Lions head Japanese Maple?

[M. Frary]

Saw a couple lions head Japanese maples today at a nursery and was wondering if they were suitable for bonsai. They were about 4" at the base and were fairly tall, about 8'. Also it sounded like they had been hanging around for a while and were half off. $70.00 . Does that sound reasonable. Also they didn't look to be grafted.

 

[0soyoung]

Japanese maple, 'Lion's mane', shishigashira is excellent for bonsai - short internodes, small leaves.

The price is absurdly inexpensive for a 4-inch caliper one, so I suspect your 'at the base' means something other than trunk diameter. The price is reasonable for one with a 1 inch caliper trunk (diameter 6 inches, say, above the soil/nebari level).

 

[iant]

VERY unlikely nursery sold Shishigashira wouldn't be grafted. I'd look again. You could try to air layer it though.
Ian

 

[mcpesq817]

I found one last fall marked down to $25 that was about 4' with a 2-3" trunk. It was grafted, like most are, so I'm layering it above the graft this year.

 

[M. Frary]

Thank you for the replies. When I said 4" I meant 4" diameter trunk at the soil line. Also no graft mark is to be seen.

 

[cmeg1]

I have read that most shishishagira are layered.I recently bought an ojishi which is,I believe, the male lion or other cultivar that shishishagira consists of.It is very similar to trade shishishagira,but is more dwarf,but with slightly larger leaves and less crinkling.I bought a nursery tree for $149. I am trying my hand at layering.The trade Shishishagira has slightly better coloring in autumn.Out of the three layers I attempted,one seems to look on the right track to be separated before frost hits.I started them around first flush hardening and now I have roots.The female lion shishishagira should probably be a bonus cause' it develops faster.I am realizing just how dwarf my ojishi is and it may hamper development,but I am o.k with that.I guess I will eventually try chopping mine down,but I don't know how a dwarf will respond to putting out enough growth after the chop.For the next couple seasons I am layering it.

 

[bonsai dave]

Here is a picture of my Lions head maple bonsai. I have have been working on it for the past 3 years. Sorry about the bad picture.My bonsai Garden is a mess.