ACER palmatum 'Koto hime' questions?

[edprocoat]

I was at wally mart today and seen a maple labeled Maple JPN roseo marginata, which upon research was not the proper label as the plant with that name is a red lace leaved tree. This plant has dark green classic maple leaves that are about the size of dime! maybe a hair larger. Upon research on the internet at a neat site called Rare Find nursery I stumbled upon a picture showing this exact tree and leaves. The site said a "slow growing dwarf variety that will reach five feet in about ten years". This tree I seen had mostly high branches and a 3/4 inch trunk and 3 nice radial roots 1 1/2 inch beneath the soil and is almost 4 foot tall. The leaves are very close to the branches and real tiny and very dark green, they seem to form on fine little branches. It has one small branch coming off the side about 7 inches up from the root system, well up from the three that come off different sides, there is one more larger root about 3/4's an inch above the other three.

Has anyone worked with one of these? I was thinking of trunk chopping it, but if its tthat slow growing it may make a nice stick with a few leaves in 2 years time! Then again it might back bud well and be something nice, what do I know? Nothing obviously, thats why I am asking the experienced Maple shapers here for any info.

ed

 

[Smoke]

Kotohimi grows somewhat similer to Shishigashira. A picture would be helpful here. I prefer Kiyohimi to the Kotohimi but either will make attractive bonsai. Bill Valavanis works with the Kotohimi maple and has several.

http://artofbonsai.org/galleries/valavanis.php

 

[edprocoat]

I will try to get a picture of it, I did not buy it though. I am still in schock over the maple I bought that is now nearly dead! Actually it lost over half its leaves initially between the fall in the near wreck and the hail damage, then over the next few days it lost half of the remaining foliage due to the stems being broken from the wreck or the hail, lately the leaves have been browning at the ends, so I think I may have killed this once lovely little tree.

Makes you wonder why I would want another maple, oddly enough since I seen this lovely tree I have been smitten by maples and have been trying to save the one I and the weather have abused so. Normally I am not into deciduos trees but in person a maple has an amazing appeal. I guess I have never paid attention to them before, don't get me wrong I have seen the masterpieces and appreciated them but never looked at anything in my price range.

ed

 

[Ang3lfir3]

I have large kotohime ... its slow as all heck but looks beautiful..... since I know you really want small bonsai it would indeed be right up your alley .... mine is rather large however it took someone else a very long time to get it that way....

 

[berobinson82]

I have large kotohime ... its slow as all heck but looks beautiful..... since I know you really want small bonsai it would indeed be right up your alley .... mine is rather large however it took someone else a very long time to get it that way....

Can we PLEASE see this one? The way the leaves stay so close to the trunk/branches makes me wonder how it would look bare contrasted with when it's in full leaf.

 

[edprocoat]

I went back and took a few pictures, you would have thought I was committing a heinous act with the attention the wally workers gave me!


maplefind by edsnapshot, on Flickr

A closeup of the leave size on the biggest leaves.


Mapleafclose by edsnapshot, on Flickr

I think this is the kotohime, but I am open to more learned opines.

I would like to buy this and air layer the top sections. I have no experience with maple air layers, I know I can take most tropicals either cuttings or air layers any time of year without worry, are there certain times for a deciduos tree? I would assume during the growing season so it could form roots. That is unless this is not a good candidate. I know this is nothing special but if I could get 3-5 small layers I would make a small forest group with the trunk as the largest tree maybe 8 inches tall. About how long does a maple take to layer succesfully?

ed

 

[Ang3lfir3]

Can we PLEASE see this one? The way the leaves stay so close to the trunk/branches makes me wonder how it would look bare contrasted with when it's in full leaf.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?6620-Acer-Palmatum-Kotohime-quick-review

latest pic .... taken sometime this spring ....

.... yes it needs work... it is no way anywhere near in the same class as Bills

strangely no winter shots of it... that I can recall ..


early spring...

Vic holding some leaves as they emerge .....

 

[William N. Valavanis]

Ed,

Looks like 'Shishigashira' to me.

Bill

 

[mcpesq817]

Ed,

Looks like 'Shishigashira' to me.

Bill

That's what I thought too.

 

[rockm]

FWIW, all of the JM varieties with congested foliage like this are a bit more difficult to work on since the leaves have very little space between them. Wiring is harder, REMOVING wire can be harder if you discover its biting in during the growing season. They also don't really have a classic "maple" silhouette. Not a bad thing, but if you're after a classic maple image, I'd reconsider the cultivar and go with a plain old Japanese maple of indistinct heritage. Mutts sometimes are easier to deal with than pedigrees.

 

[edprocoat]

Bill, thanks it does look like that cultivar to me now that I have seen pics of it.

Rockm, Duly noted. I am more interested in the look of the leaves but the slow growing has me hesitant to buy this plant. I would assume that would mean it would be slow to develop roots in an air layer situation too. That and teh fact I am not familiar with maple care has made me reconsider obtaining this tree.

Thanks for all the replies. Man I would love to have a small forest of decent maples just for the fall display though...

ed

 

[Bill S]

It's only money.

 

[edprocoat]

It's only money.

True, Mr. President.

ed

 

[William N. Valavanis]

I just came across a photo of my Shishigashira Japanese maple forest. Interesting thing is that they are all air layers from the same plant so they are truly genetically uniform.

Enjoy the beauty!

Bill

 

[edprocoat]

Bill, thats beautiful! ! How long does it take for an air layer on this tree? I would assume it would have to be done in spring?

ed