New JPM project. Cultivar?

[CA Bolter]

I just picked up this maple over the weekend, actually had someone pick it up for me, and am looking for some advise/ identification. Don't know exactly what or if it is a cultivar but it has tiny leaves, average 1/2 inch or so and several of the other maples for sale had the same type of leaves. It was dug up a year or 2 ago and has only been cut back since. Not sure what to do with some of the larger wounds on the top and bottom of the tree, carve or try to heal? There are plenty of branch locations to choose from so i am still trying to figure out which direction to go. I think i have picked a front bu would love to hear anyone's thoughts.

 

[music~maker]

Wow, looks like you hit the back budding lottery. You can have branches wherever you want them. I wouldn't choose a front just yet, and I'd just let it grow and see what you get for branches first. In fact, a couple of seasons worth of light ramification work will give you a lot to work with later.

Some of those larger scars kind of look nice as scars. I might just leave them or maybe carve them further. No big rush to decide though.

The cultivar kind of looks like kiyohime to me, but I'm not sure. Maybe someone else can confirm/deny. Great trunk!

 

[jmw_bonsai]

Might be Kotohime.

 

[CA Bolter]

Thanks for your thoughts! I will probably just eliminate all the branches that wont work and see what grows for this season before making any real branch decisions. There are just too many to let them all run. Since this will be a twin trunk there are really only two possible fronts and one is just slightly better then the other so i might try to work towards that and see what develops. I like the scars in the middle of the trunks but the large round cuts on top and bottom are where i need to make a decision, carved feature or try to heal.

 

[just.wing.it]

Nice material!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Curious if you're newcomer to Bonsai? If so get local Bonsai club help with keeping as is valuable tree insuitable for beginner.

 

[CA Bolter]

I have doing bonsai for about 6 years and have been a member of the San Francisco club for about 5 years. I wont start any real work on this tree until i have a solid plan.

 

[CA Bolter]

A little update I got a hold of the guy who previously owned it and it is a shishigashira maple.

 

[Davidlpf]

Hi:

Nice piece of material, congratulations.
There are any chance of see new phots with mature leaves? as far as I know, there are two types of shishigasira: Ojishi and Mejishi, but both have curlier leaves that yours

Greetings from Spain

 

[AlainK]

Very nice starter tree you have, kudos on you for finding it.

I admit I can see so many different options that I will skip my turn in the telling

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Badass??

A little update I got a hold of the guy who previously owned it and it is a shishigashira maple.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Biggest problems I see are the large scars at base and the nebari.

 

[CA Bolter]

Hi:

Nice piece of material, congratulations.
There are any chance of see new phots with mature leaves? as far as I know, there are two types of shishigasira: Ojishi and Mejishi, but both have curlier leaves that yours

Greetings from Spain

The leaves in the photos are mature. Since I have had it, it has not grown much but the new leaves look identical to the ones in the picture once they harden off. I am out of town but will post more picture when I get back.

Biggest problems I see are the large scars at base and the nebari.

I agree. It is a long term project and the lowest large scar also presents problems to nebari development. Lots of thread grafts for roots is my plan but will see what is still living below the soil next spring when I repot.

Very nice starter tree you have, kudos on you for finding it.

I admit I can see so many different options that I will skip my turn in the telling

Thanks. Yeah the more I look at it the more options I see. Still leaning one direction but there will be so much time before this is bonsai that I am sure things will evolve.

 

[Davidlpf]

Look at that:
Acer palmatum crispii on the left, acer palmatum shishigashira on the right:


The crispii sprouts more buds on the trunk, and the shishigashira has longer internodes and curlier leaves,

IMHO, yours is a Crispii like mine, or most probably a kotohime like @jmw_bonsai said

"Repeat a lie one hundred times and it doesn't become the truth, only the fools have the illusion that it's true."