Is this Acer Palmatum worth the price?

atlarsenal

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I found this acer palmatum shaina at a small nursery a couple weeks ago and have been trying to decide whether it is worth the price. They are asking $250. It’s pretty much already broom bonsai shape. About 1 1/4” trunk. It’s not a hideous graft, but visible. Would need some root grafting, the nebari is pretty much one sided. But I’m loving this tree! Is it worth the price or should I wait for something better?6FBADF42-194A-4DCE-9058-92530C307A8F.jpeg21C4B8D8-0CA3-4461-A384-6EE1848A1752.jpegF9ECE5C4-F6CF-4123-B925-E4DA34A850FE.jpeg
 
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Seems steep to me, but I’m not familiar with the cultivar. That graft looks pretty bad, but there are a lot of options as far as air layers, assuming the cultivar takes to air layers.
 

Velodog2

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I’m sorry but I’m not really seeing what there is to love. It’s expensive, even for a landscape tree, has serious flaws for a bonsai, and no unique characteristics that I can see.
 

rockm

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It's not worth the money for bonsai. That graft isn't going to get any better and will probably get worse. It is expensive because of the Shaina grafted variety. Probably not all that common there. It is a red-leafed variety, which aren't typically used as classic bonsai...

you could probably do better here, although the trees here may also be grafted:
https://www.mendocinomaples.com/acer-palmatum/shaina
 

Adair M

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Even worse than the graft is the nebari!
 

Solaris

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I don't know that I'd drop that much money on a tree requiring that much work. It looks like the scion is starting to grow faster than the root stock and the root stock itself pretty meh. I could talk myself into buying that tree for $50, especially if further research suggested Shaina takes halfway decently to air layers and I wanted to try root grafting, but not $250.
 

coachspinks

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For $250 you can get a really nice pre-bonsai JM. One that is a lot closer to being a bonsai.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Nope. The whole future Bonsai is in this photo, which has 3 major issues that will take you a decade to fix, maybe.
1. This is the graft union. It is high; middle of the trunk high.
2. This is reverse taper from the graft union. Will it get better or worse? Don’t know, usually worse.
3. The surface roots are ugly and messy, and who knows what’s going on below the soil.
9AAAB36B-88E1-4790-B429-8F1F3CC4BBD8.jpeg
So then, you may be looking at air layering several of the upper sections. How many air layers will come out nicely? Say you get lucky and get 5. Start now to have 5 1/2” thick air layers at $50 each that you get to start from scratch...next year. If they live. Would you buy 5 air layers for $50 each? Is it a cultivar that you want? Does it do well as Bonsai?
 

sorce

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The Nebari looks so cool with them Shades though!

Good inquiry.

Slay-T-L!

Sorce
 

atlarsenal

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Alright, I’ll respect the advice of the B-nuts. That’s really what I was expecting to hear but I really liked the shape of tree. Just didn’t like the price tag for what I would be getting. Thanks guys. D
 

Bonsai Nut

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I agree with the general comments. The tree is a beautiful landscape tree, but is nothing but problems as a bonsai.

Always start with the nebari and the bottom 1/3 of the trunk. If you have major, unfix-able problems... keep looking. Don't become mesmerized by the top of the tree - which is the easiest part to develop / fix.
 

coachspinks

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Dav4 thanks for the heads up on the nursery in Woodstock. I am heading up to Gibbs Gardens in a couple of weeks and I will have to stop by.
 

thumblessprimate1

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I think it's worth it for landscape, but not for bonsai. That cultivar is very slow to get that size.
 

atlarsenal

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Thanks Dav4. I’ll check them out. Have you been to Kinsey Family Farm? I wanted to stop by there the last time I went up to Plant City but they are not open on the weekends.
 

Adair M

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If you are looking for Maples with a good start for bonsai, Mark Comstock has nice ones. Search for him on Facebook.
 
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