Please help me ID a Tree

[Twiggy]

Hi-

I would like to appeal to all y'all's expertise in identifiying a tree. I do not have any pictures yet so I will try to give as much text info as possible.

The tree seems to be some sort of ornamental Maple. It is planted outside of my office building in midtown Atlanta.

It is rather short, squat and wide-spread, maybe 15-20 feet tall with a 25-30diameter spread. It has multiple thick trunks with relatively smooth bark.

It has very small leaves 1-2" accross coming off the stem in parallel pairs. The leaves have a classic "Marijuana leaf" shape - of five long pointy lobes with jaged edges and five radial veins that meet at the base of the leaf. The leaves are realatively new right now so they may grow larger as they mature. Right now the average lobe is 1.0 long by 0.2" wide. The stem is circular in cross-section.

I hope I have provided enough clues. I have tried going through a couple of tree-finders but I have met dead ends. Can anybody help?

Thanks, Twiggy.

 

[Elmore]

Sounds like a Japanese Maple. Any seed formation?

 

[rebelman]

I bet it's a japanese maple. They look alot like cannabis sativa, or cannabis indica.

 

[treeseer]

30' wide? Mighty big for a japanese maple;get a tape measure along with your camera.

 

[ASD]

:notrolls2: :notrolls2: :notrolls2: :notrolls2:

 

[geofore]

?

I bet it's a japanese maple. They look alot like cannabis sativa, or cannabis indica.

Which one of those cannabis has purple leaves?

 

[Elmore]

Acer palmatum f. atropurpureum

Here are two Acer palmatum f. atropurpureum or Redleaf Japanese Maples that look to be about that size. These two are located in Louisville, KY at Cave Hill Cemetery.
Cave Hill Cemetery is a great place to visit but you may not want to stay there.

<img src="http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33792&stc=1&d=1147232752"width=500>

 

[Twiggy]

Tree Identified

Thank you for all your responses.

It looks like we have a consensus. Elmore's picture is pretty close to my tree. I had no Idea that Japanese maples got so big. I thought they were all small ornamentals.

I am remodeling my back yard, where I am in desparate need of shade, but i want something that does not grow too high. I plan on putting in a Yoshino Cherry as the p[rimary shade tree, but after running into this Japanese Maple at my office, I see that it would fit back there perfectly.

I have some questions for you:
1. Is it possible to buy and transplant a reasonably mature Japanese Maple?
2. How quickly do japanese maples grow? Would it take 50 years to grow one big enough to provide any shade?
3. Do they do well in georgia red clay?
4. Do I have to have a PHD in Bonsai to take care of one?
5. I don't understand ASD's post. Could someone explain?

Thanks for all the help. If it stops raining, I will go snap a picture.

-Twiggy