In for a TREAT.

[TurtleSquisher]

Good morning friends~

I have some SUPER exciting news. I just recently picked up my first Red Japanese Maple from a trip. Not but 3 days of having it, I had 6 clippings potted an ready to root. What happened in those 3 days might shock you.

So after I got home I went over to my friend's brother's house an I got to talking to him and I told him about our beautiful hobby. He mentioned something very peculiar.... he said the postman asked him the other day if he could please take a picture of his tree and INSTANTLY my antennas were sensing greatness. Then he showed me this....

I mean... LOOK AT THESE LEAVES they are not even but a quarter size big, maybe a tad more.

This Green Maple is 30 feet tall, with a span of about 40 ft. across.

 

[TurtleSquisher]

This was the center of that tree. 4 BEAutiful octopus arms exactly mirroring each other. Perfect spacing in between them an all of them had identical branches coming out of the same spots everywhere. Took my breath away. Thought I'd share an now I have clippings of these genes. I don't know how to air layer yet, but I'm damn sure figuring it out...



Here is the beautiful Red Maple I picked up ❤❤

 

[ShadyStump]

NICE.
These sorts of finds are always fun. Try to get a line on that mail carrier, too. Pictures of trees is a rather bonsai-ish thing to do.

I know where there's a Wasatch maple I'm hoping to get cuttings and seeds from this year. 20ft tall, but the leaves max out at the size of your palm. Native species, too, so very hardy to the climate.

 

[TurtleSquisher]

NICE.
These sorts of finds are always fun. Try to get a line on that mail carrier, too. Pictures of trees is a rather bonsai-ish thing to do.

I know where there's a Wasatch maple I'm hoping to get cuttings and seeds from this year. 20ft tall, but the leaves max out at the size of your palm. Native species, too, so very hardy to the climate.

This was my first time where I was really blown away over a tree. That's what that feels like huh? Hahahahahaha

That postman had a great eye an it was so weird when he said it cause I said the same thing. That's a very bonsai-ish thing to do. Must track him DOWNNNN.

As for that maple you were talking about, I don't know much about species of trees as I'm fairly new, but a leaf the size of your palm is bonkers to me. I'd have either a maple with a giant spand across, or mega tiny dime leaf. I will definitely check out the Wasatch though~

 

[ShadyStump]

As for that maple you were talking about, I don't know much about species of trees as I'm fairly new, but a leaf the size of your palm is bonkers to me. I'd have either a maple with a giant spand across, or mega tiny dime leaf. I will definitely check out the Wasatch though~

Also known as big tooth maple, and sometimes western sugar maple. I's native range is around where the Colorado, Wyoming and Utah borders all meet.
I haven't been able to play with any yet, but given the climate differences between there and northern CA, it might not get the dormancy time it needs where you are. Depends on if you're not-SoCal northern, or NORTH northern, like Humboldt/Trinity.

 

[TurtleSquisher]

I'm in the center of the NorCal square about 2 hours from Trinity. Each an every day I am actually super happy about my climate, the dormancy sucks just cause it's ever so slightly short but some of the trees that grow here... just wowza

 

[ShadyStump]

Oh, ok, then you might have a shot at something like Wasatch maples.
They're not heavily cultivated, so I've not stumbled upon anything I trust specifically stating a climate range. If they're anything like many of the native species here, though, once you can get it dormant, it doesn't take much cold to keep it there, and takes plenty of warmth to wake it up.

Do you have an ID on your tree there?

 

[19Mateo83]

This reminded me of an AP I found on a local college campus. It’s got tiny leaves and is fairly large. I took some hardwood cuttings this past winter and out of the 6 or 7 I took only 2 are still alive but they are leafed out. I’m hoping in the future I will be able to take scions from it for grafting.

 

[TurtleSquisher]

Oh, ok, then you might have a shot at something like Wasatch maples.
They're not heavily cultivated, so I've not stumbled upon anything I trust specifically stating a climate range. If they're anything like many of the native species here, though, once you can get it dormant, it doesn't take much cold to keep it there, and takes plenty of warmth to wake it up.

Do you have an ID on your tree there?

Sadly I do not. I will go back later on today to try an get some characteristics figured out. All the owner said was it was a green japanese soooo.... that doesn't do me much.

This reminded me of an AP I found on a local college campus. It’s got tiny leaves and is fairly large. I took some hardwood cuttings this past winter and out of the 6 or 7 I took only 2 are still alive but they are leafed out. I’m hoping in the future I will be able to take scions from it for grafting.

Those are beautiful ❤

Good luck on your little guys and may they prosper. Sucks only 2 stayed though

So far one of my clippings out of 6 have already dried up an crumbled... guess maples aren't the easiest to root

 

[19Mateo83]

Sadly I do not. I will go back later on today to try an get some characteristics figured out. All the owner said was it was a green japanese soooo.... that doesn't do me much.

Those are beautiful ❤

Good luck on your little guys and may they prosper. Sucks only 2 stayed though

So far one of my clippings out of 6 have already dried up an crumbled... guess maples aren't the easiest to root

Some cultivars are more likely to root than others. Some don’t root at all. Being that this is an unknown cultivar/generic green cultivar it’s a crap shoot. Here is a list compiled by @penumbra hope this helps.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/japanese-maples-that-root-from-cuttings.53443/

 

[HorseloverFat]

What a neat tree.

The foliage is quite striking... definitely worth the effort!

What is your future goal/direction?

How large can you envision this as a tree nearing end of development stage?

Answering this question will guide some advice I'd love to throw your direction.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Also...

I like that pot.

 

[TurtleSquisher]

What a neat tree.

The foliage is quite striking... definitely worth the effort!

What is your future goal/direction?

How large can you envision this as a tree nearing end of development stage?

Answering this question will guide some advice I'd love to throw your direction.

So. I love the idea of Shohin right? BUT... I honestly want to have a maple that is mediumly gigantic with small small leaves. I prefer red maples in particular.

Reference pic
This one above me is my absolute favorite. This is what I will definitely strive for.


I also looOOOve these rounded arrow shapes

 

[TurtleSquisher]

Also...

I like that pot.

I'm trying to find a pot like the third picture but in that battery acid green. This is my favoritiest pot that I ever laid eyes upon. I looOOOOOOOOOoove that pot. Even better in person~

 

[rockm]

This was my first time where I was really blown away over a tree. That's what that feels like huh? Hahahahahaha

That postman had a great eye an it was so weird when he said it cause I said the same thing. That's a very bonsai-ish thing to do. Must track him DOWNNNN.

As for that maple you were talking about, I don't know much about species of trees as I'm fairly new, but a leaf the size of your palm is bonkers to me. I'd have either a maple with a giant spand across, or mega tiny dime leaf. I will definitely check out the Wasatch though~

I love the enthusiasm, but Hey, um, this isn't all that remarkable leaf wise, or in form. The parent tree is great (and probably 40 years or more old), but you can get JM cultivars with smallish and smallER leaves if you look around at specialty JM nurseries online...FWIW, U.S. native maple species are inferior for bonsai, mostly--too gangly, leaves don't reduce, etc. Most of them have been tried.

 

[TurtleSquisher]

I love the enthusiasm, but Hey, um, this isn't all that remarkable leaf wise, or in form. The parent tree is great (and probably 40 years or more old), but you can get JM cultivars with smallish and smallER leaves if you look around at specialty JM nurseries online...FWIW, U.S. native maple species are inferior for bonsai, mostly--too gangly, leaves don't reduce, etc. Most of them have been tried.

Thought it was pretty small for a tree of such size and nature. You're totally right though, leaves can get much smaller as I am aware! Just love seeing small leaves in a natural tree!

 

[HorseloverFat]

I personally believe that native/naturalized acers are wonderful.. (Some WAY 'more than others, for bonsai purposes) and we just haven't (as a collective whole) been utilizing/"trying" them for long enough.

But the standard "Bonsai" thought is exactly that.. North American Native maples= No-no. and only SOME naturalized..

But if we look at some of the older examples we have.. They (Certain Naturalized AND Native) Acers DO show some promise, in my opinion (This is not the average opinion amongst bonsai practitioners...)

But hey! I just DON'T live in asia.. and I enjoy maples, but DON'T enjoy(have) spending money. So I'll grow them.

Native (not my image)


Naturalized include Amur.. so there are other VERY decent examples around.

 

[TN_Jim]

@TurtleSquisher, that’s a fucked up name

 

[Jcmmaple]

That red maple is on display at the NC Arboretum , it is a fantastic tree.

 

[ShadyStump]

I personally believe that native/naturalized acers are wonderful.. (Some WAY 'more than others, for bonsai purposes) and we just haven't (as a collective whole) been utilizing/"trying" them for long enough.

But the standard "Bonsai" thought is exactly that.. North American Native maples= No-no. and only SOME naturalized..

But if we look at some of the older examples we have.. They (Certain Naturalized AND Native) Acers DO show some promise, in my opinion (This is not the average opinion amongst bonsai practitioners...)

But hey! I just DON'T live in asia.. and I enjoy maples, but DON'T enjoy(have) spending money. So I'll grow them.

Native (not my image)
View attachment 431138

Naturalized include Amur.. so there are other VERY decent examples around.

I'll agree with both you and @rockm.
Many of the most common North American natives are either cultivars specifically created for landscape, or wild and relatively little is known about them. So we can expect the first generation or two of attempts at using them for bonsai to yield dubious success.
However, we most certainly have NOT tried enough of them - at least people who really know their bonsai game - to say that they are inferior.

Even so, most native trees in ANY place are not going to be ideal for bonsai, for all the reasons rockm mentioned. Even so called Japanese maples. Only a handful of species are ideal for bonsai, and many of them are domesticated cultivars, and those are the ones we know. There are MANY many more native species in Japan that aren't. The same goes here in the Americas: there are so many native maple species we haven't tried. There's only one way to find out which ones work.