Japanese maple mutant

[BrightsideB]

I know there are tons of them. But check out this one I found as a seedling in spring. Babied it all season. Has grown over a foot. Hasn’t been growing roots strong but I believe will suffice. I believe it wouldn’t of made it without care in the wild. What I love about it is the very short internode length. 1/4 to 1/2 inch tops. Leaves are sort of weep. Chartreuse new foliage. I really hope it makes it. The root system has strengthened. I really want to graft it to keep the cultivar alive. But is still young. Would only be able to get one and hope it takes.

 

[QuantumSparky]

Looks pretty neat! Did that come from a normal tree you own?

 

[BrightsideB]

Looks pretty neat! Did that come from a normal tree you own?

My friend planted over 50 jm’s 25 years ago on his property. A wide variety of cultivars as well. This was under just a common greeen Japanese maple. I hope this guy survives. Usually the mutants lack certain attributes which will lead to them having weak roots or foliage. Weak branches etc. this one is pretty weak. It has been growing stronger though with time so I have hope for it. Has already grown over 20 internodes in length in like 5 months. About a foot tall or should I say long lol since it grows horizontally.

 

[Arlithrien]

If it's in its first year it looks fairly vigorous. If it's in its 2nd year, it survived one winter in the wild, I bet it will be healthy enough to survive on its own going forward, especially in your care.

My laceleafs in their first year are not nearly as vigorous.

 

[BrightsideB]

If it's in its first year it looks fairly vigorous. If it's in its 2nd year, it survived one winter in the wild, I bet it will be healthy enough to survive on its own going forward, especially in your care.

My laceleafs in their first year are not nearly as vigorous.

I fed it a organic fertilizer mix with clonex added and fulvic and humic acid. I mix it in a large pressured spray bottle once a week to feed my seedlings. Grown in 100% perlite. You can get much more growth. Proper ph of water is key as well. I just planted most of them all in regular soil and removed most the perlite from the roots.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Hi,
I am trying to find information on using Humic/Fulvic acid as a dilute form for spraying etc. I have stumbled upon this thread and it seems like you have the answer. Could you please tell me a teaspoon per gallon/litre rate?
Many thanks, Charles

 

[Shibui]

I have lost so many of these interesting JM seedlings over the first winter that I now approach graft them to a seedling in the first year - as soon as the stem is long enough to attach it to another seedling. The graft does not have to be neat or nice, I just need that one graft to keep it alive until I can do a better job as the scion grows a bit bigger.
Fingers crossed that you can keep it going.

 

[BrightsideB]

I have lost so many of these interesting JM seedlings over the first winter that I now approach graft them to a seedling in the first year - as soon as the stem is long enough to attach it to another seedling. The graft does not have to be neat or nice, I just need that one graft to keep it alive until I can do a better job as the scion grows a bit bigger.
Fingers crossed that you can keep it going.

That’s a great idea! I will have to start doing that with these weaker ones. I’m going to have to practice some approach grafts now!

 

[BrightsideB]

Hi,
I am trying to find information on using Humic/Fulvic acid as a dilute form for spraying etc. I have stumbled upon this thread and it seems like you have the answer. Could you please tell me a teaspoon per gallon/litre rate?
Many thanks, Charles

It depends on the product you are using. It doesn’t have instructions? I use a powder form 1/8 teaspoon per gallon. Not sure if too much would kill the plant. Humic and fulvic are different. Humic is primarily used for soil. If you are doing a foliar spray just use fulvic.

 

[Sean Walker]

That’s a great idea! I will have to start doing that with these weaker ones. I’m going to have to practice some approach grafts now!

I would love to see pics of your approach grafts and the type you used please ! Is attaching seedlings challenging? I’ve never done it so I would appreciate seeing how to do it with such small trunks.

 

[BrightsideB]

I would love to see pics of your approach grafts and the type you used please ! Is attaching seedlings challenging? I’ve never done it so I would appreciate seeing how to do it with such small trunks.

That is a question for @Shibui. He does that method. I was curious as well.

But this tree is about 3/16 inch thick near the base so has plenty of tissue to cut into for a graft. The photo only shows the top to show the foliage and internode length of the cultivar.

@Shibui do you think it would be to late to approach graft right now? This sapling is a little over a foot tall. My theory is if I did an approach graft half way up into more hardwood if it doesn’t take I’ll still have the lower portion if it does in fact pull through this winter?

 

[Shibui]

It is hard to say when is too late as I don't know your growing season. I use approach grafts because it does not matter if the graft unites right away. Even if the graft takes months both plants are sustained by their own roots for as long as it takes so it probably does not really matter when you make this sort of graft.

This sapling is a little over a foot tall. My theory is if I did an approach graft half way up into more hardwood if it doesn’t take I’ll still have the lower portion if it does in fact pull through this winter?

The beauty of approach graft is you do have the fallback position is it does not work as expected. your sapling is much bigger than the seedlings I was working with. Most of the seedlings were grafted because they were slower growing than normal and were grafted while less than 6" tall and while the stems were still soft but the technique can be used on stems at any age.

Unfortunately I have not kept photos of any I have done an it is too early in the season here to have suitable material to do a demo for you. The basic technique is lightly scrape the bark on one side of each seedling where they will join then tape the 2 together. The younger the stems the lighter I cut as you don't want to compromise circulation, just enough to stimulate callus formation which will unite the 2 stems.
Young, active wood will unite quicker than older lignified section.

 

[BrightsideB]

It is hard to say when is too late as I don't know your growing season. I use approach grafts because it does not matter if the graft unites right away. Even if the graft takes months both plants are sustained by their own roots for as long as it takes so it probably does not really matter when you make this sort of graft.

The beauty of approach graft is you do have the fallback position is it does not work as expected. your sapling is much bigger than the seedlings I was working with. Most of the seedlings were grafted because they were slower growing than normal and were grafted while less than 6" tall and while the stems were still soft but the technique can be used on stems at any age.

Unfortunately I have not kept photos of any I have done an it is too early in the season here to have suitable material to do a demo for you. The basic technique is lightly scrape the bark on one side of each seedling where they will join then tape the 2 together. The younger the stems the lighter I cut as you don't want to compromise circulation, just enough to stimulate callus formation which will unite the 2 stems.
Young, active wood will unite quicker than older lignified section.

That’s interesting! Thank you for the information. I have never done an approach graft. But plan on doing some soon!

 

[BrightsideB]

Not a lot of fall color yet. That internode length and foliage is rather sexy though! In a way I want to just leave it outside if it lives then it survives the winter test. But then I’d be sad if it dies. It lost it’s leaves because of mildew when I grew it all season inside and sprayed it with neem. I want to have faith in this little guy but am a little concerned about the weak root system.

 

[BrightsideB]

I kept this guy sheltered this last winter. It is starting to break dormancy. Can’t wait to see it in it’s second year. I am thinking of doing the approach graft once it has fully grown out it’s new growth this spring and then putting it in a place that gets the morning sun.

 

[badatusernames]

I have one with odd leaves like this that grew massive leaves last year. I didn't know what I was doing when I bought it or that it may have been a mutant til I saw this, I just never really looked into it and was letting it grow. I'll have to try to remember to post a photo once it leafs out.

 

[AlainK]

I am thinking of doing the approach graft once it has fully grown out it’s new growth this spring

Excellent idea : very often, "Freaks" - I love to call them Freaks, my soft heart, I love Freaks - don't thrive well on their own roots, so grafting, whatever the technique, is a good way to keep them. Fingers crossed.

 

[BrightsideB]

I have one with odd leaves like this that grew massive leaves last year. I didn't know what I was doing when I bought it or that it may have been a mutant til I saw this, I just never really looked into it and was letting it grow. I'll have to try to remember to post a photo once it leafs out.

I am by no means an expert. But from what I hear the Genes can be “unstable” with mutations. Meaning they can start growing more like a normal tree with time if they live. Or just die due to the genetics like having a weak root system. I got this as a seedling last year in a heavily diverse area with over 30 mature jms. It is a dissectum but the leaves and trunkare very weeping in nature. I had to stake it because it was growing parallel to the ground. Are you going to graft yours?

 

[BrightsideB]

Excellent idea : very often, "Freaks" - I love to call them Freaks, my soft heart, I love Freaks - don't thrive well on their own roots, so grafting, whatever the technique, is a good way to keep them. Fingers crossed.

I like them too! this is my favorite so far that I have propagated due to the characteristics of short internodes and the small bright green dissectum leaves. I hope the graft works then I can start propagating more for bonsai.

 

[rockm]

FWIW, threadleaf and laceleaf JMs don't do all that well in Southern locations. Their leaves can't take the summer sun. The examples of both planted here in Va. have typically brown crispy foliage by mid-August. A shallow pot makes that tendency even worse.