Arakawa JM trunk chop

[bonsairxmd]

Does there have to be some branches and foliage below the level of a trunk chop in order for this to be successful in stimulating buds/branch growth and/or for the tree to stay alive? I'll post a picture shortly

 

[bonsairxmd]

Here is a picture of the tree

 

[discusmike]

No, not with deciduous trees, but if the tree has already leafed out, don't chop until next spring when buds swell.

 

[garywood]

B, before anyone can respond to the physiological aspect of chopping, maybe you could give a "vision" of what you want for the completed tree to be. It makes a BIG difference in how you would grow a tree.

 

[bonsairxmd]

I'm currently debating between growing this as a container JM on the patio or an informal twin trunk bonsai as in Chapter 16 of Bonsai with Japanese Maples book by Adams.

Thanks for the replies and help!

 

[Eric Group]

You sure this is Arakawa? Hard to tell from the pics, but it doesn't necessarily look like it to me. The foliage looks too "bunched" at the tips, and maybe not quite the right color... And the bark... Well again, we need a better pic to tell for sure... I could be wrong. It is hard to tell on young trees, but even the young ones start getting bunches of the dark "cork" around growth rings pretty early, it just doesn't cover over completely until 6-7 years normally...

 

[coh]

Hard to tell from that photo but the leaves don't look like the leaves on my arakawas. Maybe the OP can post a close-up pic of the leaves...

Chris

 

[bonsairxmd]

Here is a close up of the leaves.

 

[RKatzin]

At a glance I'm thinking it looks like my Mikawa, but I'm not going to say so until someone else ventures a quess.

 

[coh]

Yeah, that photo doesn't look like my arakawas (assuming they are arakawas). I'll try to get a photo of mine.

 

[RKatzin]

here's a couple of Mikawa

 

[bonsairxmd]

Here are a few more pictures.

(Any tips on how to post pictures to a thread from an iPad? The 'choose file' button under attachments is not active when I post through my iPad so I have to do this on my desktop )

 

[Eric Group]

Try to get a shot of the bark up close, it should be easy to tell even on younger stems/ branches.

I mean, honestly it doesn't much matter in regards to the question you had whether it is Arakawa or regular Palmatum... Yes, you can chop below the lowest branches and it SHOULD still bud back if the tree is healthy. I would also agree with previous posts that it is best to do it in the Spring before bud swell, but I have done it in the late summer with fine results as well. Most Maples go into a state of almost dormancy during the summer in warmer climates anyway, then start growing again in the fall prio to Winter dormancy, so a trunk chop, repot, heavy styling, or even partial defoliation... Is probably not going to harm a Jap. maple much... At least not in my climate.

 

[bonsairxmd]

Ok. Thanks. I'll take another one this evening. It is suppose to be a 4 year old tree-grafted. No evidence of roughening of the bark yet.

It is disappointing though if it is not the cultivar that I thought I was purchasing. That is what I get for ordering from an online nursery I guess. Hard to find the more rare cultivars locally though.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I wouldn't consider it a total loss. Let it grow for a month, then take some cuttings.

It's worth mentioning, however, that this material was not grown for bonsai. You will have faster results in the future if you shop for material that has been grown to be bonsai: radial roots, scar-free trunk, foliage close to the trunk/base...or at least possesses those characteristics.

Try Brent's website: www.evergreengardenworks.com

 

[bonsairxmd]

Ok. Yes, I have ordered several trees from Brent over the years.