Fjellheim JPM cultivar - Worth it?

Scrogdor

Chumono
Messages
583
Reaction score
481
Location
Oakland, CA
USDA Zone
9B
Considering picking this up Fjellheim which is a Dwarf JPM Coral Bark cultivar. It's priced at 100$, so curious if that seems worth it or if the graft site is going to be too difficult to deal with since I've heard Coral barks can be hard to keep alive. I like the idea that they grow as shrubs though, seems perfect for bonsai.

Red is where I think the graft site is, it almost seems like I could squeeze a ground layer right under that very first branch near the red arrow, otherwise the blue arrow would be the next spot.
 

Attachments

  • Maple_LI.jpg
    Maple_LI.jpg
    242.9 KB · Views: 111

penumbra

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
9,379
Reaction score
15,844
Location
Front Royal, VA
USDA Zone
6
Red is where I think the graft site is, it almost seems like I could squeeze a ground layer right under that very first branch near the red arrow, otherwise the blue arrow would be the next spot.
That is what I would do, which opens the possibilty of developing a mother daughter style bonsai.
 

Rivian

Chumono
Messages
871
Reaction score
715
Location
DE
USDA Zone
6
Its part of the red twig group of cultivars so its probably going to suffer from pseudomonas. For me, health comes first and I dont want to run a hospital or rely on chemicals. But I suppose things might be different in CA, not as rainy as here, which works in your favor
 

Canada Bonsai

Shohin
Messages
461
Reaction score
1,377
Considering picking this up Fjellheim which is a Dwarf JPM Coral Bark cultivar. It's priced at 100$

As a Canadian, if I had to be anywhere other than Japan to buy bonsai material it would likely be California, from a bonsai nursery. I don't have a list on hand, but I can think of 5 or 10 places I'd give my $100 to before buying... a what? a Fjellheim? A grafted Fjellheim? A grafted Fjellheim with a straight tachiagari and 9 branches coming out of the same junction? 🤪
 

Scrogdor

Chumono
Messages
583
Reaction score
481
Location
Oakland, CA
USDA Zone
9B
As a Canadian, if I had to be anywhere other than Japan to buy bonsai material it would likely be California, from a bonsai nursery. I don't have a list on hand, but I can think of 5 or 10 places I'd give my $100 to before buying... a what? a Fjellheim? A grafted Fjellheim? A grafted Fjellheim with a straight tachiagari and 9 branches coming out of the same junction? 🤪
This is why I need you guys 😂. I decided not to, Headed to Sacramento next week to visit a couple bonsai nurseries out there. Just a bit of a drive!
 

penumbra

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
9,379
Reaction score
15,844
Location
Front Royal, VA
USDA Zone
6
I misread and thought you already had the tree. Now I don't feel bad for saying that I absolutely do not like the Coral Bark maples up close and personal. Mine is about 60 yards from the house so I don't have to deal with it except the red stems in winter which is the only thing of value about it. I would say that I dislike them nearly as much as I do Butterfly. I would never buy either. My Coral bark was ripped out of another landscape almost 30 years ago.
Glad you are going to a real Bonsai Nursery. Canada Bonsai is spot on.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,254
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
If you have not bought the maple yet, I would follow @Canada Bonsai 's advice.

In California, be certain to look up Peter Tea, he has a bonsai nursery near (east of ?) Sacramento. There are at least a dozen good nurseries run by trained bonsai artists.

 

River's Edge

Masterpiece
Messages
4,708
Reaction score
12,608
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
USDA Zone
8b
This is why I need you guys 😂. I decided not to, Headed to Sacramento next week to visit a couple bonsai nurseries out there. Just a bit of a drive!
Are you familiar with Grove Way Bonsai Nursery, Johnny Uchida. Hayward. I believe it is closer! What about Jonas Dupuich, Bonsai Tonight, also nearby in Alameda.
 

Scrogdor

Chumono
Messages
583
Reaction score
481
Location
Oakland, CA
USDA Zone
9B
All the nurseries near me have limited bonsai and a boat load of poorly grafted maples. I just get the urge sometimes ya know 😂. I like to ponder the “what ifs”.
The more I hear about coral barks the more I hear they are a pain, that red bark is awesome though.
 

Scrogdor

Chumono
Messages
583
Reaction score
481
Location
Oakland, CA
USDA Zone
9B
Are you familiar with Grove Way Bonsai Nursery, Johnny Uchida. Hayward. I believe it is closer! What about Jonas Dupuich, Bonsai Tonight, also nearby in Alameda.
I’ve been to grove way before, everything there is out of my price range though because most of their products are actual bonsai and not pre-bonsai.
I haven’t been to the Alameda one though! The one I go to now is Lone Pine gardens up in Sebastopol, huge selection of pre bonsai and some cool potted up bonsai as well.
 

Pitoon

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
5,040
Reaction score
11,372
Location
Southern Maryland
USDA Zone
7b
That's a graft only a mother could love.

The only thing I like about Sango kaku and Bihou are the colored branches during winter. They really look good when snow is on the ground to give a white background. You can never go wrong with a standard Acer palmatum be patient you will find the right one.
 

Scrogdor

Chumono
Messages
583
Reaction score
481
Location
Oakland, CA
USDA Zone
9B
I did pick up a tiny Mame sized Mikawa Yatsubusa at the local nursery today for a few bucks Maybe 6” tall. There is no graft site that I could find either. 🤷‍♂️
 

Attachments

  • 40480E25-385B-4466-82F7-06ED278FB40D.jpeg
    40480E25-385B-4466-82F7-06ED278FB40D.jpeg
    219.6 KB · Views: 51

rodeolthr

Shohin
Messages
329
Reaction score
399
Location
Seattle, WA
USDA Zone
8a
I have no idea of their actual inventory, but don't forget that Lone Pine Nursery is up the road from you in Sebastopol.
 

dbonsaiw

Omono
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
2,354
Location
New York
USDA Zone
7b
I too like the coral bark and planted one in my front yard - I will take layers off it. It is the only deciduous tree on my property that still has its leaves. Not sure why.
 

Pitoon

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
5,040
Reaction score
11,372
Location
Southern Maryland
USDA Zone
7b
Not yet! Going to see what I can get with a season of growth in a regular pot first :).
I have several smaller Mikawa's growing out at the moment myself. I'm currently in the root training process with them. When I get home if there's still daylight left I'll take a couple of pics. A couple of them have a really good root spread. A couple I will need to graft on to fill in some gaps around the nebari.
 

dbonsaiw

Omono
Messages
1,934
Reaction score
2,354
Location
New York
USDA Zone
7b
Not yet! Going to see what I can get with a season of growth in a regular pot first :).

What soil mix do you use for your pot-grown trees? I assume these aren't in any kind of standard bonsai soil?
 

Scrogdor

Chumono
Messages
583
Reaction score
481
Location
Oakland, CA
USDA Zone
9B
What soil mix do you use for your pot-grown trees? I assume these aren't in any kind of standard bonsai soil?
For most of my pre-bonsai I just use a lot of Pumice, calcinated clay, brick/lava rock with a pretty heavy organic component to them. The soil in that picture is bonsai soil I bought from Lone Pine Gardens that they make themselves for like 2$ or something for 4lbs. Otherwise I use Bonsai Jack organic/inorganic soil for my trees in actual bonsai pots. Prefer not to have to water all the bonsai I'm growing in big pots everyday.
 
Top Bottom