Arakawa Spring leaves and seeds

MGTT

Mame
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Not a great pic of the entire tree, but here’s a close up of Spring leaves and, amazingly, seeds. This is a Bill Valavanis seedling from somewhere around 6-10 years ago. I’m really happy with the tree - thanks Int Bonsai Arb. (On the other hand, I did have an aphid attack this year - darned ants!!)IMG_1609.jpeg
 

Shibui

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Well, not quite seeds yet. You have flower buds which will open and may get pollinated. Seeds won't form for a few months yet.
I still get a kick out of seeing flowers on my maples down here too.
 
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I got them too - this is my first year with Arakawa, is that uncommon? Really pretty.
 

MGTT

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That’s good to know. I finally have some trees that are reaching a ‘mature’ stage (based on # of years).
With any luck, these flowers will go to seed. It would be interesting to see if any of the offspring result in arakawa/rough barked trees.
 

Shibui

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Another one that flowers early and profusely is Taiwan maple. I have not had flowers on standard tridents but the Taiwan is covered in seed every year. Even cuttings flower after a year or 2.

With any luck, these flowers will go to seed. It would be interesting to see if any of the offspring result in arakawa/rough barked trees.
Japanese maples seem to be very fertile. Most flowers on my bonsai end up as seed so every chance yours will too. I have not grown Arakawa seed but seem to remember others having most seed retain the rough bark character. It may depend on what other JM are around to add other genes into the mix.
 

leatherback

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Japanese maples seem to be very fertile. Most flowers on my bonsai end up as seed so every chance yours will too. I have not grown Arakawa seed but seem to remember others having most seed retain the rough bark character. It may depend on what other JM are around to add other genes into the mix.
I once contacted a commercial grower who was selling rough bark maple seeds from his arakawa stock. He indicated to expect 30% to grow with rough bark.

I now have seedlings from someone who has 60 varieties of japanese maple. One is a laceleaf with a first barker crack on the stem after 3 years. I am hoping I have my hands on a soon-to-be-named cultivar "Acer Palmatum 'Laced Leatherbark'
 

MGTT

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Well, it doesn’t seem like the Arakawa flowers made it (after a warm couple of weeks, it turned cold, and the trees had to go back in to the ‘quasi-greenhouse’ for protection).
On the other hand, sorry @Shibui, but a Trident has flowers this year. (I’m not showing a full tree pic yet - I did the ‘big chop’ on it, and it’s taking forever to recover. Your guidance on smaller chops is right on based on what I’m living! I’m following that guidance on a few seedlings. And, just like you said, while the initial development is somewhat slower, it seems a MUCH better path to creating a tree - thanks for sharing!)
 

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Maros

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I once contacted a commercial grower who was selling rough bark maple seeds from his arakawa stock. He indicated to expect 30% to grow with rough bark.

I now have seedlings from someone who has 60 varieties of japanese maple. One is a laceleaf with a first barker crack on the stem after 3 years. I am hoping I have my hands on a soon-to-be-named cultivar "Acer Palmatum 'Laced Leatherbark'
I was currently looking for Arakawa(garden stock) plants in garden centers or online nurseries. I realized they are really rare(practically unavailable)in Slovakia and Czechia. Is it same in your area? You are close to Nederlands so it makes them more accessible, right?
 

leatherback

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I was currently looking for Arakawa(garden stock) plants in garden centers or online nurseries. I realized they are really rare(practically unavailable)in Slovakia and Czechia. Is it same in your area? You are close to Nederlands so it makes them more accessible, right?
The seeds were in France.. :)
But.. Esveld nursery has them every once in a while.

If you roam the forum, you might find a few desperate posts from me, looking for a somewhat mature specimen. They are just rarely available for some reason. Next to deshojo and my looks-like-seigen, it is the only variety I actively try and propagate as people seem to look for them
 
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