Opinions on styling new cork bark maple

[Greenfields]

Hi everyone! Hope all is well.
I have purchased a cork bark maple and I’m looking to hear peoples opinions on styling it as the more options to visualise/choose from the better
Attached are the pics I have from the seller and I will take more Sunday when I pick it up

paying £120

Trunk is almost 2 inches and has a bit of flare at root base

stands 70cm tall at the moment but wanting to decrease that

I know the trunk is very straight and I doubt I can change that with it being cork bark so quite rigid I imagine but I love the bark and I haven’t seen one of these for sale anywhere before

thanks

sean

 

[Greenfields]

Photos

 

[leatherback]

Good buy. Mature arakawas are rare as happy gringes.

The first branch could become the main trunk. You could layer everything else off to make a small clump bonsai on the side. Plant the original plant at a slight angle and the traightness should mostly disappear.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The trunk is beautiful, wonderful cork bark. Worth the price asked. A cork bark maple with this degree of bark formation should be about 10 to 20 times the price asked. The reason it was sold so cheap is that the arrangement of branches coming off the trunk is very awkward. You need to sit down with an experienced professional and figure out how to fix the branches coming off the trunk. The angles of insertion to the trunk, and the initial arc of the branches are all "off". I'm not sure I could figure out how to proceed. This is why I suggest you get this tree in front of an experienced bonsai professional. The age of the trunk may mean it is too late to do any "trunk chopping", as there might not be enough dormant buds to reliably 'just chop" below the first branch and see what sprouts.

Sorry, I know you are proud of this tree, and the bark is certainly wonderful. Actually, if I got this for $120, I would be quite proud of the deal, but I would also be worried about how to fix this tree. This tree needs help to be fixed, and it is old enough, that the "Fixes" that one would use on a young tree might not work. Get this in front of a professional bonsai artist, they will have the experience to guide you through redesigning this tree. The end result will be well worth the cost of getting professional help. Your profile does not give a general location. IF I knew your location I would propose a few professionals in your area.

The solution proposed by my friend @leatherback - but the branch I would use is the thickest of the two first branches, removing the other. But not seeing this tree in 3D I am not certain this is the right path to follow. That is why I suggest getting a professional to look at this tree.

Trunks this aged are uncommon, this tree is worth an investment in planning its future.

 

[leatherback]

the branch I would use is the thickest of the two first branches, removing the other.

I think we are talking the same direction:

What to do exactly is, indeed, as you remark, dependent on the 3D image.

 

[Greenfields]

Thank you to you both, I am picking it up Sunday so will have some better photos for you then. £120 seems a very good deal for a tree with this age of bark which is why doing a 4 hour drive for it as I couldn’t pass up the opportunity!
I do like the vision of the cuts shape you are thinking of and actually I’m pretty certain I will end up taking that root as it will give it wonderful character and I imagine the wounds won’t look bad on this tree with the gnarled cork bark.
I am in Warwickshire, England and I have a professional 10 minutes down the road thankfully called David Cheshire where I am booked in to one of his drop in sessions a week Sunday so I will take the tree with me to that and update you with his thoughts and the future of the tree

thanks again for both of your help and ideas it’s much appreciated

sean

 

[Greenfields]

Here are some more photos of the tree now I’ve picked it up. Looking forward to next spring repot as I believe there is a lot more nebari to show off under there and look at a more shallow pot as not a fan of the terracotta pot.
there’s a few dead branches I’m going to cut off and seal now and then look at taking cuttings/air layers next year

 

[leatherback]

Donot be too anxious to get it in a shallow pot. I would indeed repot, but in a large training pot for a few years. The lack of branches and the presence of many dead ones are reason for me to believe is it not healthy.

Do not do cuttings, but layer

 

[Greenfields]

Donot be too anxious to get it in a shallow pot. I would indeed repot, but in a large training pot for a few years. The lack of branches and the presence of many dead ones are reason for me to believe is it not healthy.

Do not do cuttings, but layer

Ok thanks for your feedback

yes sorry I have a pot that is shallower but it is very wide and hopefully it will incourage some vigour!

there is some purple colouring down some of the branches where there was dead so will keep a eye on that

 

[Greenfields]

Donot be too anxious to get it in a shallow pot. I would indeed repot, but in a large training pot for a few years. The lack of branches and the presence of many dead ones are reason for me to believe is it not healthy.

Do not do cuttings, but layer

Also what is the reason for not doing cuttings? Just curious

Thanks

 

[leatherback]

Also what is the reason for not doing cuttings? Just curious

Thanks

Maple cuttings only work on very young material (1 year). What you have here is mature material, which I would layer.

 

[Greenfields]

Maple cuttings only work on very young material (1 year). What you have here is mature material, which I would layer.

Will do thank you. I will look into making cuttings in the future with the tree with new shoots as I would like to give them to by bonsai club

 

[leatherback]

I will look into making cuttings

Bonsai propagation by cuttings in spring - Growing Bonsai

Taking cuttings is a perfect way to get more plants of your favorite type. Thi spring, I decided to try some Arakawa japanese maple cuttings.

www.growingbonsai.net

 

[clem]

+1 to make air layering as your trunk lacks of tapper (even reverse tapper).. but i dunno at all if it is easy to air layer arakawa or not.. @MACH5 knows it certainly

 

[sorce]

Note ....I'm not a big fan of cork bark trees, and I'm not a large fan of this one....

But these fellers have me worried....

Best Vet that "pro", some of these cats will fuck up your tree with NFG, if it is that nice, I'd probably just bring pictures first!

If that little lowest branch is still alive, I'd cut the center clump out and leave the 1st 2 branches.

Sorce

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

It looks weak and in bad soil. I would not prune and wire it at all yet. Enjoy the tree for what it is this winter.

Then, in the spring do a proper and thorough repotting. Get the roots arranged correctly: radial and in one plane. Do get it into a shallower and wider container. When it’s growing strong, you can begin to remake branches. If it’s growing strong, it will produce buds from the trunk. I have rebuilt arakawa maples by thread-grafting it’s own branches. So next year, let some branches run 24” long for grafting into bald spots.

Japanese Maple, 'arakawa'

Here is a stock plant I bought in fall '08, worked down the roots pretty hard in spring '09, and stuck it into a big wooden box and forgot about it for a couple years, except to layer a couple branches out of it. Yesterday I noticed it was pushing growth pretty hard, so I decided to repot...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Greenfields]

It looks weak and in bad soil. I would not prune and wire it at all yet. Enjoy the tree for what it is this winter.

Then, in the spring do a proper and thorough repotting. Get the roots arranged correctly: radial and in one plane. Do get it into a shallower and wider container. When it’s growing strong, you can begin to remake branches. If it’s growing strong, it will produce buds from the trunk. I have rebuilt arakawa maples by thread-grafting it’s own branches. So next year, let some branches run 24” long for grafting into bald spots.

Japanese Maple, 'arakawa'

Here is a stock plant I bought in fall '08, worked down the roots pretty hard in spring '09, and stuck it into a big wooden box and forgot about it for a couple years, except to layer a couple branches out of it. Yesterday I noticed it was pushing growth pretty hard, so I decided to repot...

www.bonsainut.com

Thankyou for the advise and the link to your thread I will try and get my root work as tidy as yours!
Have you a update on that tree you linked?

 

[Greenfields]

Note ....I'm not a big fan of cork bark trees, and I'm not a large fan of this one....

But these fellers have me worried....

Best Vet that "pro", some of these cats will fuck up your tree with NFG, if it is that nice, I'd probably just bring pictures first!

If that little lowest branch is still alive, I'd cut the center clump out and leave the 1st 2 branches.

Sorce

love the honesty! What is NFG?
Yeah the lowest branch is still alive and the centre branches I am planning on air layering

 

[sorce]

NFG

No Fu@ks Givin!

Sorce

 

[Greenfields]

No Fu@ks Givin!

Sorce

Really thought it was going to be a term for bonsai purposes