Japanese Maple Deadwood

[Shyza]

Hello! I’m completely new here. I’ve been using this message board for years now to learn but never joined. More of a lurker, but here we are. I’ve joined because I have an interesting question I would love to pose to the group.

I have a Japanese maple in training that will one day be a pseudo bunjin style bonsai. What’s interesting about this momiji is that it actually has deadwood on it which is what drew me in to purchasing the material.

As we all know, we add line sulphur to evergreens like pine and juniper, but would it be possible to do the same on this tree? The color of the deadwood is fascinating, and I just thought I’d get the group’s opinion on applying lime sulphur to the deadwood, or leave it be. It can either be for aesthetics, or for preservation of the tree long term. What do you think?

Pic of the tree is attached.

Thanks!

 

[Shibui]

Without treatment dead wood will rot away. maple wood is medium hard so will last for a few years but will slowly get soft and collapse.
Lime sulphur is a fungicide and pesticide. Painting it on the dead wood stops fungi infecting the dead wood and rotting it away. It also bleaches wood white but people who do not like the white add ink or some other colour to the lime sulphur mix to reduce the stark whiteness or paint the bleached wood after treatment.
No problem using lime sulphur on any species, including maples. I've used it for years on both Japanese maples and tridents to preserve dead wood.
Need to reapply lime sulphur at least once a year. I seem to be doing mine 2 or more times to stop moulds and mosses growing on the bare wood.
We now have a range of more modern wood preservatives. Earl's wood hardener and similar products contain resins and acrylics. When painted onto dead wood the actives soak into the wood and set to harden and preserve the wood but are uncoloured so your dead wood colour should remain almost unchanged.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I spend my time in the UK forums. Also if you do Instagram look up Bonsaisteve. He has had maples with deadwood for 20 years. He uses a wood hardener on his maples. As I picked his brain on the topic. Now... Harry Harrington uses super glue on deciduous. So there are two views on deciduous and protecting. I personally can't use super glue. My lungs can't handle the scent.

I personally asked him/this Steve guy... as I've many with scars as well. Love seeing ones appreciatiation of trunks with character. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Shyza]

Thanks for the responses! I might use wood hardener to preserve the dead wood. It's a wild looking mottled gray color so it might be nice to keep it like that.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thanks for the responses! I might use wood hardener to preserve the dead wood. It's a wild looking mottled gray color so it might be nice to keep it like that.

That's why they choose to use that. It's not a conifer. You don't want bleaching the deadwood. Again ... you will find me in the UK groups because I admire that dead wood on deciduous they are all known for.

Quite welcome.

 

[penumbra]

I appreciate this post. I have a maple for which I will need to address this issue.