Price estimate, large Bloodgood maple

[WorkingOnPatience]

How much would you pay for this tree? It has been grown in ground for over 20 years. Was dug up and potted 3 years ago. Stands about 3 ft tall, base is about 12”, trunk is around 6”. Curious for some other opinions. Owner is asking $700. I feel like it may be worth more though. Thanks!

 

[River's Edge]

How much would you pay for this tree? It has been grown in ground for over 20 years. Was dug up and potted 3 years ago. Stands about 3 ft tall, base is about 12”, trunk is around 6”. Curious for some other opinions. Owner is asking $700. I feel like it may be worth more though. Thanks!

Age is a factor, as well as size, however the value in my opinion should be based on the quality of the Nebari and movement of the trunk primarily! I have seen better trees in that respect for less money. However, i am not familiar with the market in your area. It may be a fair price in your region.

 

[Adair M]

The nebari isn’t bad, but it’s not good either.

Bloodgood is not known to be a very good cultivar for bonsai. Big leaves, and even worse, long internodes.

I would not buy it. Others might feel differently.

 

[erb.75]

overpriced...next!

 

[cbroad]

@WorkingOnPatience
Has it been trained while in the ground, or only trained since being potted?

I feel $700 is still a bit much unless there's a lot of good branch work done also. Like what @Adair M said, even then that's a lot for a cultivar that doesn't lend itself that well to bonsai. If I had the extra cash to spend on it, I might pay $250 or $300 but I'm cheap...

I have a Bloodgood also that I've been messing with and waiting a couple years for a big air layer to take. Adair commented on mine when I posted it a couple years ago and made the same comments; I now understand what he means. Hasn't stopped me from playing with mine, but what he's getting at is there are so many better Japanese maples out there for bonsai.

EDIT: I totally forgot I found out mine was an Emperor 1... Still, the same info applies.

 

[erb.75]

my 2 cents...there is not a lot to like here other than a fat trunk bonsai that would look decent 20 yards away. but up close, the nebari is not outstanding, straight trunk (not my preference), undesirable cultivar...at 800 it better have something outstanding about the tree and I don't see anything like that here. Even at $200 I would be thinking "do I really want this tree?"

I mean, you are going to have to take care of it, and I'd rather have $200 more in my pocket and the extra time

 

[WorkingOnPatience]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the input. Considering that many trees online similar in “appearance” sell for thousands, and some even worse in my opinion, I assumed this would be up there in value. But I’m a noob so that’s why I asked!

 

[Adair M]

Tip: Buy deciduous trees in the winter. That way you can see what you’re getting! And, of course, know the characteristics of the tree.

 

[erb.75]

buy in person and you save a lot of $. online prices 10x the cost I'd pay in person is common for lots of stuff. it can be hard to locate people who will sell good stuff to you at a fair price. lots of ppl over-value their trees

 

[miker]

I might go $300-$400, but I agree, it needs a lot of work and the cultivar is nothing special.

 

[plant_dr]

What is the one to the left of it in the first picture? It looks like better material, smaller leaves and more compact...

 

[Lorax7]

I’ve seen similar trees at the local nursery selling for $400 to $500. People will pay that much for it as a landscape tree for their Japanese garden. Ideally, that’s where a tree like this belongs. As bonsai, it’s got a large trunk, which is desirable, but it’s lacking in movement and the nebari is nothing special. Would be a great specimen tree for landscape though, overlooking a garden pond or next to a pagoda or something like that.

 

[rockm]

Not worth the $$.

However, I see you're from Waynesboro. My old hometown! WMHS class of '78.

Don't know if you're looking for a price point for a friend with this tree, or If you're looking for higher end trees,

If its higher end material you're looking for, there's a place in Ladysmith, Va. that might be able to fill the bill.

 

[erb.75]

I'd go to Meehan's Miniatures where you live. They are great people in the bonsai community. I'm jealous that you're closer to them than I am!

 

[Bananaman]

Owner is asking $700. I feel like it may be worth more though. Thanks!

Offer him $$900.00 and see if he budges on it??

 

[reddog]

$200 to $300. nice trunk but nebari needs a few years of work. good project tree but not worth $700

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

$200 to $300. nice trunk but nebari needs a few years of work. good project tree but not worth $700

Agreed, and I still wouldn’t buy it. Bigger isn’t always better. The nebari is flawed, can’t see the trunk, but it looks clean except for one scar that will take 10-15 years to heal, and eliminates that front. Does it have any taper and movement? How are the branches? The Bloodgood cultivar has large leaves and long internodes, so it will need to be a big tree.