Good pre- material?
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hinmo24t
Masterpiece
ya, cut the thing 2" above where the Y starts in march or early april
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Welcome!
First thing - get those weeds out of there so you can see what you're working with
Then carefully examine the lower section of trunk and look for a graft scar. Unless it was grown specifically for use as bonsai, your red Japanese maple is likely a grafted tree with green Japanese maple root stock. Take a close-up photo of the lower section of the trunk down to the roots, and post it here so we can take a look.
First thing - get those weeds out of there so you can see what you're working with
Then carefully examine the lower section of trunk and look for a graft scar. Unless it was grown specifically for use as bonsai, your red Japanese maple is likely a grafted tree with green Japanese maple root stock. Take a close-up photo of the lower section of the trunk down to the roots, and post it here so we can take a look.Welcome!
First thing - get those weeds out of there so you can see what you're working with
That looks like a scar?
How long we talking to recover if/when this is done?
Not my tree (yet) but got my eye on it
hinmo24t
Masterpiece
yep...so cut below the lump in the springtime and itll be a chunky little maple bonsai. they backbud very well
hinmo24t
Masterpiece
make that cut in the springtime and within a month it will have new buds popping out on it. by end of that summer it will look like a bonsaitree. id put a 80% probability on thatHow long we talking to recover if/when this is done?
Not my tree (yet) but got my eye on it
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Yes, it is definitely a grafted tree - and that lump is the graft union. Not a big deal if you put it in your landscape, where you won't see it at all once the tree has a 6" trunk caliper. However with bonsai it is very difficult to hide.
Additionally, it is important to understand what @hinmo24t is saying. If you cut the tree back to below the graft scar, you will end up with a green Japanese maple. The more valuable top of the tree - the cultivar stock - will be cut off and thrown in the trash. If you are buying the tree because you like how the foliage looks, you will lose it.
Many people who buy grafted Japanese maples for use as bonsai buy them for propagation purposes. They grow the tree in their landscape, and take cuttings from the branches, or air-layer thicker branches to get larger material. Or, if you find a Japanese maple that has a really chunky base, you may simply cut it short and be ok with it having green foliage. However, make sure you aren't paying a premium for a rare maple cultivar - and then throw it in the trash
The image below is someone using a landscape Japanese maple to air-layer off branches to become individual trees. Each new tree will be a clone of the parent cultivar (the top of the tree) while having its own roots and no graft.
hinmo24t
Masterpiece
good points^ FWIW i heard a reputable person on here mention the standard green acers (under the lump cut) are better suited to bonsai work and development than that bloodgood top section would be, or a lot of other JMs.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
I have heard the same... but I have also heard conflicting opinions. Right now I would simply call it a "rumor" because there are plenty of Japanese maple bonsai out there on their own roots that don't seem to have difficulties. Perhaps with some dwarf cultivars, or other slower-growing and weaker cultivars, there is an advantage to having a strong green maple rootstock? Perhaps it is possible to grow certain cultivars on their own roots, but may not be preferable (for landscape) due to some environmental concern? It is important to consider that the vast majority of Japanese maple trees are propagated for landscape - and not for use in a containerized environment where they can be grown in custom soil mixes and receive specialized care. So I think it is fair to say that generic green maple rootstock might be more robust than average... but that doesn't preclude you from growing weaker cultivars on their own roots(?)
Below the bump..red line...rhat will be a green maple?
If I did the green lines ...that gets me a red maple but with a graft scar which I know doesn't appeal bonsai wise but this would be my first tree.
Haven't bought it, it's a friends who might not be able to take it with her when she moves. Either gonna bonsai it and she can take it, or *ahem* nick it / offer to take it off her hands. Depends what the reason she has it for is...
Either way I think it's getting miniturised in April so way.
Can I ask what a green maple looks like in bonsai form?. Love the red foliage and I could live with a bump and a scar as a free tree
hinmo24t
Masterpiece
from google:
grow the tree in their landscape, and take cuttings from the branches, or air-layer thicker branches to get larger material.
That sounds a possibility as it's a nice landscape tree as it is at the moment
Will have to look into that option
That sounds a possibility as it's a nice landscape tree as it is at the moment
Will have to look into that option
coltranem
Chumono
Given the lack of trunk thickness and graft union. I'd pass. You could go the landscape route but that would be for stock.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Almost any stock is potential for bonsai. the real question is how much time and effort will it take to achieve something like a bonsai and what standard of bonsai are you willing to accept?
To convert something like this to anything even approaching bonsai will be a 10 year plan minimum. - Cut back and wait for regrowth or layer off the upper section (1-2 years) develop trunk thickness (5-10 years) develop branch ramification (another 5-10 years)
There are many different red leaf JM cultivars available. Some suit bonsai better than others. It is not about growing on their own roots. Most will do that quite well. More difficult aspect is leaf and internode sizes. I have not been able to tame any of the Bloodgoods I have worked with. All end up very open with minimal branch ramification and look very un-bonsai.
The understock usually have different growing habit and are usually much easier to tame and style as bonsai.
To convert something like this to anything even approaching bonsai will be a 10 year plan minimum. - Cut back and wait for regrowth or layer off the upper section (1-2 years) develop trunk thickness (5-10 years) develop branch ramification (another 5-10 years)
There are many different red leaf JM cultivars available. Some suit bonsai better than others. It is not about growing on their own roots. Most will do that quite well. More difficult aspect is leaf and internode sizes. I have not been able to tame any of the Bloodgoods I have worked with. All end up very open with minimal branch ramification and look very un-bonsai.
The understock usually have different growing habit and are usually much easier to tame and style as bonsai.
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