Root Grafts/species?

Just wondering if trident maple roots grow faster and are more muscular than Japanese maple roots, then perhaps they'd be a quicker nebari fix than grafting J. Maple whips. But if the bark doesn't match, then it's not going to be a good idea. I thought that would be the case, but then it just got me wondering. Winter...

markyscott said:

I believe that (...). Hope this helps.

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Excellent contribution Hear, hear !

Hi Judy,

JudyB said:

Just wondering if trident maple roots grow faster and are more muscular than Japanese maple roots, then perhaps they'd be a quicker nebari fix than grafting J. Maple whips.

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I understand, but i'm afraid the the chances the graft takes is close to nil.

But if the bark doesn't match, then it's not going to be a good idea. I thought that would be the case, but then it just got me wondering.

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See above: it won't work, so no need to ask yourself questions. Of course you can try it, but I do believe it's a waste of time. So, why bother about a hypothetical bark match?

Think: if it were possible, don't you think the Japanese, who have a lot of experience and a lot of confirmed professional trained in long-time techniques and values, don't you think the Japanese would have done it before?

Judy, hope you won't take this message as too harsh, that's what I think (know?...)."My truth", what I must share with everybody

JudyB said:

Just wondering if trident maple roots grow faster and are more muscular than Japanese maple roots, then perhaps they'd be a quicker nebari fix than grafting J. Maple whips. But if the bark doesn't match, then it's not going to be a good idea. I thought that would be the case, but then it just got me wondering. Winter...

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I struggle a lot with dendrology, but different species have different bark characteristics.

AlainK said:

Hi Judy,

Think: if it were possible, don't you think the Japanese, who have a lot of experience and a lot of confirmed professional trained in long-time techniques and values, don't you think the Japanese would have done it before?

Judy, hope you won't take this message as too harsh, that's what I think (know?...)."My truth", what I must share with everybody

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That's why I was asking the question actually to see if anyone had done it or knew if it had been done...

Hi Judy,
As a thought, have you seen the nebari of the western USA native Vine Maple, Acer circinatum? and the Moosewood maple? Acer pennsylvanicum? Both are in the same section and series as Acer palmatum, and Acer circinatum has been used commercially (because it was cheap to get) by a couple Pacific Northwest wholesale JM propagators. Unfortunately from my memory, I don't recall either having ''better'' nebari, but my experience is limited. If you can get a copy of Vertree's Maple book (my local public library had it), there is a page listing which maple species are good understock for other maple species. Acer is one of the more particular genera who are very restricted in their compatibility.

As others mentioned, almost any species in prunus can be grafted onto another prunus. Similar with Malus. Each group has its own unique compatibility quirks.

And as @markyscott mentioned, the why? is the key issue. Majority of commercial grafting is for disease resistance, climate adaptations, or to beef up or dwarf growth habits. And where cuttings, and or tissue culture won't work, grafting for reliable quick propagation in wholesale quantities is another reason.

A few maples are in tissue culture, result is trees that are very much like trees from cuttings. But the protocols for tissue culture require a lab and serious set up money, not usually done by small scale producers. I know of one such lab in Netherlands where the minimum order is 10,000 plants if you want them to put something into tissue culture. Your cost per plant will vary with the size and age your require them to be brought up to, but it adds up quick. Emperor I, Bloodgood and a few others are the maple cultivars I heard are in tissue culture.

Interesting Leo, thanks for the information. I just went ahead and did it the easy way the Matty O. seedlings!

Grafting trident and palmatum together should not even be considered.