Pot suggestions for ROR Amur

[Gjpawl]

Hi All,

This root over rock Amur Maple was buried in a larger clay pot for 3 years; I dug it up this spring during bud break and dropped it into an unused bonsai pot I had laying around. As my creativity skills are basically non-existent (I'm a numbers guy), I'm looking for recommendations as far as color / style / size pot for the tree. Thanks in advance.

I

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

Trade in your algebra and calculus for some geometry, trigonometry, and maybe a sprinkle of group theory for this one . First question though - do you like the size? Want it bigger? Thicker? More slender and long? All of those will play into what container it should be in now and what container it should end up in.

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

Second question - what time of year do you think it looks best in? That’ll help pin down what coloration it has when you’d want to feature it.

 

[Gjpawl]

Thanks. I'm thinking that the rock pretty much takes up most of the current pot, so probably need something bigger? And given summers get pretty hot and dry around here shouldn't go too shallow. And lastly, Amurs have some nice red fall coloring so that's likely the driver for pot color.

 

[rockm]

You're probably going to lose those thinner roots as they will dry quickly exposed to the sun. The thicker ones are the ones you want, they should extend down the sides of the rock into the soil and then expand into feeder roots. Thinning unwanted roots is part of the process. As far as a new container, you're ahead of yourself.

As mentioned above, the top is your next target. The more roots fueling the top, the better. That would mean, if this were mine, I'd wait a few more years with the tree with thinned out roots in a growing container, working to develop an apex and branching...

FWIW, ROR look best in moderately shallow to shallow pots to emphasize the roots and rocks.

 

[Gjpawl]

You're probably going to lose those thinner roots as they will dry quickly exposed to the sun. The thicker ones are the ones you want, they should extend down the sides of the rock into the soil and then expand into feeder roots. Thinning unwanted roots is part of the process. As far as a new container, you're ahead of yourself.

As mentioned above, the top is your next target. The more roots fueling the top, the better. That would mean, if this were mine, I'd wait a few more years with the tree with thinned out roots in a growing container, working to develop an apex and branching...

FWIW, ROR look best in moderately shallow to shallow pots to emphasize the roots and rocks.

Thanks rockm, I was thinking along those line regarding the roots. I do plan on thinning them out, like you said emphasize the thicker ones plus expose more of the rock. Can't see much of it other than the left side.