Acer pentaphyllum - keeping an endangered Chinese maple alive

[boonefrog]

Hi, friends. Long time no see. I recently acquired an Acer pentaphyllum - I've heard common name as Chinese Maple. It's endangered with about 200 known left in the wild, although it seems to have some rare uses in landscaping and thus pops up every once in a while. I recently purchased a small one and my hope for this year are simply to help it survive winter. Over the next few years, my hope is to let it grow out enough to take some air layers and start experimenting with it as bonsai. All I really know about it is that it can have somewhat long internodes (better for larger bonsai) and the basic growth characteristics provided on sites like this: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden...inderDetails.aspx?taxonid=275373&isprofile=0&

The tree feels very special, so I'd like to help it not only survive, but thrive over the next few years. I'm zone 7a, and unless someone thinks it's a bad idea, I'm planning to put it in a newly-created 8'x4' raised bed that's got lots of great substrate (50% Daddy Pete's, 25% native clay soils, 25% spent mixed bonsai soils), that I prepared specifically for tinier trees to go "in-ground." Bed is in full sun.

Any of you ever work with it before as bonsai or landscaping and have any tips for growing? Any advice greatly appreciated!

 

[Rivian]

Is it a full sun species? Since related ones are understory trees

 

[boonefrog]

Is it a full sun species? Since related ones are understory trees

What I'm reading says sun to part shade. Also here's a picture of it growing in full sun. There's a spot for it next to some slightly taller japanese larch or dawn redwood seedlings and I could position it to give it mild relief from afternoon sun if necessary.

 

[AlainK]

Any of you ever work with it before as bonsai or landscaping and have any tips for growing?

Hi "boonefrog",

I had from a nursery in France specialized in rare trees, growing their saplings from seeds collected in the native area of the trees.

I gave one - which is perfectly healthy from what I've heard, I lost one during the 1st winter, so I only have one left.

I don't know what the weather conditions can be in Western NC in winter, but I think they suffer when the temps go below 0° C for a long period of time. I keep all my trees outside, and I think it survived because the weather was particularly mild last winter, with very few nights below zero.

I don't think it's a good candidate for bonsai : the internodes are quite long and the leaves rather thin.

French forum (you can use online translation) :

Acer pentaphylum - Page 2 - Au jardin, forum de jardinage

www.aujardin.org

UBC Maple Forum (The place to be if you love maples):

Acer pentaphyllum

This very rare maple has unusual deep green foliage divided into 5 leaflets. Vigorous grower with durable leaves that withstand the sun well. It is...

forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca

Mine, these days :



And yes, I think that wherever you are, it's important to preserve nature, and help endangered species to live on.

 

[boonefrog]

I don't know what the weather conditions can be in Western NC in winter, but I think they suffer when the temps go below 0° C for a long period of time. I keep all my trees outside, and I think it survived because the weather was particularly mild last winter, with very few nights below zero.

Wonderful info, thanks! Where I live there will usually be say 1-3 nights where it gets to -9C (15F) at night. I recognize that's likely too cold for any future ones I might put in containers... but I was hoping based on this that in-ground and with mulching it would have much decent chance of survival. Is that perhaps merely wishful thinking on my part?

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Looks like a fun plant by the shape of its leaves

 

[0soyoung]

I really enjoyed mine, growing them from seed that I acquired from Sheffield's (which they say is sourced from Australia = we're not alone in endeavoring to save endangered species). However, mine didn't make it through this last winter. I didn't loose any other of my potted maples (rubrum, ginnala, shirasawanum, japonicum, palmatum, circinatum, macrophyllum, glabrum) so I guess that pentaphyllum roots are among the most cold sensitive in the entire family. But it may be more than that as I've read comments elsewhere to the effect that that they are 'quite fussy' (whatever that really means).

I cling to the belief that they would be wonderful as literati (clumps or not) bonsai.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Looks like a fun plant by the shape of its leaves

It's probably the reason why people would steal them from publicly accessible gardens.
I would keep these kind of maples in a safe location.

 

[JoeR]

Very cool, did you find it at a nursery in Boone? Wouldn't mind getting one myself!

 

[AlainK]

Where I live there will usually be say 1-3 nights where it gets to -9C (15F) at night.

It was like that here some 5-6 years ago.
The problem is that we've had very mild winters and then, just when plants were blooming too early, a sudden cold wave, with frost killing the flowers.
A lot of annual plants or trees that have usually shed their leaves are still fully green.

I cling to the belief that they would be wonderful as literati (clumps or not) bonsai.

I think a "literati" would be awesome. Not so sure bout a clump...

 

[Crazy Diamond]

It's probably the reason why people would steal them from publicly accessible gardens.
I would keep these kind of maples in a safe location.

Yes I have heard storys about people stealing Acer palmatum from gardens thinking they are the devils lettuce very funny

 

[boonefrog]

Very cool, did you find it at a nursery in Boone? Wouldn't mind getting one myself!

On the facebook group 99c Bonsai. Seller by the name of Daniel Coontz. He just sold another one yesterday. I'd message him directly because I think he may have a couple left and no more coming. Are there any decent nurseries in Boone? I'm in AVL, but don't mind making a drive now and again.

 

[JoeR]

On the facebook group 99c Bonsai. Seller by the name of Daniel Coontz. He just sold another one yesterday. I'd message him directly because I think he may have a couple left and no more coming. Are there any decent nurseries in Boone? I'm in AVL, but don't mind making a drive now and again.

Cool thank you! As for Boone, I have no idea, every time I've been there I wasn't allowed to drag everyone to nurseries lol. Cool natives like pawpaw in the area though.

 

[scarecrow]

Any update on the A. pentaphyllum @boonefrog ?

 

[boonefrog]

Still kickin! Made it through 8F degree temps around xmas last year planted in a raised bed where I keep smaller seedlings to grow out before ground planting or potting up. Didn't grow much in 2023, but I'm hoping that it was just establishing and I'll see a lot more in 2024. Will most pics once it leafs out!

 

[SirBigSpur]

How is it now?

 

[boonefrog]

How is it now?

Still going strong! It's a slow grower on its own roots, but seems to be disease and pest-free as far as I can tell. I have not moved it since planting it in the raised grow bed in 2022 and it has just gotten water and light fert since then, surviving a couple harsh winter snaps (down to 8 or 9F) just fine. After searching for the last few years, I finally managed to score about 25 of these in for my nursery this past April. Grafted on A. pseudoplatanus rootstock, they seem to be MUCH faster growing than the one on its own roots. Not great for bonsai, but a very exciting specimen nonetheless. I will plant 2-3 of these in my landscape in Fall.

 

[SirBigSpur]

Still going strong! It's a slow grower on its own roots, but seems to be disease and pest-free as far as I can tell. I have not moved it since planting it in the raised grow bed in 2022 and it has just gotten water and light fert since then, surviving a couple harsh winter snaps (down to 8 or 9F) just fine. After searching for the last few years, I finally managed to score about 25 of these in for my nursery this past April. Grafted on A. pseudoplatanus rootstock, they seem to be MUCH faster growing than the one on its own roots. Not great for bonsai, but a very exciting specimen nonetheless. I will plant 2-3 of these in my landscape in Fall.

That’s fantastic news! I’m in NC as well, will give a look at your nursery site. I’m interested in one for my landscape as well!

 

[dacoontz]

Awesome!