How do you go about caring for hybrid cultivars?

[Mints]

Hi all,

Recently I've been looking at a North Wind maple, An Acer Palmatum/Pseudosieboldianum hybrid. But I'm beginning to realise that I have absolutely no idea how to care for a hybrid cultivar. I've found the basic information after some hours of scrolling; what soil it prefers, shading preferences, etc. But when it comes to more specific info, like prefered fertilisers, pruning and growth habits, and other more "Bonsai related" details, there's effectively nothing. I think it's fair to assume it takes after it's parent species, but which in specific?

While I'm here, does anybody have any good resources for Maple care? Doesn't have to be directly related to Bonsai.

Thanks in advance.

​

 

[rockm]

Same practices that apply to Acer palmatum apply to the vast majority of cultivars. North wind maple, from what I've seen, is hardy to Zone 4, which means in ground. Like every bonsai, subtract one zone for hardiness because of the container. That would make it hardy to zone 5.

Japanese maples are understory trees, meaning they like morning sun, but some shade in. In northern climates (you don't say where you are, which is VERY important to anyone providing information), it will probably be fine in full sun.

Overwintering depends on where you are.

 

[Shibui]

Recently I've been looking at a North Wind maple, An Acer Palmatum/Pseudosieboldianum hybrid. But I'm beginning to realise that I have absolutely no idea how to care for a hybrid cultivar. I've found the basic information after some hours of scrolling; what soil it prefers, shading preferences, etc. But when it comes to more specific info, like prefered fertilisers, pruning and growth habits, and other more "Bonsai related" details, there's effectively nothing. I think it's fair to assume it takes after it's parent species, but which in specific?

IMHO you are making it far more difficult than it needs to be.
Individual species or hybrids don't need specific fertilizer. For plants, fertilizer is fertilizer. Provided it contains nutrients they will be happy.
While there are those who use different soils for each species all trees can cope with a range of conditions and therefore a range of different soil mixes in pots. Using a standard soil mix makes watering and other care much simpler for bonsai growers. All my bonsai and developing trees grow well in the same standard mix - pines, junipers, maples, ginkgo, azaleas and many more.

Hybrids are generally stronger and hardier than either of the parents. That's why we develop hybrid vegetables and farm animals but the same is true of other plants. Whatever care and conditions apply to the parent plants should be fine for the North Wind Maple.

 

[Mikecheck123]

IMHO you are making it far more difficult than it needs to be.

And that level of precision is meaningless.

 

[Mints]

Thanks for the help, both of you. I thought I filled out my profile but apparently I never saved it.

I know that level of precision doesn't make much difference, but I've had some larches die/almost die based off what I suspect to be soil related issues, so I've been putting some extra effort into getting things right going onwards. But if it really doesn't matter that much I won't go so overboard.