I think this is a dwarf Japanese maple in my dad’s front yard. Has been planted for over 15 yrs I believe. Is this a potential bonsai material? Thinking of air layering one section if possible. What do you guys think?
Dwarf Japanese maple?
- Thread starter Vietcu
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It certainly could be a good subject for you to air layer, but before you go to all that work, research the tree and find out if it is adaptable to bonsai...do the leaves reduce, is it a good container tree, etc. Some of them are not so good. Luck with the project anyway. Peter
t_fareal
Sapling
Looks kinda like a Crimson queen Maple...if it is, CQ's are slow growing maples so air layering might take longer than other maples...
I'm looking into Air Layering with Perlite and a container for my CQ this spring into summer...
I'm looking into Air Layering with Perlite and a container for my CQ this spring into summer...
rodeolthr
Shohin
It appears to be one of the many varieties of Laceleaf Weeping Japanese Maple. As many people will attest, they are almost impossible to air-layer.
Japonicus
Masterpiece
Is this maple of the green variety and normally orange in Autumn?
No, he has one on the side that is green, but this one. It is maroon in color with smaller leaves, I believe it turns bright red in fall.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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The scar on the trunk has largely disguised the scar from grafting. I would consider lifting the entire maple to make your bonsai. Think styling this a bit like a weeping willow. Weeping willows are basically informal uprights whose outermost branches weep to the ground. It could be done with this tree.
The dissected leaf japanese maples are notorious for not rooting from cuttings and not air layering. It is hit and miss as to whether air layering will work. The weeping dissected leaf 'Inabe Shidare' will root from cuttings, I do not know if 'Crimson Queen' will root from cuttings. If a cultivar will not root from cuttings, the probability increases that it will fail as an air layer. But the generalization is not absolute, you might have success. So if you do an air layer, only do so if when it fails it does not ruin your landscaping. Be prepared for it to fail. It might work, but it might not. To allow 2 years for roots to form. Open the wrapping around the air layer at least once every 6 months, check for roots, if no roots have formed, wrap it back up and give it more time.
Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks does sell rooted cuttings of various maple cultivars, including some weeping dissected leaf cultivars. But these will need time to grow out.
If you want I would seriously consider using the whole tree as bonsai, just lift it from the landscape and give it a go as an informal upright form weeping tree.
The dissected leaf japanese maples are notorious for not rooting from cuttings and not air layering. It is hit and miss as to whether air layering will work. The weeping dissected leaf 'Inabe Shidare' will root from cuttings, I do not know if 'Crimson Queen' will root from cuttings. If a cultivar will not root from cuttings, the probability increases that it will fail as an air layer. But the generalization is not absolute, you might have success. So if you do an air layer, only do so if when it fails it does not ruin your landscaping. Be prepared for it to fail. It might work, but it might not. To allow 2 years for roots to form. Open the wrapping around the air layer at least once every 6 months, check for roots, if no roots have formed, wrap it back up and give it more time.
Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks does sell rooted cuttings of various maple cultivars, including some weeping dissected leaf cultivars. But these will need time to grow out.
If you want I would seriously consider using the whole tree as bonsai, just lift it from the landscape and give it a go as an informal upright form weeping tree.
D
Deleted member 21616
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long story short - leave this tree alone, get yourself some palmatum for bonsai 
Palmatum is easy to get, and you can get it for dirt cheap in the USA.
after many heartbreaks, if you managed to succeed with a cutting or air layer like never before - i would still think, so what? As far as maples go, it's a terrible option
even in the hands of a master, a dissectum bonsai is a bit:
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/dissectum-cuttings.26102/#post-419691
Palmatum is easy to get, and you can get it for dirt cheap in the USA.after many heartbreaks, if you managed to succeed with a cutting or air layer like never before - i would still think, so what? As far as maples go, it's a terrible option
even in the hands of a master, a dissectum bonsai is a bit:
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/dissectum-cuttings.26102/#post-419691
That’s what it looks like, glad I asked for some opinions. Just going to leave the tree as is and work on some others. Thanks all.long story short - leave this tree alone, get yourself some palmatum for bonsai
after many heartbreaks, if you managed to succeed with a cutting or air layer like never before - i would still think, so what? As far as maples go, it's a terrible option
even in the hands of a master, a dissectum bonsai is a bit:
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/dissectum-cuttings.26102/#post-419691
Japonicus
Masterpiece
Derek makes a good point linking Bills thread, this is grafted...
From bonsaibc.ca this dissectum has always captivated me even without much taper
and probably high grafted...it's still showy, graceful and feminine.
Indeed, Mountain maple or Acer palmatum palmatum, is easier and takes both root work and top work simultaneously
and bounces back. The Viridis cuttings that EGGW sells is quite tiny. It is a cutting grown on maybe a year. I got one last year.
From bonsaibc.ca this dissectum has always captivated me even without much taper
and probably high grafted...it's still showy, graceful and feminine.
Indeed, Mountain maple or Acer palmatum palmatum, is easier and takes both root work and top work simultaneously
and bounces back. The Viridis cuttings that EGGW sells is quite tiny. It is a cutting grown on maybe a year. I got one last year.
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