Rough bark maples.

[QuintinBonsai]

Has anyone with experience owned any grafted rough bark maple? If you did, what solution did you do to correct the unsightly graft union? Did you ground layer, air layer, or take a cutting?

I'm interested in any of the following cultivars;

Nishiki Gawa
Nishiki Sho
Issai Nishiki
Ibo Nishiki
Arakawa

Are there any favorites from the bunch?

 

[james]

I have arakawa. With any Japanese maple, I believe it is difficult to build a convincing bonsai on graft stock. The base is critical, taper, root spread, etc. So you are into grafting if you have the size, cuttings for the next generation, or very small tree. Ground or air layer should be equally successful, just depends where the graft is located. The upper portion of the ring of bark you remove will need to be above the graft union. If mature bark has developed, the bark will be much thicker than standard Japanese maple. Do in late winter, early spring, and you should be able to separate by late summer. Also important with grafted stock, the roots and lower trunk will not match the upper tree, and this will leave you with reverse taper, if the upper stock corks up, and the roots will not cork up.

Good luck

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I've had 100% success with air-layering arakawa.