Observation of Acer pentaphyllum with 5 leaflets
(
From sprouting to appearance of 5 leaflets)
1. An article on Jan. 28, 2009 (from sowing to sprouting)
After cold stratification, seed were stored at room temperature in damp spagnum moss.
After two weeks they began to sprout with seed leaf, and I put them into plant pot.
After more 10 days, new leaves appeared,
they did not have 5 leaflets, but do not have even any lobes
yet.
2. The article on Feb. 28 (about 40 days after sprouting)
They began to have some lobes.
Seedlings 40 days after sprouting under the warm sunlight at the south side of my room
3. The article on May 26(about 130 days after sprouting)
Spring came, and they were put from in my room to outdoors in April.
They soon began to have not 5 leaflets yet but leaves with 5 lobes.
Leaves with 5 lobes appeared at about 130 days after sprouting
4. The article on May 30
They have 3 or 5 lobed leaves.
5. The article on Jun. 21(about 150 days after sprouting)
We are in rainy season in Japan. Not 5 leaflets yet.
They were lobed more deeply, but not 5 leaflets yet.
6. The article on Jul. 01(about 160 days after sprouting)
6 months after sprouting, they seem to be in between 5 lobes and 5 leaflets.
7. The article on Jul. 12(about 170 days after sprouting)
Over 6 months after sprouting, leaves at the top of the tree showed the 5 leaflets at last.
Acer pentaphyllum with 5 leaflets over 6 months after sprouting
I checked that Acer pentaphyllum has the leaves with not 5 lobes but with 5 leaflets.
The comparison with the cultivars of Acer amoenum 'Shimenouchi'
The leaves of cultivars of Acer amoenum 'Shimenouchi' with 4, 5, 7 lobes
We could check that the leaves of 'Shimenouchi' with not leaflets but with 7 lobes
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Acer pentaphyllum is an exotic maple species from China with 5 leaflets.