Acer

[VampireTheBuffetSlayer]

Does anyone have an Acer that is in a sunny spot in the garden?
I've been advised that they don't like to be in direct sunlight however my neighbour and MIL both have them there.

They will survive in a sunny spot, but the delicate leaves can become scorched by sun or wind.
Having said that we planted one in an exposed position and it thrived.

I've got 4.they're my favourite but the paler leafed varieties do suffer with sun scorch.

They are happy in sunshine as long as the pot is big enough to not dry out. Keep it well-watered, and it will be fine.

The reason that the leaves can get scorched is that during hot, sunny or windy weather (the worst is all three), the roots literally can't suck up moisture quick enough to replace that which evaporates from the leaves. However, trees have been coping with that scenario since long before there were humans around, so although scruffy leaves are unsightly, the tree comes to no harm. To develop really good autumn colour they need sunshine.

Having said that, they are an 'understorey' tree, and do prefer some dappled shade, particularly the feathery 'dissectum' varieties.

Acer Sango Kanu need full sun. It is one of my favourites as it moves from palest yellow, though orange and then deep pink. Best of all, in winter it has scarlet stems.

Mine are fine in full sun. The ones I've had most success with I planted in Sept so that they had all winter and Spring to settle in

Ooh @florentina1 that's good to know! I just bought one a few weeks ago and assumed it would need some shelter.

Would acers in pots on a sunny patio be best off with saucers underneath them to maximise the water uptake?

Would I be better getting one in a pot and planting it in autumn then do you think @Wriggleout?
Thank you @florentina1 I will look out for that variety. Some of the ones in the garden specifically said on the label not to be in full sun between 12pm and 3pm so I asked if there was a variety that could be in the sun and was told not.

Very helpful everyone, thanks :)

Personally, that's what I would do. Keep it well watered in the pot, then transfer to ground in Sept with lots of compost and bone meal. But I'm no tree expert, so others who are might have better advice. It's just worked really well for me in a sunny SE facing garden

This is where I buy all my Acers

Not sure on the variety but I have a large Acer inherited with my house - it's in a border which has full sun all day in summer and is absolutely fine, although is a large/established tree so maybe this helps? The garden was completely overgrown when I bought it, so it clearly doesn't mind neglect either!

I have two acers, the pink one has always been in semi shade, the red one started out in a very hot, sunny spot but always looked scorched and bedraggled, it is in with my pink one in semi shade now

@Letseatgrandma

Would acers in pots on a sunny patio be best off with saucers underneath them to maximise the water uptake?

No. If you do that and the compost is wet all the time, then the roots at the bottom of the pot will just rot. They need to be watered from the top. If you are going away for a few days it would be all right, but not for any length of time.

Standing the pots near a water feature or pond raises humidity and they enjoy that.