Rudd’s Japanese Maple #1

[Ruddigger]

Maples tend to do really poorly in Southern California, especially if you are inland, like I am. High heat, mild winters, and terrible alkaline hard water make purchasing maples a waste of money.

So I purchased this standard Acer Palmatum from a nursery in February 2020.


In March 2020 I transplanted it to a concrete mixing tub with holes drilled in it.


December 2020 I chopped it back.


February 2021 I repotted it into a grow box.


February 2022 I put it into a Nao Tokutake oval.

And experimented with thread grafting.


December 2022. You can see just how terrible the nebari is in this picture just one big root on each side, then the other roots come out about 3” below those.


Spring of 2023 I did a bunch of root grafts, and it went back into a grow box. The thread grafts I did on the roots took, the approach grafts all failed except for one. In December 2023 I ripped off all the approach grafts and wired the tree after leaf drop.


February 2024, ground layering and repotting at a new angle back into the grow box.

 

[SgtPilko]

Thanks for sharing and glad its doing OK with your weather! Is it thriving or just surviving?

With hindsight did it go into a show pot too early? Is the box just for the nebari development stage or branch development too?

 

[Ruddigger]

Thanks for sharing and glad its doing OK with your weather! Is it thriving or just surviving?

With hindsight did it go into a show pot too early? Is the box just for the nebari development stage or branch development too?

The box is just for roots. I’m happy with the trunk size, I can finish the canopy out in a pot.

 

[Ruddigger]

Defoliated it a few weeks ago, and pruned back the extensions. Slowly building ramification.

 

[dbonsaiw]

looking good

 

[Paradox]

How did the ground layer go?
Really nice nursery find. It doesn't appear to be grafted which can be hard to find around here

 

[Ruddigger]

How did the ground layer go?
Really nice nursery find. It doesn't appear to be grafted which can be hard to find around here

I havent dug around to find out yet. I’ll check in the spring.

 

[Ruddigger]

One month after defoliation

 

[Cajunrider]

One month after defoliationView attachment 555392

Lookin' good!

 

[Ruddigger]

Starting to get a little fall color, which really doesn’t happen here. Our fall color is usually brown and burnt.

I put some guy wires on a few branches, and I do see some new surface roots along the soil, so hopefully the ground layer was successful.

 

[dbonsaiw]

Tree is looking really nice. I have a JM in development that is shaped similarly, and I am trying to decide whether to develop the leader/canopy the way you did or, alternatively, to give it a chop and continue the leader from a higher side branch in more of an "S" shape. I was initially leaning towards the "S" type shape, but seeing yours I think I just changed my mind. What does yours look like from a side view if I may ask? I really like the way the top of your trunk leans towards the viewer, as opposed to the "S".

 

[Ruddigger]

Tree is looking really nice. I have a JM in development that is shaped similarly, and I am trying to decide whether to develop the leader/canopy the way you did or, alternatively, to give it a chop and continue the leader from a higher side branch in more of an "S" shape. I was initially leaning towards the "S" type shape, but seeing yours I think I just changed my mind. What does yours look like from a side view if I may ask? I really like the way the top of your trunk leans towards the viewer, as opposed to the "S".

Still growing out the upper rear branching, hopefully it will get more balanced next year.

 

[Japonicus]

Nice @Ruddigger. Glad the layer took

standard Acer Palmatum

Mountain maple, Palmatum palmatum, standard. Are these all synonymous?
Have you used lime sulphur on the trunk?
Curious about the lighter trunk with pretty much no green colour to it.
Earlier photos have green, then not so much.

 

[Ruddigger]

Nice @Ruddigger. Glad the layer took

Mountain maple, Palmatum palmatum, standard. Are these all synonymous?
Have you used lime sulphur on the trunk?
Curious about the lighter trunk with pretty much no green colour to it.
Earlier photos have green, then not so much.

Yeah, theyre all the same thing. The bark tends to get grayer the older it gets.

 

[Ruddigger]

This is probably peak fall color for this tree. I’m shocked it got this much tbh.

 

[BrianBay9]

Man you've shown some determination working this one!

 

[Ruddigger]

Defoliated.


Removed some coarse branching and wired a few branches.

 

[Ruddigger]

On second thought, I decided it was time to remove one more major branch.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Good call Ryan

 

[clem]

Good evolution
On the apex, there is a candelabra shape, with inversion of taper.
..
If it was mine, i would thread graft another apex on a lower section of the trunk (to replace the actual apex). The goal is to get a nice (elegant) apex i the future ->


The tree has interesting branch movements and character, imo