Standard Japanese maple?

[Gustavo Martins]

So this is my Acer Palmatum I got 3 years back from a local nursery, but it had no label and the salesman did not known the variety. It has been growing ok. Did lots of mistakes the first year, but such is life. Any idea about the variety? Standard or something else?

 

[D1raq]

Could be a Acer palmatum Koto Maru, the variegation of the leaves look very similar.

 

[Adair M]

It looks grafted, so it’s likely a cultivar. Nurseries usually sell cultivars rather than seedlings.

 

[Shibui]

The problems with ID for a variety is there are often several that look very similar. New spring growth is quite different to the fully open leaves and even they can change as the season progresses. Unless you ate 100% sure of the variety it is far better just to call it Japanese Maple.
Maybe Adair is right but if that is grafted it is exceptionally good because I can't see any sign of a graft. I would have said more likely layered because of the number of radial roots at the same level.

 

[Adair M]

The problems with ID for a variety is there are often several that look very similar. New spring growth is quite different to the fully open leaves and even they can change as the season progresses. Unless you ate 100% sure of the variety it is far better just to call it Japanese Maple.
Maybe Adair is right but if that is grafted it is exceptionally good because I can't see any sign of a graft. I would have said more likely layered because of the number of radial roots at the same level.

There’s a V formation right down low at the roots. It appears to be a graft, a good one!

 

[Paulpash]

Acer Palmatum Katsura may be?

 

[Gustavo Martins]

Could be a Acer palmatum Koto Maru, the variegation of the leaves look very similar.

Acer Palmatum Katsura may be?

Very similar to both yes. Hmmm really hard to say

 

[Gustavo Martins]

There’s a V formation right down low at the roots. It appears to be a graft, a good one!

I don’t think so but it does not bother me if it is grafted.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

Trimmed to shape today

Need to correct the angle of the tree next repot. It must have moved while tightening and is slightly bending backwards.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

Kid broke the lowest branch but overall it developed quite well this year

 

[Gustavo Martins]

five years and still pushing good at zona 11

I may have lost the lowest branch after kid broke it. But let’s see what happens when I prune it back. Going to let it grow a bit more and then prune hoping to have a stronger response lower down

 

[0soyoung]

five years and still pushing good at zona 11

yeah!

It is so interesting that you can do this, there.

 

[SeanS]

Great little tree
Maybe grow another shoot out to thread graft into that lower branch area in case nothing nee pops after prune.
Really nice progression. Little trees like this are so enjoyable

 

[Gustavo Martins]

Great little tree
Maybe grow another shoot out to thread graft into that lower branch area in case nothing nee pops after prune.
Really nice progression. Little trees like this are so enjoyable

That’s one idea

 

[Canada Bonsai]

@Gustavo Martins your tree looks like it was started as an air layer. When air layering maples--especially those that callus aggressively--you can expect it to form 'hips' at the nebari, like your tree has done. These hips are more apparent if the roots are initially allowed to grow vertically (downward) like yours, as opposed to using a disk when air layering to redirect the roots horizontally.

I start a lot of air layers, and see these 'hips' on a regular basis. It is easier to correct this earlier rather than later in the tree's life. I attached an image of an air layer that was started 21 years ago by David Easterbrook. As you can see, this problem does not correct itself over time. This tree has been in my garden since 2019, and i'm actively working on fixing this by using a board and a fairly large training pot (next year, a box). I also identified a leader that will be allowed to extend freely to add girth to the trunk.

 

[Ohmy222]

no way to tell for sure but I would guess Kiyo hime or one of the other himes. The outline of the leaf looks right plus it looks stocky and chunkier so I would imagine it is a dwarf. The graft is low and well done. Many maple propagators only do that for cultivars that will be purchased for bonsai. Of course, most bonsai people don't want a graft at all but that what they do. Kiyo hime is commonly marketed as good for bonsai (and is).