Hagoromo (Acer palmatum 'Hagoromo' )

Hagoromo (and I apologize for the photo because it is hard to see this) is unique because the leaves have no petiole so they are in whorls around the stem each coming off on a different plane. I have never seen a large plant, but I imagine that it would be beautiful, at least in the fall.

Groundcover (Acer palmatum 'Groundcover' )

Think Kamagata lying on the ground. It’s not exactly right but gives the idea. Groundcover’s leaves are small, green and deeply divided with longish lobes. If you show the plant who’s boss right at the beginning and put it on a stake, you get to decide how tall it will be and what the general shape will be, but if you let it lie about, it gets very brittle and every limb you try to lift up, breaks off. Bummer. Frankly I don’t think trees should be ground covers, but I was a little too late with my plants.

Grandma Ghost (Acer palmatum 'Grandma Ghost' )

As with all the Ghosts, it is the spring show that grabs you; this medium upright spreader is fairly nondescript throughout the summer

Goshiki kotohime (Acer palmatum 'Goshiki kotohime' )

A dwarf with thick short branches, it can get to be 6′ tall. The new leaves come out pinkish. Fall color is orange. zone 6

Ghost Dancer (Acer palmatum 'Ghost Dancer' )

This is another in the series of Ghosts, but not from Buchholtz. It has the prominent veining of the others in the series with the prominent leaf color a greenish white with a shading of pink. To 8′; the fall color is quite nice. zone 6.

Geisha (Acer palmatum 'Geisha' )

Geisha has the first requirement of a plant that will make it big in the trade: a great name. Unfortunately it is lacking in the others. I’m kidding. It is totally darling with bright red leaves in the spring with dark green spots, but it has a small problem: it is not stable. You don’t know what it will look like from one growth spurt to the next. I would toss it except that even the reversions are interesting. This photo from Michael Healy shows the plant at its best.

Garyu (Acer palmatum 'Garyu' )

What to say? Garyu is bizarre; for sure it is a dwarf: mostly lying about, but sometimes sticking straight up; the long lobes on leaves twist and writhe; it is interesting and attractive if you can figure out how to grow it.