Shishigashira worth purchasing?

[Dav4]

Osoyoung, have you had experience with air layering Shishigashira? If so, how long is long for them to root?

Check out this thread...http://bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/some-projects-for-next-spring.13228/. I successfully created 5 layers off a potted shishi last year, and all were separated within 8-10 weeks.

 

[Jphipps]

Great thread Dave! I guess that answers my question about air layering Shishigashira. I've got 4 air layers going on a couple Arakawa I have in pots. One didn't take but the 4 left all have roots growing. I want to know your secret for getting those massive amount of roots to grow!

 

[Dav4]

I wish I knew!! I guess good technique, working a healthy tree, and appropriate after care go a long way.

 

[Jphipps]

I found another picture of the opposite view of this tree. There is a good amount of glare hiding the left part of lower trunk. I don't think this angle makes the tree look near as favorable. What do you guys think? I'm attempting to reel in my purchasing and wait for much better material than I have in the past. I think I could get many air layers off this tree but the fat lower primary branches are still throwing me off a bit from jumping at this. I apologize for my uncertainty here, but I really appreciate everyone's opinion thus far.

 

[M. Frary]

You are there in person. If you don't see something you don't like don't buy it. There are more trees to be had. For me $300.00 would be a lot to pay for a tree.
Follow your instincts and step back. Look around. Maybe find something different. Or come back later in the year and maybe this will be on sale.

 

[quietobserver]

You are there in person. If you don't see something you don't like don't buy it. There are more trees to be had. For me $300.00 would be a lot to pay for a tree.
Follow your instincts and step back. Look around. Maybe find something different. Or come back later in the year and maybe this will be on sale.

Like what mike said. Maybe go back after leaf drop and see what they'll take for it. But if you look these things up a chunker like that is tuff to find, especially with a good bit of movement in it.

 

[sorce]

I found another picture of the opposite view of this tree. There is a good amount of glare hiding the left part of lower trunk. I don't think this angle makes the tree look near as favorable. What do you guys think? I'm attempting to reel in my purchasing and wait for much better material than I have in the past. I think I could get many air layers off this tree but the fat lower primary branches are still throwing me off a bit from jumping at this. I apologize for my uncertainty here, but I really appreciate everyone's opinion thus far.

Whoa!

I didnt expect that!

Rethink....

It is a fat trunk!?

Sorce

 

[barrosinc]

I just plantes shishigashira seeds... hope they look similar

 

[0soyoung]

Osoyoung, have you had experience with air layering Shishigashira? If so, how long is long for them to root?

It took two seasons. I've got 3 underway with pots of Turface MVP each on long, 2-inch thick branches. I'm not certain how they are doing, but a little poking around leads me to believe I don't have much in the way of roots yet.

Daily average temps are rarely higher than 70F here. Rooting will likely be much faster at your place. @Eric Group in NC was raving earlier this year about how he was getting roots on generic a.p. in less than 30 days. It takes until August (4+months) to get similar results here.

 

[Jphipps]

I'm not sure how to translate that response Sorce lol.

You were one that responded about my concern for those low branches, but also asked if anyone else with more experience with maples would chime in. That's the part I'm stuck on. I don't have enough experience to know whether they will look right in the future design of this tree, even if they are chopped low.

Again the lower trunk looks very promising from the other angle and you can't see a grafting scar. So there's my dilemma.

 

[barrosinc]

Whoa!

I didnt expect that!

Rethink....

It is a fat trunk!?

Sorce

its just the sun burning the image... the trunk that is hit by the sun is completely overexposed.

 

[Jphipps]

Yes, that's why I didn't initially post this because the sun messes up the view of the lower trunk. It's fatter than what it seems in this image.

 

[0soyoung]

That's the part I'm stuck on. I don't have enough experience to know whether they will look right in the future design of this tree, even if they are chopped low.

A hard lesson that has taken me some time to learn is that the branches that made he deciduous trunk won't be part of the deciduous bonsai. Almost inevitably you will cut them off and grow new ones, because they are too high on the trunk and/or too heavy.

 

[sorce]

I'm not sure how to translate that response Sorce lol.

ME either!

It's sooo different from this angle.

The whiteout of the Trunk in the new pic makes it kinda hard to figure.

I saw this shishi in person once, and all I remember is thinking HOLY Shit!
So I am a bit overly excited.

I don't know what the growth rates are like, but it still may be worth it to work the bottom.

I'd look for Nebari and make a decision based on that alone. Anything out of near perfect would call it off for me.
Taking into account the Oso notes.

Sorce

 

[Jphipps]

Thank you for that answer Oso. That was some of the clarity I was hoping to find.

 

[drew33998]

Osoyoung, have you had experience with air layering Shishigashira? If so, how long is long for them to root?

I air layered my first one this year. Didn't take long at all for it to throw roots. The biggest issue I am seeing with air layering maples in our neck of the woods is the summer heat. You have to really make sure they have plenty of roots before you separate them, otherwise they will most certainly die when you separate them. I just removed two shishi air layers, one didn't make it. The other is doing great. Or you could wait until late October to separate them to be safe. Start the layer after the first new leaves have hardened. At least that it what I do in Florida that works for me.

 

[Eric Group]

It took two seasons. I've got 3 underway with pots of Turface MVP each on long, 2-inch thick branches. I'm not certain how they are doing, but a little poking around leads me to believe I don't have much in the way of roots yet.

Daily average temps are rarely higher than 70F here. Rooting will likely be much faster at your place. @Eric Group in NC was raving earlier this year about how he was getting roots on generic a.p. in less than 30 days. It takes until August (4+months) to get similar results here.

Yes sir, that is correct... Three times this year, it worked quite fast. We tried a few at my buddy's house on different species. We tried two on a Zuisho JWP, neither took.. One may still eventually, we tried on on an Arakawa variety- calloused REALLY big but no roots after a couple months, and one on a Trident.. Very thick section of a Trident and it had FILLED the pot with roots after a couple months... I think the Arakawa- to me- is an indicator that the layers take easier/ faster early in the Spring.

For Florida... Well... I don't know. Depends on where in Florida... Northern part inland is very similar to my environment, coastal areas and farther south are so close to tropical, I don't know how well JM will do there.

 

[Eric Group]

I air layered my first one this year. Didn't take long at all for it to throw roots. The biggest issue I am seeing with air layering maples in our neck of the woods is the summer heat. You have to really make sure they have plenty of roots before you separate them, otherwise they will most certainly die when you separate them. I just removed two shishi air layers, one didn't make it. The other is doing great. Or you could wait until late October to separate them to be safe. Start the layer after the first new leaves have hardened. At least that it what I do in Florida that works for me.

That is probably a great time to start layers, I bet you could even start earlier. Roots grow well into the winter in the Southeast areas we live in, and start growing again very early in Spring...