Maple help in Florida

Breeze46 · Dec 30, 2016

Just acquired a Japanese Maple from a nursery. It is labeled Seirya, but I do not think that is correct. I believe it should be Seirygu or something like that. I am not sure how and when to go about working on this tree. Here in Pensacola, FL our climate is unlike most places. Here on the beach we rarely get hard winters and do not get the extreme summers either. I am hopeful that I can take some cuttings and also do a hard chop to shape it. I am at a loss at the best time to do either. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Joe

aml1014 · Dec 30, 2016

Best time for chops is during the growing season when the plant is able to "heal" the wound faster. For rapid growth after chop, do so in early spring just before new growth, this is when the tree has the most energy reserves. To get slower, more controlled growth after chop, do it in mid summer when the tree has used most of its energy reserves on the spring growth flush.

Aaron

Dav4 · Dec 30, 2016

Breeze46 said:
Just acquired a Japanese Maple from a nursery. It is labeled Seirya, but I do not think that is correct. I believe it should be Seirygu or something like that. I am not sure how and when to go about working on this tree. Here in Pensacola, FL our climate is unlike most places. Here on the beach we rarely get hard winters and do not get the extreme summers either. I am hopeful that I can take some cuttings and also do a hard chop to shape it. I am at a loss at the best time to do either. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Joe

If you know anyone in the area who has more experience then you with maple bonsai, I'd ask them. Barring that, I'd guess when landscape maples start to push and plan on chopping at least a few weeks before that...probably some time next month? @Vin would probably be a good source, too, as I believe he lives near you and grows maples.

Vin · Dec 30, 2016

It is marked correctly, Acer palmatum 'Seiryu' (although it would be nice to see a photo of a leaf). It is not a very common Japanese Maple around here. However, I do have one and it is very tolerant of our climate. I am the only one that has one in my club. It is known as the only upright growth lace-leaf cultivar. Although I've had it for three years I haven't had time to work it. I will be cutting mine back and repotting this spring and that's when you should do yours as well. When the buds begin to swell is the best time which should be sometime in February. That's when the sap begins to flow to feed the tree as it comes out of dormancy. However, mine hasn't even dropped all its leaves yet so who knows. I hope this helps. Now let's see some photos.

MACH5 · Dec 30, 2016

I love seiryu maples. I believe even a better variety than standard laceleaf because of their vigor. I got one at the Winter Silhouette auction. It is nice but very young. In spring, I plan on putting it in the ground and forget about it.

Joe, as mentioned, best time to work on maples is spring. In warmer climates like yours I'd say perhaps you have more leeway in that regard. Since you seem new to bonsai (or at least to maples) I would wait until spring to ensure greatest success.

Breeze46 · Dec 30, 2016

Thanks all, here are a couple of photos of the maple.

Vin · Dec 30, 2016

Yes, you have a Seirya. It looks to be slightly larger than mine but suffers the same condition, a relatively straight taperless trunk (no insult intended). It's just the growth habit of the cultivar so they require human intervention to make them believable as bonsai. I may follow @MACH5 and throw mine in the ground for a few years. Nice material though.

namnhi · Dec 30, 2016

That is a very nice lace leaf green maple. I didn't see any graft union so it must have been cutting grown? That should be a fun project for sure.

Dav4 · Dec 30, 2016

namnhi said:
That is a very nice lace leaf green maple. I didn't see any graft union so it must have been cutting grown? That should be a fun project for sure.

Seirya can be struck with cuttings, unlike other dissectums. I think the tree in question may have a future using the current trunk as a larger bonsai, but I'd need to see more pics, and the rootage definitely needs work. I think you've got a very nice project on your hands, though.

Lhasa · Dec 30, 2016

Breeze46 said:
Just acquired a Japanese Maple from a nursery. It is labeled Seirya, but I do not think that is correct. I believe it should be Seirygu or something like that. I am not sure how and when to go about working on this tree. Here in Pensacola, FL our climate is unlike most places. Here on the beach we rarely get hard winters and do not get the extreme summers either. I am hopeful that I can take some cuttings and also do a hard chop to shape it. I am at a loss at the best time to do either. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Joe

Look at D&L nursery website in flordia

Vin · Dec 30, 2016

Lhasa said:
Look at D&L nursery website in flordia

David doesn't sell his trees online. What are we looking for?

ysrgrathe · Dec 30, 2016

Dav4 said:
Seirya can be struck with cuttings, unlike other dissectums.

It's Seiryu.
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden....inderDetails.aspx?taxonid=263607&isprofile=0&

Vin · Dec 30, 2016

ysrgrathe said:
It's Seiryu.
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden....inderDetails.aspx?taxonid=263607&isprofile=0&

True that. Most likely a typo just like one of mine.

ysrgrathe · Dec 30, 2016

Vin said:
True that. Most likely a typo just like one of mine.

It started in the OP, but after seeing it repeated two more times I figured it was important to point out.

It's a nice maple and vigorous grower.

Dav4 · Dec 30, 2016

ysrgrathe said:
It's Seiryu.
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden....inderDetails.aspx?taxonid=263607&isprofile=0&

Yep

Maple help in Florida

Breeze46

Seedling

aml1014

Masterpiece

Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy

Vin

Imperial Masterpiece

MACH5

Imperial Masterpiece

Breeze46

Seedling

Vin

Imperial Masterpiece

namnhi

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Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy

Lhasa

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Vin

Imperial Masterpiece

ysrgrathe

Shohin

Vin

Imperial Masterpiece

ysrgrathe

Shohin

Dav4

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