Acer palmatum sharp's pygmy [#07]

[MACH5]

This is an Acer Palmatum Sharp's Pygmy that I've been working on for 3 years now. It has stunning, bright chartreuse green leaves in the spring and fiery red leaves in autumn. I have shaped this tree to reflect the way many trees up in the North East US grow with wide flame-like shaped canopies. This maple tends to be a pretty late starter with bud brake well into April. It becomes incredibly dense by late spring with small and sharply pointed leaves. For those not familiar with this variety, I highly suggest performing partial leaf defoliation, taking one leaf out of each pair growing on the outside of the canopy. If this is not done, it is very likely that all interior shoots will quickly die off and greatly increasing the chances for powdery mildew. Trimming and cutting back aggressively is also done to bring light and air to the inside. This is one maple that does require quite a bit of work in the spring. No slacking with this one!

The tree was extensively wired and pruned back in March. When I first acquired it, it had a different front and the branch structure was too heavy and clunky for my taste. Since, I have been working on fine ramification and taper. The nebari looks nice and even all around the trunk which makes me believe that perhaps this tree is a product of an air-layer long time ago. Further pruning and wiring will be done next spring.

I wanted to share a series of photos that I took as the tree transformed itself from late summer to its winter silhouette. The time frame represented is about 8 weeks from the first pic to the last. For me this is the magic of Japanese maples. They can look so different from season to season.

The tree stands 25" from soil level. The current pot is not final but probably it will end up with something similar but of better quality.


[LATE SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY NOVEMBER 2013]





[PHOTO SUMMARY: LATE SEPTEMBER, LATE OCTOBER AND EARLY NOVEMBER]





[READY FOR WINTER]

 

[5th element]

This is an Acer Palmatum Sharp's Pygmy that I've been working on for 3 years now. It has stunning, bright chartreuse green leaves in the spring and fiery red leaves in autumn. I have shaped this tree to reflect the way many trees up in the North East US grow with wide flame-like shaped canopies. This maple tends to be a pretty late starter with bud brake well into April. It becomes incredibly dense by late spring with small and sharply pointed leaves. For those not familiar with this variety, I highly suggest performing partial leaf defoliation, taking one leaf out of each pair growing on the outside of the canopy. If this is not done, it is very likely that all interior shoots will quickly die off and greatly increasing the chances for powdery mildew. Trimming and cutting back aggressively is also done to bring light and air to the inside. This is one maple that does require quite a bit of work in the spring. No slacking with this one!

The tree was extensively wired and pruned back in March. When I first acquired it, it had a different front and the branch structure was too heavy and clunky for my taste. Since, I have been working on fine ramification and taper. The nebari looks nice and even all around the trunk which makes me believe that perhaps this tree is a product of an air-layer long time ago. Further pruning and wiring will be done next spring.

I wanted to share a series of photos that I took as the tree transformed itself from late summer to its winter silhouette. The time frame represented is about 8 weeks from the first pic to the last. For me this is the magic of Japanese maples. They can look so different from season to season.

The tree stands 25" from soil level. The current pot is not final but probably it will end up with something similar but of better quality.


[LATE SEPTEMBER THROUGH EARLY NOVEMBER 2013]





[PHOTO SUMMARY: LATE SEPTEMBER, LATE OCTOBER AND EARLY NOVEMBER]





[READY FOR WINTER]

Good looking tree, I like the way its styled, looks vey realistic

 

[Dav4]

I think your tree is exceptional, Mach, and your photography is top notch. Sharp's Pygmy has always been one of my favorite dwarf palmatums, at least in the landscape. I had one in a pot for 5 years before moving to GA...it made the trip and is now planted in my back yard. Looking at your tree and mine, I can see that the natural form of this cultivar does seem to lend itself toward being a good bonsai candidate...I'm thinking a ground layer may be in order for mine next spring. Thanks for helping me commit.

 

[md4958]

Beautiful tree, thanks for sharing.

 

[MACH5]

I think your tree is exceptional, Mach, and your photography is top notch. Sharp's Pygmy has always been one of my favorite dwarf palmatums, at least in the landscape. I had one in a pot for 5 years before moving to GA...it made the trip and is now planted in my back yard. Looking at your tree and mine, I can see that the natural form of this cultivar does seem to lend itself toward being a good bonsai candidate...I'm thinking a ground layer may be in order for mine next spring. Thanks for helping me commit.

Thanks Dave! Yes I think they are worth a try for sure. They have wonderful short internodes with small leaves that take direct sunlight quite well within reason. But be careful. For some of us with good size collections, these maples can throw you over the edge with how demanding they can be in springtime, specially with the larger sized specimens. You want perhaps just one or two

The first year I had it, I was taken by surprise by how incredibly dense they get and lost several interior branchlets due to lack of light and air circulation along with a good case of mildew to go with it!

Good luck and I hope you get to air layer yours soon

 

[JudyB]

Wonderful. Really such a effortless design. Not that you didn't have to work your tail off for this outcome, but it just looks like like the hand of nature, not man.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful maples, it gives the rest of us something to shoot for.

 

[coh]

Problem with this thread is that now I have to have a Sharp's pygmy...

Gorgeous, very natural-looking tree and that color progression is amazing. It almost looks like a burning bush in that final autumn photo! Is the color reliable from year to year?

Chris

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Awesome....

 

[MACH5]

Wonderful. Really such a effortless design. Not that you didn't have to work your tail off for this outcome, but it just looks like like the hand of nature, not man.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful maples, it gives the rest of us something to shoot for.

Thanks Judy and right back at ya! There a good few of you in this forum that bring dedication, smarts and talent (yes there is that word again!) who are incredibly inspiring to me. I try and mimic the same enjoyment and seriousness many of you bring to this forum. You know who you are!

 

[MACH5]

Problem with this thread is that now I have to have a Sharp's pygmy...

Gorgeous, very natural-looking tree and that color progression is amazing. It almost looks like a burning bush in that final autumn photo! Is the color reliable from year to year?

Chris

Thanks Chris! I would say so more or less at least in my experience. They can go also a bit more orange in spots. Last year I was not able to keep my leaves in such pristine shape as this year so color was not quite as intense. I wish there had been a more gradual progression towards the end of the photo sequence as the tree was shedding its leaves. The trouble was that we had a hard freeze one night and off the leaves went!

Awesome....

Thanks Brian! The "seal of approval" from some of you guys means a lot to me!

 

[Dav4]

Thanks Chris! I would say so more or less at least in my experience. They can go also a bit more orange in spots. Last year I was not able to keep my leaves in such pristine shape as this year so color was not quite as intense. I wish there had been a more gradual progression towards the end of the photo sequence as the tree was shedding its leaves. The trouble was that we had a hard freeze one night and off the leaves went!




Thanks Brian! The "seal of approval" from some of you guys means a lot to me!

Thanks Judy and right back at ya! There a good few of you in this forum that bring dedication, smarts and talent (yes there is that word again!) who are incredibly inspiring to me. I try and mimic the same enjoyment and seriousness many of you bring to this forum. You know who you are!

Maples were almost an afterthought for me in this hobby...until you started posting your wonderful trees. Thanks to your contributions here, I've decided my collection, mostly evergreen and coniferous, needs at least a few nice maples. Thanks again and keep posting your trees, please!

 

[MACH5]

Here is the tree on the left enjoying a warm autumn day with some friends. I really need to get a yellow maple soon. I am starting to overdose on red!

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

Sugar maples are yellow to orange and I have a big one in the back if you want I'll send you some seeds.

 

[MACH5]

Thanks BARNWOOD! I appreciate it. I also have a few of those around me. I was actually referring more to yellow Japanese maples like a Bihou or Sango-Kaku

 

[AboveBeyond]

I love the pictures! Colors are amazing!

 

[jkd2572]

Makes me sad to see these. I have tried two very nice ones and killed both of them. too hot here for them. I still love to see them. At the time they were my favorite trees. It's tuff to kill your favorite tree. Thanks for posting. Great tree.

 

[edprocoat]

Simply beautiful ! Nice job with those maples, a yellow one would be nice or maybe two !

ed

 

[Dan W.]

Nice one! That's definitely one of the better pigmys I've seen. great color too!

 

[MACH5]

Makes me sad to see these. I have tried two very nice ones and killed both of them. too hot here for them. I still love to see them. At the time they were my favorite trees. It's tuff to kill your favorite tree. Thanks for posting. Great tree.

Thanks Jeremy! Sorry to hear about your trees. I know you're far south but are you sure you can't find any heat tolerant Japanese maples that can grow in your zone? I don't know but I wonder? It is for sure one of if not my favorite species for bonsai.

 

[Dan W.]

I hope you're updating several of your maple threads soon...