Maple tree named ‘INAG-E61’

Abstract

A new and distinct variety of Maple tree being small to moderate-sized with red leaves, hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 8, and having an upright, narrow, oval habit, is disclosed.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of Maple tree designated ‘INAG-E61’ as illustrated and described herein.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) This new Acer tree is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, trunk, and foliage. The photographs were taken outdoors in Boring, Oreg. with dates indicated. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a 6-year-old tree of ‘INAG-E61’ in the foreground on May 26, 2022.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the spring foliage and the flowers of a 5-year-old tree of ‘INAG-E61’ on May 7, 2021.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the immature spring foliage with pubescence of a 5-year-old tree of ‘INAG-E61’ on Apr. 29, 2021.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a close-up of the summer foliage of a 14-year-old tree of ‘INAG-E61’ on Jun. 24, 2021.

(6) FIG. 5 shows the progression of the foliage color of a 5-year-old tree of ‘INAG-E61’ from April to August 2021.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a close-up of the bark from a 15-year-old tree of ‘INAG-E61’ on Sep. 7, 2022.

(8) FIG. 7 show a close-up of the samara from a 12-year-old tree of ‘INAG-E61’ on Aug. 2, 2019.

(9) FIG. 8 shows a whole 4-year-old tree of ‘INAG-E61’, including the fall foliage on Oct. 19, 2021.

(10) FIG. 9 shows a close-up of the fall foliage Oct. 19, 2021 of the tree of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) The following detailed descriptions are for the distinctive characteristics of ‘INAG-E61’. The data which define these characteristics were collected outdoors in Boring, Oreg. in August 2022 (unless noted) on 6-year-old and 15-year-old trees in Boring, Oreg. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Classification: Family.—Sapindaceae. Botanical.—Acer pseudosieboldianum x Acer palmatum. Denomination.—‘INAG-E61’. Tree: Type.—Deciduous. Shape.—Upright, narrow, oval. Growth and branching habit.—Small to moderate-sized single stem garden tree; upright, and slightly spreading; well-ordered branch pattern; full-leafed tree. Propagation type.—Grafting onto seedling Acer palmatum rootstock (unpatented). Height (from soil line).—280 cm at 15 years and 190 cm at 6 years. Width (horizontal plant diameter).—180 cm at 15 years and 120 cm at 6 years. Growth rate.—25 cm per year. Hardiness.—Hardy from USDA Zones 4 to 8. Time to produce a finished tree.—Trees are sellable at 4 years, but will also be sold at 6, 8, or 10-years-old. Diameter of the trunk measure at 10 cm from the soil line.—10.5 cm at 15 years and 4.0 cm at 6 years. Trunk bark smooth at 6 years to slightly textured at 15 years.—Small 0.1 cm to 0.4 cm wide scale-like plates RHS 156C (Greyed-White) that are variable in length and vertically arranged with jagged edges, plates separated by fissures; at 6 years fissures 0.1 cm to 0.2 cm wide and paper shallow deep, and at 15 years fissures 0.2 cm to 0.5 cm wide by up to 0.5 cm deep, fissures revealing darker-colored RHS 165B (Greyed-Orange) underlayment; no lenticels observed on the trunk. Foliage: Arrangement.—Opposite and simple. Quantity of leaves per lateral branch.—Upper crown, strong lateral branches: Average is 10, 12, 14 leaves, or occasionally more. Mid-crown, moderate-sized lateral branches: Average is 6 or 8 leaves. Lower-level lateral branches: 4 or 2 leaves. Shape.—Palmatilobed; 7 lobed, but occasionally, there are 9 lobes; lobes are deeply divided ½ to ¾ of the leaf. Apex.—Narrowly acuminate; long, sharp leaf tip. Base.—Truncate to subcordate. Margin.—Doubly serrate. Length.—7 cm to 10 cm. Width.—7 cm to 13 cm. Texture (summer leaf).—Upper surface: Smooth, mid-veins slightly sunken. Lower surface: Smooth, mid-veins protruding. Pubescence.—Present on new foliage. Color, observed in August 2022.—Immature, new leaves, both upper and lower surfaces: RHS 53A (Red). Mid-shoot, mature leaf color, both upper and lower surfaces: RHS N77A (Purple). Oldest sun-exposed leaves: Upper surface: RHS N189A (Greyed-Green). Lower surface: RHS 147B (Yellow-Green). Fall color, observed in October 2021, upper surface: Early onset and multicolored; RHS 58B (Red-Purple), RHS 51A (Red), RHS 30B (Orange-Red) and RHS 17C (Yellow-Orange). Petiole.—Length: 4 cm to 7 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Color: Immature or exposed upper leaf petiole: RHS 53A (Red). Mature or shaded leaf petiole: RHS N144A (Yellow-Green). Leaf bud.—General: Hidden under the leaf petiole. Color: RHS N144A (Yellow-Green). Shape: Conical. Height and width: 0.1 cm and 0.1 cm. Venation pattern.—Palmate, mid-lobe veins with paired forward-angled lateral veins and smaller reticulate veins. Venation color.—Immature color is RHS 153A (Yellow-Green) and mature is RHS N144A (Yellow-Green); Venation color changes from immature to mature leaf and is always a lighter color compared to the base leaf color; the yellow-green highlighted venation pattern provides a glowing optic with sunlight transmission. Lateral branches/stems: Quantity per tree (6-year-old tree).—30 lateral branches arising from the trunk. Color.—Color gradient is from red to yellow-green; new or sun-exposed branch surfaces are red and transitioning to yellow-green on shaded or aged surfaces. 1-year-old branch, sun-exposed: RHS 187B (Greyed-Purple). 1-year-old branch, mid-shoot or with some shading: RHS 181C (Greyed-Red). 1-year-old branch, base of shoot or lower shaded surface: RHS N146A (Yellow-Green). 2-year-old branch: RHS N146A (Yellow-Green). Size.—Upper crown, 1-year-old shoot: 45 cm in length and 0.5 cm in width with 7 nodes. Mid crown, 1-year-old shoot: 30 cm in length and 0.3 cm in width with 5 to 6 nodes. Small, secondary 1-year-old shoot: Less than 30 cm in length and 0.1 cm in width with 1 to 3 nodes. Internode length.—4 cm to 9 cm. Texture.—Smooth. Lenticels.—Are not a distinct visual feature; occur at the base of strong 1-year-old shoots and 2- and 3-year-old branches and are not observed on the trunk; are small, less than 0.1 cm to 0.2 cm, circular and/or diamond-shaped; lenticels have RHS 155C (White) rings surrounding a very small, and short protuberance RHS 17B (Yellow-Orange) as observed under a lens. Flowers: Observed but not a defining characteristic of the tree. Fruit: Each paired samara (wing and nut) is 1 cm to 1.5 cm in length and 0.5 cm to 1 cm in width with a rounded wing tip; pairs held at a wide obtuse angle 130 to 160°. Samara wing color RHS 144A (Yellow-Green) and wing edge RHS 64C (Red-Purple). The nutlet is very hard, round to oblong, 0.5 cm in width and RHS 144A (Yellow-Green). Often, only 1 of the paired nutlets has a fully developed embryo; the underdeveloped embryo has a flattened nutlet and an undersized or less than half-sized attached wing. Disease/pest resistance: No specific disease or pest resistance has been observed to date.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL, COMMERCIAL AND ACER PSEUDOSIEBOLDIANUM AND ACER PALMATUM LINES

(12) Table 1 shows a comparison of the differences between ‘INAG-E61’ and the commercial Maple tree ‘Bloodgood’ (unpatented).

(13) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Comparison with Commercial Line Characteristic ‘INAG-E61’ ‘Bloodgood’ Hardiness USDA Zones 4 to 8 USDA Zones 5 to 8 Leaf lobes 7-lobed 5-lobed (occasionally 9) (occasionally 7) Leaf margins Doubly serrate Serrate Leaf venation color, RHS N144A (Yellow- RHS 59B (Red-Purple) mature Green) Trunk 15 years Slight texture, fissures, Smooth, no no lenticles fissures, lenticles Samara 1 cm to 1.5 cm length 2.5 cm to 3 cm and 0.5 cm to length and 1 cm wide 1 cm wide

(14) Table 2 shows a comparison of differences between ‘INAG-E61’ and the parental lines and Table 3 shows comparison between a typical Acer pseudosieboldianum and Acer palmatum.

(15) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Comparison with Parental Lines Female parent: Male parent- NORTH WIND open Characteristic ‘INAG-E61’ ‘IslNW’ pollinated Hardiness zones USDA Zones 4 to 8 USDA Zones 4 to 8 Not available Leaf color, RHS N77A (Purple) RHS 146A Not available mature (Yellow-Green)

(16) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Comparison with Acer pseudosieboldianum and Acer palmatum Acer pseudo- Characteristic ‘INAG-E61’ sieboldianum Acer palmatum Hardiness zones USDA Zones USDA Zones USDA Zones 4 to 8 3 to 8 5 to 8 Leaf color, mature RHS N77A RHS 137A RHS 147 (Purple) (Green) (Yellow-Green) Leaf lobes 7 to 9 9 5 Trunk Fissured Fissured Smooth Fall leaf drop Yes No, usually yes marcescent