Three Leaved Trident Maple

[BonsaiMatt]

One shoot on this trident maple has three leaves per node, rotating 120 degrees each node. Anyone seen this before? Thinking about rooting a cutting from that branch to see if this behavior persists...

 

[AlainK]

It sometimes happens. I recently read a post on the UBC maple forum about the same unusual branching, but I don't have time to find the thread.

I suppose it's similar to some samaras in groups of 3 or 4 instead of two as usual.

I suppose that itwill disappear next year on new shoots. Maybe a virus or something similar what produces "witches brooms".

If you think that could be interesting, you could take cuttings later in the season, A. buerger. are easy to root from semi-hardwood cuttings, and see what happens...

 

[plant_dr]

Thinking about rooting a cutting from that branch to see if this behavior persists..

Definitely worth a try!

 

[BonsaiMatt]

It sometimes happens. I recently read a post on the UBC maple forum about the same unusual branching, but I don't have time to find the thread.

I suppose it's similar to some samaras in groups of 3 or 4 instead of two as usual.

I suppose that itwill disappear next year on new shoots. Maybe a virus or something similar what produces "witches brooms".

If you think that could be interesting, you could take cuttings later in the season, A. buerger. are easy to root from semi-hardwood cuttings, and see what happens...

Thanks, mostly just curious. Never seen it before, but maybe I don't look close enough.
Hopefully not viral, we had to purge the garden of roses because of the rose rosette virus causing witches brooms... I don't think Acer species can get rose rosette though...