Tree With Red Leaves.? I Thought It Must Be A Type Of Maple...............but Which One

[lilacben]

In the winter it grows like bristly type heads that fall. Like a bottle brush tyoe of thing.? Would anyone know what is is called please.? Thankyou Brenda xx

[lilacben]

thinking about it the leaves are more purple. One thing I do know is when the brush type ball comes off in the winter they are a devil to pick up.

[sir.prize]

Are the bristly type heads the seeds?

Can you spot them on this link?

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&gs_rn=12&gs_ri=psy-ab&;cp=8&gs_id=4i&xhr=t&q=tree+seeds&;biw=853&bih=506&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=RnmGUfvaA8WS7AbNv4CQBA

[lilacben]

sir.prize. many thanks but no I do not see it on those pages. They are like delicate puffy balls and I think there must be seeds attached somehow. they feel prickly when you pick them up and then break up.x

[CailinDeas]

Could it be a Cotinus?

[lilacben]

Yes I think that is it..............cotinus royal purple tree smoketree......... Now would anyone know if it should be showing sign of life yet.? or is it dead.? My next door neighbour has asked my husband to cut it down but we are not sure. shouldnt it have growth on it by now.?

[woofgang]

I live in the far south and mine is only just shooting. of you scrap a tiny bit of bark off the trunk and it looks green underneath then be patient. The other way to tell is that if you go out there at night when its cool, if the tree is alive, the branches will feel cool. Dead wood has no sap in it and feels less cold.

[lilacben]

wolfgang, that is great information. I live in the south west so maybe behind with the budding. many thanks Brenda x

[Iluvspikey]

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Japanese_Maple_Acer_palmatum_Backlit_2700px.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Japanese_Maple_Acer_palmatum_Backlit_2700px.jpg&h=2000&w=2700&sz=1605&;tbnid=v6QyQpDKWddF-M:&tbnh=75&tbnw=101&prev=/search%3Fq%3DAcer%2BJapanese%2Bmaple%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=Acer+Japanese+maple&usg=__xcX2azvzEcYygQ3DRpxN8KwrjGE=&docid=gVN5-2DzJ9W-jM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pJaGUe6WIsqqPMPCgDA&ved=0CMIBEP4dMAs

[Iluvspikey]

I have this red Japanese Acer in garden

The link above

[lilacben]

Iluvspikey, Thankyou. Brenda x