woods is covered with

Amur Maples. 

So it was decided that a replacement in

that location wouldn't really be needed.

The new Amur Maple found a nice

place on the other side of the yard with

hopes that many bushes will eventually

start (that may help with blocking 

blowing snow in the winter -- eventually).

I hope this Amur Maple likes its' new spot.