KIFU TRIDENT MAPLE

[Mikecheck123]

Looks like the C4 is wired to blow.

 

[leatherback]

It's a stunning tree! Absolutely beautiful!

Because I don't understand how it is done, I'm trying to figure out how the top/taper was created. Would you mind providing any pictures from the back side @MACH5?
Or maybe a close up from the trunk?

This part seems odd?

@Brian Van Fleet has shown all the dirty secrets to developing such a tree on his blog. I am sure the tree shown in this thread has the big chop fully or nearly fully closed.

Trident Maple – Nebari Bonsai

Posts about Trident Maple written by Brian VF

nebaribonsai.wordpress.com

 

[MACH5]

Straight akadama?

Yes!

 

[JudyB]

This tree is going to be fun to develop and it's a perfect size, my favorite size of tree now. Although I love shohin, the kifu is so perfect as it's still small, but you can get so much ramification and development more than with a shohin. Good pot color choice!

 

[Grovic]

Beautiful tree! I bet it will offer a stunning view in a couple weeks, and even more in fall.

 

[River's Edge]

Here is a relatively new addition to my garden. A Japanese imported trident maple that made its way to a private collection in Connecticut. Last year it was up for sale and decided to acquire it as I don't have anything quite like it. It has a massive nebari in which currently a portion of it is hidden underneath the soil. When I bought the tree it was nearly about 40% larger with some blunt branch tips and other unnecessary branches that were not additive to the overall design. It was cut back heavily and branch structures simplified in the process in an effort to rebuild them with better transitions and refinement.

Originally it came in an Anderson flat which at this stage of development I felt was unnecessary. It was recently repotted into a shallow 18" Yamafusa pot that I am using as a training container for now. At this time, I took the opportunity to make some approach root grafts to further improve the excellent nebari which extends out radially about 11" while the tree is only 10" tall from soil level.

Below, working late one evening doing grafts and working the roots.

View attachment 288862




The tree as it looked today in its new training pot.

View attachment 288863

View attachment 288864

View attachment 288865

View attachment 288866

Very Nice, lots of time and skill already invested in this tree. Love the way the scars have been dealt with progressively over time.

 

[MACH5]

Very Nice, lots of time and skill already invested in this tree. Love the way the scars have been dealt with progressively over time.

Indeed quite a bit of skill poured into making trees like this. One thing I have not shown is a larger scar at the back which surprisingly was not dealt with correctly. It was covered with some sort of gummy substance presumably a type of cut paste. When I removed it, the wood had began to rot. The area now needs to be cleaned thoroughly and then fill it with a two part epoxy so that tree can heal correctly. I may post the procedure here when I get to it.

 

[MACH5]

This tree is going to be fun to develop and it's a perfect size, my favorite size of tree now. Although I love shohin, the kifu is so perfect as it's still small, but you can get so much ramification and development more than with a shohin. Good pot color choice!

Definitely a fun size Juds. I agree! Ultimately I am aiming for a rounded silhouette and lean away from the current "pine" form.

 

[Fan Tan Fannie]

Yes!

I have couple of shohin Japanese Maple to repot soon. I have used Akadama, lave rocks, orchid bark and pumice before. Since my bonsai are always under my patio cover, they dont get rained on. so I have water them often when it's hot outside. Can you explain why you use straight Akadama? I think it looks much better than the mix. Thanks!

 

[MACH5]

I have couple of shohin Japanese Maple to repot soon. I have used Akadama, lave rocks, orchid bark and pumice before. Since my bonsai are always under my patio cover, they dont get rained on. so I have water them often when it's hot outside. Can you explain why you use straight Akadama? I think it looks much better than the mix. Thanks!

Akadama due to its porosity holds quite a bit of moisture. Maples of course love this as well as most other deciduous species. It looks quite nice as well. Many soils I see look like aquarium gravel to me. In any case it all depends on your growing conditions. Sometimes I also mix it with about 10% kiryu sand to keep the soil open and prevent excessive compacting. The down side of Akadama besides its price is that it will eventually brake down and get compacted. But... my maples get repotted about every 3 years, so that is not an issue since soil gets renewed often enough.

All I can say is that I have been using Akadama for almost 30 years and deciduous trees absolutely love it!

 

[Fan Tan Fannie]

Akadama due to its porosity holds quite a bit of moisture. Maples of course love this as well as most other deciduous species. It looks quite nice as well. Many soils I see look like aquarium gravel to me. In any case it all depends on your growing conditions. Sometimes I also mix it with about 10% kiryu sand to keep the soil open and prevent excessive compacting. The down side of Akadama besides its price is that it will eventually brake down and get compacted. But... my maples get repotted about every 3 years, so that is not an issue since soil gets renewed often enough.

All I can say is that I have been using Akadama for almost 30 years and deciduous trees absolutely love it!

Thank you for the explanation. I think I will try straight Akadama to repot my bonsai this spring. They will be in the 1.5 to 2 inch pots. I bought a big bag of small sized Akadama couple years ago and I have used small amounts of it after I sifted (a lot of) the fines out. I guess the small-sized came with fines... LOL..

You have a beautiful Trident Maple. Thank you for sharing!

 

[MACH5]

Thank you for the explanation. I think I will try straight Akadama to repot my bonsai this spring. They will be in the 1.5 to 2 inch pots. I bought a big bag of small sized Akadama couple years ago and I have used small amounts of it after I sifted (a lot of) the fines out. I guess the small-sized came with fines... LOL..

You have a beautiful Trident Maple. Thank you for sharing!

Thank you! Since you are using such small pots you can also mix your Akadama with some sphagnum moss to keep them evenly damp.

 

[MACH5]

Straight akadama?

Yes! Sorry I just saw your post.

 

[MACH5]

Trident today. Small leaves and extremely short internodes! One of the photos shows a short stub left at the base from one of the several successful root grafts. In early summer they will be cut flush with the nebari.

 

[MrWunderful]

Wow. Love it.

 

[thatguy]

That is turning into an exceptional tree! Great addition to the collection. How long until that transition from the root grafts becomes smooth enough to show off the work? Several years?

 

[MACH5]

That is turning into an exceptional tree! Great addition to the collection. How long until that transition from the root grafts becomes smooth enough to show off the work? Several years?

Typically about two to three years or so in my experience. It depends on the size differential between the grafted root and the rest of the nebari.

 

[PiñonJ]

Awesome little monster! Nice image of ancient in miniature. And if you see this sign hanging from it one morning, you’ll have a sideline selling cookies!

 

[MACH5]

Awesome little monster! Nice image of ancient in miniature. And if you see this sign hanging from it one morning, you’ll have a sideline selling cookies!
View attachment 374062

I think someone in Japan was a big Keebler fan!!


Side note: It has a rather static stance. The very symmetrical design of this tree does bother me. So slowly and as much as the tree allows me, I will start to make some changes towards a more asymmetrical canopy.

 

[JudyB]

What fert baskets are you using? These don’t look like the top open ones I use, sometimes I wonder if contact with the soil is better than just going thru the small basket holes, so wonder if these are just some kind of cover?
I think the tree is very nice, some randomness will make it more interesting for sure.