Beginner starting with Acer truncatum

Opossum

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Hi everyone. This is my first post here. I’ve been on the UBC maple forum for several years, and recently decided to try my hand at bonsai. The fine folk over at UBC directed me to this forum. I am extremely new to this, and don’t want to ask any stupid questions, but I can’t promise that won’t happen. I have a several year old Acer truncatum I grew from seed that had to be dug up this spring. I topped it at about 16”, and it has responded nicely. I’ll attach a pic of it. Is this an okay species for bonsai? What are the immediate steps (if any) I need to take with it?

thanks,
Kyle E483AE68-B9FD-43EE-9ACB-FC25B4B18791.jpegCB7C77AF-E325-4878-8956-AE5EA52BA2B4.jpegB90582BD-56D0-4FB3-97DB-6111A34BB998.jpeg
 

HorseloverFat

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Acer Truncatum is one of my favorite Maples, Traveller!!

Glad you and your wonderful taste in trees washed up on our riverbanks. The water is always clean and the Woody Dwarves are always “down” to entertain.

This place is a wonderfully delightful bazaar-style marketplace.. swapping experience and knowledge. Glad to have you a part of it.

Truncated Maples aren’t common by me.. but i started seeds this year and have 5 seedlings.

An Italian “maple guy” I read (Some time back) says that truncatums are amongst the most varied and common in their genetic mutations (he had a list.. I’ll try and find it).

Aaanywhoo!

Pleasure to make your acquaintance!
 

HorseloverFat

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Whoops!

Got so excited about that painted maple that I blew right past your question/inquiry..

How bendy is that trunk?...

Can we see some pictures of the base, and first few branches?

....also. It will help a whole HEAP if you’d go ahead and update your profile information to reflect a generalized location or climate zone. That way... advice is specific to your region... don’t give South African climate-based advice to Someone living in the Arctic circle-sort-of-thing.

🤓
 

HorseloverFat

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Your tree is most DEFINITELY a “PurpleBlow Maple”.. Truncatums just vary.. widely..

It’s funny.. I actually think it resembles a Truncatum/Miyabei cross.. but that’s silly..
🤓
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HorseloverFat

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There are MANY marketed cultivars.. just because they are so “mutant-prone”... much like the platenoides I have been observing in mass.

Turns out there’s entire list of Truncatum/Platenoides-cross cultivars, too.. Sold under the “Truncatum” name, in some places.
(this is to show just how varied SIMPLY truncatums are, this site was linked earlier ;) )

Then this is from the Arb Site.
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Orion_metalhead

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That is all well and good, but I see no discernable difference betwee. The leaves, petioles, bark, or growth character of the OPs tree and Norway/Sugar Maple.

OP, cut a leave off and let us know if the sap is white... at least we could rule out Sugar Maple, then. You said you grew from a seed. Where did you get the seeds from? Did you order Truncatum seeds specifically from somewhere?
 

HorseloverFat

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That is all well and good, but I see no discernable difference betwee. The leaves, petioles, bark, or growth character of the OPs tree and Norway/Sugar Maple.

OP, cut a leave off and let us know if the sap is white... at least we could rule out Sugar Maple, then. You said you grew from a seed. Where did you get the seeds from? Did you order Truncatum seeds specifically from somewhere?
Hehe! OPs location would REALLY help us out here.

🤣
 

HorseloverFat

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This is a picture that I found of a standard Truncatum, that, i feel, most closely resembles the leaves of OP’s tree.1621007698871.jpeg
ALSO a picture of a standard Platenoides that, I feel, most closely resembles the leaves of OPs tree.
1621007792829.jpeg
It’s a pretty tough call... especially with these two species SO prone to variation.. and commonly used together in hybridization.
 

Opossum

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Sorry, will change my location and such shortly. I’m located in East Tennessee. Zone 7a/6b. This is 100% a truncatum. I’m pretty good at dendro and am a biologist by trade. The seeds were sent to me by a good friend and well-respected plantsmen. The first image below is another truncatum that came from the same lot as the original one I posted. Speaks to their genetic variability. The second picture is a sugar maple I also have, for reference.image.jpgimage.jpg
 

Opossum

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Sorry, got busy then forgot about this thread. Here’s the truncatum as of today.
 

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Opossum

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What are some of the first steps I should take?
 
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