Japanese Maple Surprise

tmmason10

tmmason10

Omono
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Location
North Attleboro, MA
USDA Zone
6b
I bought this tree last fall, leafless, because I liked the branching and size of the tree. It has some rot or maple fungus on the back of the tree so I was able to get a good price on an older tree. The plan was to air layer the tree above the rot, but after repotting I found a nice base under the soil and decides to keep as is for now.

Then it started leafing out, and it appears to be a red leaved, probably bloodgood, maple. I was hoping for regular palmatum but I guess this will add a little diversity to the collection. Just trying to get it healthy this year maybe try to get some twigs built. Anyone else have bloodgood in their collection?

I couldn't post the older picture from my phone because it is too large, but is on my blog:

http://tomsbonsai.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/maple_1_10-22-2012_1.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg
 
I don't but I think you got a good one to work with!
 
Good stock Tom. Of course, just because it starts red, doesn't mean it stays red!
 

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Looks like a bloodgood to me. They don't stay red but gradually trun greener as the growing season progresses. They can make pretty good bonsai, if you work to shorten the internode length--snipping off initial leaf pairs before they elongate.

Yours has a decent base from the start, it looks like. I've run across nursery-grown containerized bloodgoods that have multi-level root bases that can take some time to work out.
 
I like it whatever it winds up being. It has a nice regal presence about it.
Good deal too...
 
Thanks guys and gals, I'm definitely excited about this trees future and I'm glad you like it. One thing I had to learn, bigger trees =bigger pots= not cheap! Need to save up for a proper pot. In the future.
 
So this is how the tree looks leafed out. It needs some work for sure but I think it's a nice piece to work with for the next few years. It needs shaling and refining, but I don't know if it needs anything overly drastic, thoughts?


image.jpg
 
This looks very nice. I agree, it probably only needs some detail refinement, and it'll be a pretty good looking tree. What are your thoughts about that branch that zig-zags across the trunk line?
 
daygan said:
This looks very nice. I agree, it probably only needs some detail refinement, and it'll be a pretty good looking tree. What are your thoughts about that branch that zig-zags across the trunk line?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure yet, it looks like it has had some dieback. I think if might be a necessary pad in tr front of the tree however. I wonder if the front couple be changed slightly in the future to help.
 
Cool tree.
What are its dimensions? Did you get the rot taken care of?
If it were mine I would go with your original plan to layer off the top.
 
HumbleTrees said:
Cool tree.
What are its dimensions? Did you get the rot taken care of?
If it were mine I would go with your original plan to layer off the top.
Click to expand...

The rot won't really go away, according to John it's a fairly common fungus on some maples. The layering is still very much in play in the future. For now I'm just observing the tree and working with as is in the mean time. Where would you layer?

Ps poinks estimate for size sounds about right, I have a VERY hard time fitting this tree in my Honda accord.
 
tmmason10 said:
So this is how the tree looks leafed out. It needs some work for sure but I think it's a nice piece to work with for the next few years. It needs shaling and refining, but I don't know if it needs anything overly drastic, thoughts?


View attachment 34842
Click to expand...



Hi Tom,

Yes nice piece of material and has a lot of potential! I think your tree right now is visually split right in half. One half bare, straight-ish trunk and the other with branches/foliage. This type of symmetry in my view is not always conducive to keep the eye moving through a composition. This tree is too tall. With the exception of bunjin, the game of bonsai is one of compaction and not one of elongation. So... this is what I would do if this were my tree. And yes I am aware that like all art, it is all HIGHLY subjective, so take it for what is worth.

A couple of design suggestions:

A. Cut down tree by about a 1/3 or so. This will encourage budding down lower on the trunk. You can still end up with a feminine and elegant tree but with a more compact and tree-like proportions.

B. Leave like it is now but add some interest down below. The tree is rather plain down below with it's long, "uneventful" trunk. Perhaps consider grafting a small second trunk to it. I had a similar problem with a tree of mine. If interested see my thread on this. http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?10700-Japanese-maple-5-progression

C. Start paying close attention to your nebari and work it thoroughly with each and every repotting from now on.
 
Last edited:
I like this tree, has good potential. I would follow Mach's suggestions if it were me...
Can you possibly take a photo with a different color background? It's difficult to see the details of the branching and trunk with the same color as the bark for a background...
 
MACH5 said:
Hi Tom,

Yes nice piece of material and has a lot of potential! I think your tree right now is visually split right in half. One half bare, stright-ish trunk and the other with branches/foliage. This type of symmetry in my view is not always conducive to keep the eye moving through a composition. This tree is too tall. With the exception of bunjin, the game of bonsai is one of compaction and not one of elongation. So... this is what I would do if this were my tree. And yes I am aware that like all art, it is all HIGHLY subjective, so take it for what is worth.

A couple of design suggestions:

A. Cut down tree by about a 1/3 or so. This will encourage budding down lower on the trunk. You can still end up with a feminine and elegant tree but with a more compact and tree-like proportions.

B. Leave like it is now but add some interest down below. The tree is rather plain down below with it's long, "uneventful" trunk. Perhaps consider grafting a small second trunk to it. I had a similar problem with a tree of mine. If interested see my thread on this. http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?10700-Japanese-maple-5-progression

C. Start paying close attention to your nebari and work it thoroughly with each and every repotting from now on.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your response, and the critiques and suggestions are noted. Chopping it down a bit is definitely an option I will look into. Your maples are very nice so I am glad you chimed in.

What about a layer and a chop?


image.jpg
 
JudyB said:
I like this tree, has good potential. I would follow Mach's suggestions if it were me...
Can you possibly take a photo with a different color background? It's difficult to see the details of the branching and trunk with the same color as the bark for a background...
Click to expand...

I'll do my best, I hope to get spring pics of all my trees soon. Hopefully this weekend, inside against a plain wall.
 
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