Unknown maple cultivar

[AlainK]

I got this acer palmatum for a bonsai nursery that was to close (actually, it re-opened!)

I don't know what cultivar it is, but the leaves are a bit smaller than the plain species.

When I received it, in March 2003, it looked it had been pruned like a hedge plant:

I pruned it and repotted it:

The colours are not spectacular, neither in spring or in autumn:

... and the nebari is not so good

I repotted it in a spare pot tonight (1 part pozzolane, 2 parts zeolith, 5 parts akadama, 1-2 parts composted pine bark) It's about 60-70 cm (some two feet plus a toe and a fingernail for those who still use imperial units):

I'm thinking of either drilling holes to get new roots on the left side (and make a kind of layering there) or approach-grafting seedlings at the base, then cutting off the top when they've fused.

Any idea what this cultivar could be?... I suspect it's the plain species

 

[M. Frary]

If they survived here the plain species would be the one I wanted. Better,stronger,faster.

 

[markyscott]

Hi Alain - nice maple. Good chance it's the species, from what I can tell.

In addition to the nebari, you might consider the apex. There is a nice trunk line and taper to the first bend, but after that, the trunk ascends vertically with no taper. Because of that, I see a bit of a shorter trunk. It looks as though there is already a branch in place that could serve as a new apex. Here's a virt with a couple of background fades illustrating what I see:



So the final height probably wouldn't be all that much shorter than the tree is now, but eliminating the straight section in the upper trunk would improve the trunk line from my point of view. And the good news is that the major branch structure is already in place - the new apex will develop quickly, I bet. What do you think?

Scott

 

[AlainK]

Well, I hadn't thought of that, but your virt is very convincing. I've just been out to check if the branch in question can be bent a bit, and it should be possible.

There's another branch that goes alwost straight up, and the new apex would look a little like a "broom", which is the way the top of a deciduous tree should look. Of course in the first two or three years, there would be a difference in size between the new leader and the bottom part, but it should reduce with time. Plus, it heals very well: the two big scars you can see on the trunk were branches that I removed, the cuts were 1 cm wide and they completely closed in two years only.

I won't hurry, I'll think it over for a couple of days but this is excellent advice, I might well follow it...

Thank you so much Scott, that is not only constructive criticism, that's a real help.

​

 

[Cypress187]

Here's a virt, Scott

Nice sketch man, u use a wacom?

 

[markyscott]

Nice sketch man, u use a wacom?

Thanks -

I use an iPad Pro with a pencil.

S

 

[markyscott]

Well, I hadn't thought of that, but your virt is very convincing. I've just been out to check if the branch in question can be bent a bit, and it should be possible.

There's another branch that goes alwost straight up, and the new apex would look a little like a "broom", which is the way the top of a deciduous tree should look. Of course in the first two or three years, there would be a difference in size between the new leader and the bottom part, but it should reduce with time. Plus, it heals very well: the two big scars you can see on the trunk were branches that I removed, the cuts were 1 cm wide and they completely closed in two years only.

I won't hurry, I'll think it over for a couple of days but this is excellent advice, I might well follow it...

Thank you so much Scott, that is not only constructive criticism, that's a real help.

View attachment 96841
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Thanks Alain - it's a good idea to go slow and work the branches back to interior growth with time. The cut on the apex is not all that radical - I used an existing branch as the new leader, but it's hard to tell in a photo how easily it could be done. But the apex should develop very quickly - I'm guessing that you'll get a new bud or can graft a new leader in the right spot without too much of a problem. Good luck - I like that maple. And if you're thinking about working the nebari at the same time, have a look at the discussion in this thread - maples respond very well to this technique:

http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ebihara-maples.18215/

Scott

 

[markyscott]

If it wasn't clear on the last picture - here is the picture with the apical cut indicated.



Thanks for sharing your tree, Alain - and for being a good sport about alternative ideas about its development.

Scott

 

[AlainK]

I got the "this is the chop" all right, no worries It will have to be oblique, I hope the top won't dry out: I may do it after the leaves are out, when the sap is flowing. And thanks again for the time you've spent trying to make it a better tree.

Thanks also for the thread you mentioned, I've read about this technique as well but like roots/saplings grafting, I've never tried it: I'm a lightweight, we don't play in the same category I'm afraid

So far, the best way -and the only way, I've used to improve a nebari is layering, for instance:

Acer p. "Phoenix", cutting made in summer 2010, photo taken in 2012:

July 2014:

March 2015:

April 2015:

August 2015:

No picture of the bare tree: the faults are so obvious

But I like starting from scratch, even if my sons will have to sell them to pay for my cremation Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the changes in colours throughout the seasons

 

[markyscott]

I got the "this is the chop" all right, no worries - and thanks again for the time you've spent trying to make it a better tree.

Thanks also for the thread you mentioned, I've read about this technique as well but like roots/saplings grafting, I've never tried it: I'm a lightweight, we don't play in the same category I'm afraid

So far, the best way -and the only way, I've used to improve a nebari is layering, for instance:

Acer p. "Phoenix", cutting made in summer 2010, photo taken in 2012:

July 2014:

March 2015:

April 2015:

August 2015:

No picture of the bare tree: the faults are so obvious

But I like starting from scratch, even if my sons will have to sell them to pay for my cremation Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the changes in colours throughout the seasons

That's great, Alain. Nice progression of an air layer. And no reason you can't plant it on a board after you layer it!

I have a lot of young trees too - the way I figure it, I'll be a day older tomorrow anyway, might as well plant some seeds.

Scott

 

[parhamr]

This does appear to me as the standard, green Acer palmatum. I like them! I have eight.

 

[AlainK]

Hi Scott,

I didn't go the whole hog, I chose a medium path:

... and there are branches that are to be shortened and ramified, OK, OK...

 

[markyscott]

Hi Alain. That's a good solution. I like the shorter trunk!

 

[MACH5]

Yes I do like the shorter trunk as well as compared to the original photos. Very nice tree and developing well. Any plans to improve the nebari?

 

[cmeg1]

Wow,the bottom branch really helps balance this tree out with the bulky primary.

 

[AlainK]

Very nice tree and developing well. Any plans to improve the nebari?

I have some A. p. seedlings that are just about to leaf out, I might do an approach graft then cut off the top when the graft has taken.

 

[Djtommy]

Nice tree and already improved but i think you should still chop it a bit lower
More as like scotts virt. The trunk has nice taper apart from the top, if you chop it a bit lower now, in future i believe it would be nicer.

 

[AlainK]

It's got wonderful autumn colours.

I bought a new pot for it (47cm wide), it's a bit too wide for the moment, but the present one is getting too small:

May 2016:


November 2016:

 

[Grant Hamby]

Nice!! I also dig that tiny air layer! I have one a little bit like it, gives me hope that it can be a decent little tree!

 

[AlainK]

Nice!! I also dig that tiny air layer!

Well there's a new picture of it now in another thread. As I wrote, I'm not really stisfied with it but I keep trying:

http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/acer-p-phoenix-5.24443/#post-399969