Acer campestre root cutting

AlainK

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Not all maple species can be propagated by root cuttings: I've had zero percent success with Acer buergerianum, A. palmatum or A. monspessulanum so far.

But Acer campestre ("field maple", or "hedge maple", whatever you call it in your village) is as easy to propagate from root cuttings as (most species of) Prunus, or Malus (apple).

Here's one I wanted to propagate because it's rather different from the usual ones I see around here. The leaves are larger and not as serrated as the type. Maybe it's a hybrid. I've asked people on several forums and even posted a question to INRA specialists, still don't have a definite answer.

So, one of the roots:

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I don't really know where I'm going with this one.

China?

 

Vin

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Not all maple species can be propagated by root cuttings: I've had zero percent success with Acer buergerianum, A. palmatum or A. monspessulanum so far.

But Acer campestre ("field maple", or "hedge maple", whatever you call it in your village) is as easy to propagate from root cuttings as (most species of) Prunus, or Malus (apple).

Here's one I wanted to propagate because it's rather different from the usual ones I see around here. The leaves are larger and not as serrated as the type. Maybe it's a hybrid. I've asked people on several forums and even posted a question to INRA specialists, still don't have a definite answer.


I don't really know where I'm going with this one.

China?
I'm sure you'll help it find its way. The leaf is very interesting.

I to have tried various root cuttings with maples and experienced the same result; the big goose egg.
 

pweifan

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I like those leaves quite a bit. I also like today's song selection :)

Do you think the bulge where it goes from root to trunk will become less noticeable over time? I'm always nervous they're similar to graft unions and never look right.
 

AlainK

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Do you think the bulge where it goes from root to trunk will become less noticeable over time? I'm always nervous they're similar to graft unions and never look right.

Actually, I first kept some to give away to other maple enthusiasts who might be interested in having one slightly different from the true species. But I just couldn't help trying to see how they could be turned into bonsai ;)

You raise a good question. In this kind of unusual contorted design, it might not be as big a problem as for other designs.
 

AlainK

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A couple of days ago, I wired this Acer campestre, a strain that has very rounded leaflets.
It's of course a very "unrealistic" bonsai, based on the design of some Chinese bonsai : apparent roots, as if the tree had been on a slope where there was a landslide, and a very long cascading first branch :

acerc2016b_220717a.jpg acerc2016b_220717b.jpg

The long branch should probably be cut shorter, but so far, it helps to thicken this branch.
 

AlainK

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I repotted it today.
1/3 pozzolan, 1/3 composted pine bark, 1/3 akadama. Anyway, this species is not very demanding as long as you don't forget to water it.
Even if I like a looong main branch, this one could be shortened. But there's no hurry to make a decision :

acerc2016b_230525b.jpg acerc2016b_230525a.jpg

acerc2016b_230525c.jpg
 
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