Native US Acer sp.

[Borg]

I'm looking into the possibility of getting some native US Acer sp. to try at for bonsai. I am really wanting to use Sugar Maple Acer saccharum, but I won't turn my nose up at Acer rubrum, or Acer saccharinum either. If anyone has any experience with these, or pointers for collecting/training them, I am all ears.

Thanks

 

[milehigh_7]

Well you need to put your location in your profile so people can give you advice suited to your location. For me, (because I live in Hell) most Acer varieties are out of the question. However people will still tell you that the varieties you mention are not well suited due to large leaves and long nodes. You will see a few rubrum tried but I am not sure if one would say they are well suited or not. Once we know where you are, you will likely get some advice on things to try that might be more rewarding.

 

[GroveKeeper]

I have two. but they're still very early in development. In Florida, I haven't noticed Acer Rubrum bleed from cuts and they appear to handle severe root pruning. There is an article on evergreen garden works, written by Jim Lewis that had a lot of information about Red Maple. If you're interested, it's probably worth reading.

 

[parhamr]

@Borg your location and/or USDA zone would be helpful to narrow exactly which Acer species would be well suited for your climate.

Here are some Acer macrophyllum specimens I’m developing. They’re native to my location:



They’re fun because there’s not common bonsai species. I’m intending them to be more desirable for their winter form than fully-leafed canopy.

 

[sorce]

Lol.....

I just realized that even though I collect stuff growing here....

Nothing is really native......
Amur Maple, Rhamnus (buckthorn), Siberian Elm.

I'm not against a 6-8 footer though.
It has to be relatively easy, besides moving it.

Sorce

 

[0soyoung]

Acer circinatum (vine maple) is a native in the 'Pacific Northwest'. Even though it isn't native, acer platanoides (Norway maple) will work as a bonsai - leaf size can be dramatically reduced. Both species are also fun to grow from seed.

 

[parhamr]

acer platanoides (Norway maple)

Please don’t! It’s widely considered invasive: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/norway-maple.pdf

 

[cmeg1]

Acer circinatum (vine maple) is a native in the 'Pacific Northwest'. Even though it isn't native, acer platanoides (Norway maple) will work as a bonsai - leaf size can be dramatically reduced. Both species are also fun to grow from seed.

How is that red maple grove doing,you still have it?

 

[0soyoung]

Please don’t! It’s widely considered invasive: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/norway-maple.pdf

Lets suppose that one's bonsai maple (Norway, Amur, etc) flowers. Then we cut them off as they fade, just as we do azaleas, and throw those trimmings in the compost bin. Pretty much the standard routine with bonsai.
I think that the U.S. Forest Service, states, and counties worry about nurseries selling hundreds of plants that go into hundreds of suburban yards. This is how western Oregon and Washington came to be covered by Scotch Broom. It didn't happen because a few Nuts growing stuff in pots. But, like I said, if it is invasive in your area, be responsible and trim the spent blossoms off your angiosperm - don't let them go to seed.

How is that red maple grove doing,you still have it?

Its not I that have it.

 

[GroveKeeper]

I don't think the cultivation of invasive species for bonsai purposes is a problem unless it's a species that propagates from roots and you grow it in the ground, or it propagates from seed and you let it set seeds. If you avoid those situations, it should be fine... unless it's illegal to posses or grow that species.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

I used to have a red maple as a bonsai. It does not make a good one. Even at 36 inches, the leaves were still too large. They reduced some, but not enough. It also was bad about having branches die for no apparent reason. I had it for about 8 years, until the ex-wife killed it in 2010.

 

[GroveKeeper]

I used to have a red maple as a bonsai. It does not make a good one. Even at 36 inches, the leaves were still too large. They reduced some, but not enough. It also was bad about having branches die for no apparent reason. I had it for about 8 years, until the ex-wife killed it in 2010.

Weird. The leaves one of my red maples have reduced to about 1.5 inches in length.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Good for you. There are many variations within the species, yours may have had one with smaller leaves. Mine were 4 inches, and reduced to 2 to two and half.

John

 

[GroveKeeper]

Good for you. There are many variations within the species, yours may have had one with smaller leaves. Mine were 4 inches, and reduced to 2 to two and half.

John

Well ain't that the problem with dismissing a whole species based on one experience? There are trident maples with large and small leaves too.

 

[Eric Group]

Rubrum leaves reduce well IF kept in a small pot. The issue is ramification is tough to get. They grow thick, coarse young growth that does not become "twiggy" and densely finely ramified... Well, not easily anyway. I have experienced some of the same things regarding branches dieting off from time to time... But they do make nice fall color, have interesting bark and can make an interesting tree with time. I have one nice older one I quite enjoy and a bunch of younger ones I am working with... Sold one to Thmbless last year that was probably my best one!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Rubrum leaves reduce well IF kept in a small pot. The issue is ramification is tough to get. They grow thick, coarse young growth that does not become "twiggy" and densely finely ramified... Well, not easily anyway. I have experienced some of the same things regarding branches dieting off from time to time... But they do make nice fall color, have interesting bark and can make an interesting tree with time. I have one nice older one I quite enjoy and a bunch of younger ones I am working with... Sold one to Thmbless last year that was probably my best one!

I saw that one you sold, it was nice.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Well ain't that the problem with dismissing a whole species based on one experience? There are trident maples with large and small leaves too.

Whatever.... I was dismissing it, just reporting my experience with the species, your milage may vary. There are better maples to spend time on than red maples. They make nice landscape trees, if the borers leave them alone.

 

[Stickroot]

I used to have a red maple as a bonsai. It does not make a good one. Even at 36 inches, the leaves were still too large. They reduced some, but not enough. It also was bad about having branches die for no apparent reason. I had it for about 8 years, until the ex-wife killed it in 2010.

How did the ex kill it?

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Witheld water, and a machete. It was ugly, lost a dozen or so trees.

John

 

[GroveKeeper]

Whatever.... I was dismissing it, just reporting my experience with the species, your milage may vary. There are better maples to spend time on than red maples. They make nice landscape trees, if the borers leave them alone.

I'm not trying to start a fight.

If somebody wants to experiment with red maple than there are not better maples to spend their time with. That is all.