Acer buergerianum formosanum

miker · Nov 3, 2016

I did a bonsainut search and was unable to find a single thread devoted to the topic of this Taiwan native trident maple subspecies. Since this maple is widely utilized for bonsai in parts of Asia and could likely survive and do well in very low chill climates where tridents may not do so well (though as maples go, tridents are low chill as well).

Who is growing this, what are your experiences and how have they possibly differed from the plain species Acer buergerianum?

jomawa · Nov 3, 2016

Just a suggestion. Expand it to a google search and add the word bonsai after the 'acer buergerianum formosanum', ( I just did and a wealth of info came up, so I punched it into google images and a wealth of images came up, didn't bother google videos). I didn't do your homework for you and eliminate what may not have been pertinent to you but it seems there's a great deal more than just bnut info out there. Hope this helps.

Eric Group · Nov 3, 2016

I think they have smaller leaves than other types... though Tridents in my experience do not have as wide a variety of leaf sizes, shapes, colors, different types of bark... as JM. There are differences, Evergreen says they developed a rough bark Trident though I don't have one to test it... mostly it seems there ar large and small leafed varieties, and some turn red, some turn yellow in Fall.

miker · Nov 3, 2016

My A. buergerianum formosanum has the rough bark, even at just 1/2" wide at the base. Will post a picture shortly (I posted one on bnut earlier this year somewhere, but an updated photo would be good anyhow).

miker · Nov 6, 2016

Here is my little specimen, certainly my most unusual tree species/ssp./variety since I left 98% of my orchids, trees, palms, etc. for my dad when I left Florida. The tree is pushing a bit of new growth, with one pair of new leaves and some of the other buds swelling and green. As mentioned, I may have to treat this like a tropical/subtropical once the hard freezes start to occur in the next 2-3 weeks. Temperatures in the past month have ranged from 28F - 87F.

In the second photo, you can clearly see the fissured, textured bark.

For eventual bonsai purposes, the tree definitely needs to be grown out in a large container for a few years and I may try to airlayer off the right part of the trunk/stem just above the first bifurcation so I have another tree to work with and to eliminate the total lack of taper that exists now.

Shima · Nov 6, 2016

Enter "taiwan trident" in search. You will see a page of info including my comments: "
Good luck with this. If it's a true Taiwan Trident (Acer buergerianum Miq. var. formosanum) the seeds are sterile and Almost impossible to layer. Extremely rare and endangered. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/31335/0. I put up mine on Facebook and created quite a stir. Michael Ryan Bell's logo tree is a shohin true Taiwan Trident."

Shima · Nov 6, 2016

Mine lost it's leaves one month ago. It's not happy here so far. Fingers crossed.

miker · Nov 7, 2016

The mature leaves appear to be spot on morphologically for the Taiwan trident. Fortunately, while uncommon here in the USA, it is in cultivation here and in other parts of the world despite being critically endangered in the wild.

miker · Nov 16, 2016

This one is going in a wooden "cold frame" box with the regular trident if I see evidence that the buds are going dormant with the cold nights in the next couple weeks. Otherwise, it will be treated like a tropical until after the last freeze next spring.

ibakey · Jan 30, 2022

how are your miyasama tridents doing ? Is it still surviving well in cooler climates?

Yamabudoudanshi · Jan 30, 2022

Shima said:
Enter "taiwan trident" in search. You will see a page of info including my comments: "
Good luck with this. If it's a true Taiwan Trident (Acer buergerianum Miq. var. formosanum) the seeds are sterile and Almost impossible to layer. Extremely rare and endangered. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/31335/0. I put up mine on Facebook and created quite a stir. Michael Ryan Bell's logo tree is a shohin true Taiwan Trident."

They're layered and taken from cuttings all the time. I know of people propagating them quite successfully.

ibakey · Jan 31, 2022

Yamabudoudanshi said:
They're layered and taken from cuttings all the time. I know of people propagating them quite successfully.

I see! Interesting. Do you know if they grow slower than the regular trident? I am thinking of getting a shohin sized miyasama to begin with, although i already have 2 tridents.

Yamabudoudanshi · Jan 31, 2022

ibakey said:
I see! Interesting. Do you know if they grow slower than the regular trident? I am thinking of getting a shohin sized miyasama to begin with, although i already have 2 tridents.

One local guy I follow who has quite a few says ther're slower to thicken than standard tridents. However, he seems to get 30+ cm of extension on young trees in a single growing season, so I don't imagine growth rates are hugely different.

ibakey · Feb 1, 2022

Yamabudoudanshi said:
One local guy I follow who has quite a few says ther're slower to thicken than standard tridents. However, he seems to get 30+ cm of extension on young trees in a single growing season, so I don't imagine growth rates are hugely different.

Ah okay. Perhaps I will give it a go! Would you know if miyasama is the only variety which includes the longer term miyasama yatsubusa, the dwarf variety. Or is there a general faster growing strain.

Shibui · Feb 1, 2022

I got hold of a Taiwan maple about 15, maybe as long as 20, years ago.
I managed to strike some cuttings of this one soon after I got it which I don't normally manage with the plain species.

Some things I have noted about Taiwan maple:
Mine flowers and sets masses of seed when still quite young 1morv2 years from cuttings. I've also seen others at shows loaded with seed which suggests that is a general trait for this type..
I've tried but never had a seed germinate. Not sure if that means conditions or whether the variety I have is sterile?
Taiwan maple is reluctant to ramify. Mine have not been looked after very well but are still sticks with very few branches.

Overall I've found the straight species is vastly better for bonsai so I have not kept up with the Taiwan subspecies.

Yamabudoudanshi · Feb 1, 2022

ibakey said:
Ah okay. Perhaps I will give it a go! Would you know if miyasama is the only variety which includes the longer term miyasama yatsubusa, the dwarf variety. Or is there a general faster growing strain.

Yatsubusa is just a term that means (8 segments). According to what I know about it, it's just given to individual plants and their successive cuttings/layers that have a dense growth habit. - Namely short internodes and small leaves/needles. I don't think that a Yatsubusa-anything is a different variety altogether, but simply an individual with genetically good characteristics for bonsai. I could be wrong, but that's how I understand it.

ibakey · Feb 1, 2022

Yamabudoudanshi said:
Yatsubusa is just a term that means (8 segments). According to what I know about it, it's just given to individual plants and their successive cuttings/layers that have a dense growth habit. - Namely short internodes and small leaves/needles. I don't think that a Yatsubusa-anything is a different variety altogether, but simply an individual with genetically good characteristics for bonsai. I could be wrong, but that's how I understand it.

Ah, I see.. I suspected as much. As I kept seeing names like Mino Yatsubusa, etc. Makes much sense now. Yeah, because i am hearing different stories about the growth rate of miyasama being the similar to the standard trident, or its much slower with longer internodes. I really do like the leaf shape but, just to get a tree for its leaves might not make good common sense. mmmm..

ibakey · Feb 1, 2022

Shibui said:
I got hold of a Taiwan maple about 15, maybe as long as 20, years ago.
I managed to strike some cuttings of this one soon after I got it which I don't normally manage with the plain species.

Some things I have noted about Taiwan maple:
Mine flowers and sets masses of seed when still quite young 1morv2 years from cuttings. I've also seen others at shows loaded with seed which suggests that is a general trait for this type..
I've tried but never had a seed germinate. Not sure if that means conditions or whether the variety I have is sterile?
Taiwan maple is reluctant to ramify. Mine have not been looked after very well but are still sticks with very few branches.

Overall I've found the straight species is vastly better for bonsai so I have not kept up with the Taiwan subspecies.

That’s unfortunate! But thanks for sharing your experience with Taiwan maple. Makes me think twice on getting it now after your comment. Perhaps it wouldn’t be such a fun experience having one after all. Mm..

Deep Sea Diver · Feb 1, 2022

ibakey said:
I really do like the leaf shape but, just to get a tree for its leaves might not make good common sense. mmmm..

Not so fast.

This is a naturally dwarf trident cultivar which will be able to bonsai with the proper care, similar in many ways otherwise to other tridents. It does have a pleasing bark abcs nice leaves btw… at least to me.

I have 1/2 dozen at least growing out right now.

It has become pretty popular as starter material and has been sold as seedlings each year at a higher price at Kaede bonsai-en. This batch sold out really quick.

Miyasama Trident Maple

We absolutely love Miyasama trident maples here at Kaedebonsai-En and have been growing them for nearly 2 decades. Originally the seed came from Japan and we grew them and still have the stock plants today. These are cutting grown here at Kaede Bonsai-en, and are well established in 2 1/4"...

kaedebonsai-en.com

That said, your prospective bonsai has lots of character, yet would need some thought and research to decide “who it is” for a number of years. But that’s bonsai!

Cheers

DSD sends

Drcuisine · Mar 31, 2022

I got one yesterday from Lotus Bonsai Nursery in Placerville California. At least I’m pretty sure it’s a formosanum.

Acer buergerianum formosanum

Chumono

Shohin

Masterpiece

Chumono

Chumono

Omono

Omono

Chumono

Chumono

Mame

Shohin

Mame

Shohin

Mame

Imperial Masterpiece

Shohin

Mame

Mame

Masterpiece

Yamadori

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