Pine bark maple

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I propagate, grow and train Rough Bark Japanese Maples, Acer palmatum ‘Arakawa.’

Over the past 50 years or so I’ve seen, grown and evaluated dozens of maples with interesting bark. The cultivar ‘Nishiki Gawa’ is the same as ‘Nishiki Issai’.

In the horticultural world the Japanese word “Issai” means “developing from the first year” and is used to designate plants which develop a desirable characteristic early on. Early flowering and fruiting cultivars often have the word issai attached to the name.

The Japanese word “Nishiki” means brocade or most beautiful. However in the horticultural world Nishiki is used to describe plants with corky bark OR variegated foliage. Nishiki is commonly used to describe Japanese black pine, Japanese five-needle pine and Japanese red pines with corky bark, not rough bark.

The Japanese word “Arakawa” means rough bark and is used for many different species.

The Japanese word “Ibo Kan” means wart bark and is used for pines and maples which have dark brown bark in fine sections.

Many years ago I compiled a handout describing different bark characteristics for pines, which can also be applied to other species as well. I was able to find an old copy and its attached.

Also attached is a page from my old catalog issued in 1979. Here you can clearly see that the cultivar Nishiki Gawa (Nishiki Issai) is NOT the same as Arakawa. In the handout you can see the different bark characteristics and Nishiki is not the same as Arakawa. I believe that perhaps the Nishiki Japanese maples in the United States commercial nurseries are actually Arakawa. Just check the bark….

I used to grow Nishiki Issai, but discovered, although it has interesting bark, it is extremely difficult to simply grow and only way to propagate it is grafting.

The Rough Bark Japanese Maple Arakawa is very easy to grow and train for bonsai. Semi softwood cuttings can be rooted during the summer and it airlayers quickly in about 4-6 weeks during the summer.

Check out this link to see my blog post on Rough Bark Japanese Maples and how we are now growing them from select seedlings.

https://valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2018/05/17/rough-bark-japanese-maples/

Drastic pruning is the correct term to use when cutting off large trunks or branches, NOT “trunk chop.” I have discovered that specimens of Rough Bark Japanese Maples with the dark brown bark will not produce adventitious buds and branches like other old maples. However, if the bark is still green, new shoots will grow from old wood.

The way to get new branches on old Rough Bark Japanese Maples easily is to simply thread or approach graft. Since my Classical Bonsai Art book is now out of print and copies have been sold for $500, I’m also attaching the two pages on Rough Bark Japanese Maples which illustrates inarch/thread grafting techniques.

Not to confuse anyone but there are Arakawa and Ibo Kan cultivars of Trident maples also.

Still, I believe the finest Japanese maple for bonsai training is the species, Acer palmatum. It has lovely bark which presents a fine quiet feeling for the delicate Japanese maple. Other “rough” or textured bark cultivars are interesting and add impact to the appearance, but they lose the delicate feeling of a Japanese maple. The same goes for the many dwarf cultivars such as Kashima, Kiyo Hime and Koto Hime.

Amen.

Boy, preparing this post took me 3 hours, plus over 50 years of successes and failures trying to study bonsai, but I want to get the information out so others can enjoy bonsai as much as I have.

BARK CHARACTERISTICS.JPG

1979 CATALOG PAGE 6.JPG
ROUGH BARK.JPG
Acer palmatum 'Arakawa' growing in my garden from a cutting I rooted over 40 years ago. Even surface roots 5 feet from the trunk have rough bark.

ROUGH BARK PAGE 82.JPG

ROUGH BARK PAGES 83.JPGROUGH BARK PAGES 83.JPG

Be sure to visit my blog page if you are interested in Rough Bark Japanese Maples:
https://valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2018/05/17/rough-bark-japanese-maples/
 

drew33998

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Both maple experts on one post!!! Holy shit let me get pictures of my trees in this post for advice!!! You guys are awesome
 

drew33998

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I propagate, grow and train Rough Bark Japanese Maples, Acer palmatum ‘Arakawa.’

Over the past 50 years or so I’ve seen, grown and evaluated dozens of maples with interesting bark. The cultivar ‘Nishiki Gawa’ is the same as ‘Nishiki Issai’.

In the horticultural world the Japanese word “Issai” means “developing from the first year” and is used to designate plants which develop a desirable characteristic early on. Early flowering and fruiting cultivars often have the word issai attached to the name.

The Japanese word “Nishiki” means brocade or most beautiful. However in the horticultural world Nishiki is used to describe plants with corky bark OR variegated foliage. Nishiki is commonly used to describe Japanese black pine, Japanese five-needle pine and Japanese red pines with corky bark, not rough bark.

The Japanese word “Arakawa” means rough bark and is used for many different species.

The Japanese word “Ibo Kan” means wart bark and is used for pines and maples which have dark brown bark in fine sections.

Many years ago I compiled a handout describing different bark characteristics for pines, which can also be applied to other species as well. I was able to find an old copy and its attached.

Also attached is a page from my old catalog issued in 1979. Here you can clearly see that the cultivar Nishiki Gawa (Nishiki Issai) is NOT the same as Arakawa. In the handout you can see the different bark characteristics and Nishiki is not the same as Arakawa. I believe that perhaps the Nishiki Japanese maples in the United States commercial nurseries are actually Arakawa. Just check the bark….

I used to grow Nishiki Issai, but discovered, although it has interesting bark, it is extremely difficult to simply grow and only way to propagate it is grafting.

The Rough Bark Japanese Maple Arakawa is very easy to grow and train for bonsai. Semi softwood cuttings can be rooted during the summer and it airlayers quickly in about 4-6 weeks during the summer.

Check out this link to see my blog post on Rough Bark Japanese Maples and how we are now growing them from select seedlings.

https://valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2018/05/17/rough-bark-japanese-maples/

Drastic pruning is the correct term to use when cutting off large trunks or branches, NOT “trunk chop.” I have discovered that specimens of Rough Bark Japanese Maples with the dark brown bark will not produce adventitious buds and branches like other old maples. However, if the bark is still green, new shoots will grow from old wood.

The way to get new branches on old Rough Bark Japanese Maples easily is to simply thread or approach graft. Since my Classical Bonsai Art book is now out of print and copies have been sold for $500, I’m also attaching the two pages on Rough Bark Japanese Maples which illustrates inarch/thread grafting techniques.

Not to confuse anyone but there are Arakawa and Ibo Kan cultivars of Trident maples also.

Still, I believe the finest Japanese maple for bonsai training is the species, Acer palmatum. It has lovely bark which presents a fine quiet feeling for the delicate Japanese maple. Other “rough” or textured bark cultivars are interesting and add impact to the appearance, but they lose the delicate feeling of a Japanese maple. The same goes for the many dwarf cultivars such as Kashima, Kiyo Hime and Koto Hime.

Amen.

Boy, preparing this post took me 3 hours, plus over 50 years of successes and failures trying to study bonsai, but I want to get the information out so others can enjoy bonsai as much as I have.

View attachment 221404

View attachment 221405
View attachment 221406
Acer palmatum 'Arakawa' growing in my garden from a cutting I rooted over 40 years ago. Even surface roots 5 feet from the trunk have rough bark.

View attachment 221407

View attachment 221408View attachment 221408

Be sure to visit my blog page if you are interested in Rough Bark Japanese Maples:
https://valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2018/05/17/rough-bark-japanese-maples/
Smash like button x 10000!
 

Jcmmaple

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Wow thank you so much @William N. Valavanis, I wasn’t expecting that kind of detail but it is much appreciated. Your knowledge is truly inspiring and will be very helpful in the future. I’ve only started about a year ago, but I can already tell I have the bonsai fever. People I tell don’t get it but I don’t care I love it. I’m planning on buying the tree anyway just for interest in the landscape if nothing else, but I haven’t seen the trees yet so who knows. At least I know I can airlayer what I want, or try my hand at grafting. Would love to live near where you are and pick your brain from time to time, lol we have to learn on our own mistakes sometimes right. But seriously thank you for all the great info, it will not be taken lightly. I will post pics of the tree tomorrow when I get it.
 

Jcmmaple

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Oh one more question, I use rooting hormone from Lowe’s which is .01% I think. Do maples require a stronger rooting hormone or is this fine? I’m trying some hardwood cutting right now or straight palmatum, Bloodgood and shindishojo maples so we will see what happens just experimenting. Oh and some dissectums but I heard they were harder to root from cuttings, this spring I am ordering some Acer palmatum liners and trying to learn grafting.
 
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Try to get some stronger rooting powder like Hormodin 3 (0.08%IBA). Now is not the best time to root Japanese maples, but if you must, just do the Bloodgood. Don't waste the wood of the Shin Deshojo, its too valuable unless you have a large garden tree. May and June are best for semi-softwood cuttings in your area. Go ahead and play with the Dissectums. I can get them to root, but tend not to live on their own roots.

CUTTINGS.JPGROOTS.JPG
 

Jcmmaple

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Noted, thank you sir. I have a big Bloodgood, but my shindeshojo is about 2ft tall. Jus playing and experimenting, but I will definitely get the higher hormone powder.
 

0soyoung

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rooting hormone from Lowe’s which is .01% I think
Maybe it says RooTone on the label? That is 1000 ppm NAA.
IBA is another artificial auxin.
I typically use 3000 ppm IBA (Hormex #3) and/or 1275 ppm NAA.
Try to get some stronger rooting powder like Hormodin 3 (0.08%IBA).
Hormidin 3 is 0.8% or 8,000 ppm IBA, Bill. Pretty, pretty, strong. But if that is what you use for Arakawa, that is what to use for Arakawa.
 

0soyoung

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Jcmmaple

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Garden safe Takeroot is what I have, but now I’m confused what’s the name of the rooting hormone you guys are talking about?
 

0soyoung

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Garden safe Takeroot is what I have, but now I’m confused what’s the name of the rooting hormone you guys are talking about?
Just click on the Hormex #8 link in post#30. You can order it from there and arrange your shipping. Presumably the same with the Hormodin link in that post. Alternatively Google either and find your own vendors.

BTW not RooTone as it is NAA, not IBA = not what you want in this case.
 
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Jcmmaple

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So due crazy rain the past 2 days I wasn’t able to get the tree until this morning, thank you sunshine. The tree is 4ft tall and 2-4inches with root flare, unfortunately the back side doesn’t have any root flare. So overall I am pleased with my new purchase and looks promising for the future, well to me anyway but I’m a rookie. So @MACH5 and @William N. Valavanis what are your pro thoughts, this looks like an arakawa to me. Well here are some pics, I was thinking maybe twin trunk style. FF5700D6-23C5-41C5-AD9D-ACA49ACFFE69.jpegCCB06215-320C-4B4F-AF20-1AA821C7A682.jpegEDFC29A7-1B15-4350-B6DB-8DEC30489E1A.jpegF328F825-BA29-45C5-B5D4-38993D7C3FDE.jpeg
 
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NICE TREE! Looks like Rough Bark, 'Arakawa' to me

Here is my unsolicited idea. First air layer the tree at the bottom. Simply leave the tree in the nursery can, make a tube with hardware cloth so it goes from the soil level to past the airlayer area. Remove a strip of bark, moisten apply rooting powder. Then wrap the area with a big wad of long fibered sphagnum moss and good bonsai soil. Wait one year then air layer the other branches. BUT you can wire the main trunk, secondary trunk and first branch on left in spring. I'll send some photos of this technique.WNV IDEA.JPG
 
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