Maple harvested from a boat landing

[pebble]

So, knowing almost nothing about bonsai (prior to this my only tree was a hawaiian umbrella that I've had for a few months), I was at a boat landing near my home and found this maple. Even though I don't really know what I'm doing, I decided to pull it and pot it and see what I could do with it. It was growing in this really sandy section with a bunch of smashed up concrete, and it floods often (this tree has probably been fully submerged more than once in its life so far), so it's pretty wild. I know that it will have leaves that are too large to be a really good traditional bonsai, but the trunk/roots were way too good to not try out. Overall I'm curious what you all would do with it. I cut one of the larger branches off right away. It was just tripping over the larger branch so I knew I'd remove it. I think I might remove the lower branch that still has foliage too (but open to suggestions there- I put some wire on it for now just to keep it out of the way of the larger one). The wire on the main branch was mostly a test to see if the thickest wire I had on hand would be enough to hold that one in place, but I like the windswept look to it so when I fully wire it I might keep that idea in place. Overall the process of potting seems to have gone ok. I pulled most of the larger leaves off, and it has new leaves/branches coming out after about 2 weeks in the pot.

 

[bonsaichile]

Those roots will need to be drastically reduced and that might prove challenging. How is the rest of the rootball?

 

[just.wing.it]

Dats fugly dog.....brutal truth.

 

[pebble]

Those roots will need to be drastically reduced and that might prove challenging. How is the rest of the rootball?

New enough to this that I'm not sure exactly what kind of info you're looking for, but each of those main root sections has a pretty good ball of the really fine roots off of them (because it was growing in loose sand, getting that all out intact was really easy). I tried to keep all the thick roots above the surface, but almost immediately where they go under they get rapidly thinner and into the fine roots.

 

[bonsaichile]

What you want is finer roots closer to the trunk. As you describe it, it would be difficult to cut back those excessively long, thick roots. I was asking if there were any finer roots closer to the trunk.

 

[Arlithrien]

I like it. I think it will look really interesting once those roots (horizontal trunks???) put on some size.

 

[Housguy]

That is a project, but what bonsai isn't, good luck and I love the movement though.

 

[pebble]

What you want is finer roots closer to the trunk. As you describe it, it would be difficult to cut back those excessively long, thick roots. I was asking if there were any finer roots closer to the trunk.

Ah ok. So sort of, yes. The section that goes to the right of the rocks has finer roots off a section that drops down right next to the rock (in the photo it's hard to see that it has a separate root there before continuing over the surface). There isn't a lot there, but it's there.

 

[bonsaichile]

Those are the ones you want to stimulate so you can cut back those long surface roots. I would, for the time being, bury all the roots and hope they develop finer roots closer to the trunk, so you can cut them back.

 

[penumbra]

Or train the whole affair over a good sized rock and cut the top back dramatically.

 

[bonsaichile]

Or train the whole affair over a good sized rock and cut the top back dramatically.

To do that you need to start with a younger tree. Those roots are already barked up, they will not "fuse" with the rock. and they are likely to rigid to be made to follow the contours of the rock.

 

[penumbra]

To do that you need to start with a younger tree. Those roots are already barked up, they will not "fuse" with the rock. and they are likely to rigid to be made to follow the contours of the rock.

It may take some searching, but you can find a rock that will work, even if you have to modify the rock or make one.

 

[bonsaichile]

It may take some searching, but you can find a rock that will work, even if you have to modify the rock or make one.

clearly you've never done this. OP is a newbie, advice like this only frustrates people

 

[penumbra]

clearly you've never done this. OP is a newbie, advice like this only frustrates people

I have done this a number of times. The plant has very little use otherwise ... to me. You are right though, it would be a bit much for a newbie, and even others like yourself. And it would be a few years before it would be convincing. Yet with the way Acer rubum grows, it is certainly possible.

 

[bonsaichile]

I have done this a number of times. The plant has very little use otherwise ... to me. You are right though, it would be a bit much for a newbie, and even others like yourself. And it would be a few years before it would be convincing. Yet with the way Acer rubum grows, it is certainly possible.

the proof is in the pudding. Show your ROR trees

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Wow, I like those roots, almost "profligate" the way they splay out. This will be unconventional at best. Please ignore requests to get fine roots to develop close to the base of the trunk. You want to highlight and exaggerate the splayed out appearance of these unconventional roots. Keep an eye out for a large (but thin in depth) flat rock that would fit between where the roots anchor to the ground. You did good with your wiring, in that you now know what it takes to bend a branch. Not sure I'd keep any of the bends you created, but don't change anything. Job #1 is to keep this alive as is for the next year. Let the top grow out for a while. Later in summer we can look at it again and think more about what to do with the top. You don't have to make many more decisions right now.

Learning to keep a winter hardy tree happy in a pot is your job right now.

Many who know me know I am not fond of most exposed root styles, So my championing you keeping the splayed out roots as is, is a bit of a departure from my normal stance.

This tree may, actually is very unlikely to become anything like a typical bonsai. But if you can keep it going, and exaggerate the root situation, you will have something "artistic" even if nobody is sure what "Art" it belongs to. Don't worry about what "style'" of bonsai this is, because it isn't. Most bonsai trees are not strictly one style or another, often they are blends of several styles. So don't get hung up on trying to make it look like a tree from a bonsai book. It airn't ever going to be that.

Now you need to Get at least 3 or 5 more "trees" to work on turning into bonsai. The danger starting out is when you only have one or two, get the itch to "work" on something. And if your 2 trees have had all the work necessary done, You get tempted to keep fiddling with them when the best thing to do is let them grow for a while. So I recommend picking up a procumbens or shimpaku juniper, and maybe a chinese elm. Both are ideal bonsai species, and grow fast, you will be able to "do something" every month or two to them.

Welcome to a life long hobby. Right now leave your maple grow. We can continue to discuss it off and on until the end of summer, which is the earliest you would do any pruning on this.

 

[Michael P]

Listen to Leo and ignore ten of the previous posts (by my count). This tree will never be a "typical" or "classical" bonsai, but who cares? It is unique, you collected it, and it has a story that you will enjoy for years.

 

[penumbra]

Keep an eye out for a large (but thin in depth) flat rock that would fit between where the roots anchor to the ground

That was what I was saying but apparently I didn't come across to bonsaichile.
I still think it is the best call. I love Leo's take on it completly. That is the future I see for it.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

I'd use it to create a root spanning ravine tree. Like that one in Michigan or wherever that is.

The movement in those roots is excellent.

Sorce

 

[AlainK]

Listen to Leo and ignore ten of the previous posts (by my count). This tree will never be a "typical" or "classical" bonsai, but who cares? It is unique, you collected it, and it has a story that you will enjoy for years.

Yes ! Once again, Leo is right - and so are you

"Pebble", what's your location, apart from living near a boat landing ? (you can specify your area in your profile)

Depending on where you live, it would be easier to guess what species of Acer it is, thus you can get better advice on how to care for it.

When first I saw the picture, I thought "Chinese penjing !" : improbable shapes that look both natural and fantastic. Welcome to the forum.