Tamukeyama Rootstock question

19Mateo83

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So I have the chance to get a super cheap tamukeyama. I already have a large one but the trunk on this one is about an inch thick with decent nebari. Does anyone know what they usually use for rootstock on these and is it worth experimenting with. I’d be buying it for the rootstock only. I know it’s not a green maple because the rootstock has a shoot or two coming off it and it’s purple. Atropurpureum? Would this be worth messing with or just leave it at the nursery?
 

penumbra

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Do you actually see a graft? If you don't, buy it. If you do see a graft and it is nice and clean, buy it. Actually, if it is, as you have stated, super cheap, buy it if it is healthy.
 

19Mateo83

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It is a high graft so I’m thinking it may be worth layering the top off with a little rootstock on it so it will end up being a super low graft and I still get the trunk for my own uses. I’d still like to have an idea what the rootstock may turn out to be before I go through all the work.
 

penumbra

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Being a dissectum type of JM, it may not air layer at all.
If its a good looking plant and cheap as you have said, buy it and plant it in the ground as a landscape plant to enjoy for many years to come. Or grow it as a container tree in your landscape.
 

19Mateo83

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A friend actually bought all 4 of them and I have the option to get the one I have my eye on anytime between now and the spring. I’m just curious if the rootstock is worth training. If I air layer the top off just below the graft it won’t be on its own roots and I can still have it as a landscape tree, be it a short one. either way it will be a fun experiment.
 

penumbra

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Sounds like it is already on the agenda.
 

Potawatomi13

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Is trunk interesting or boring straight:confused:.
 

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All Japanese maple varieties are grafted onto Japanese maple. The root stocks are usually just seedlings so could have green or red leaves depending on where the seed came from and what other JM are growing nearby that could cross pollinate the seed tree. Note that any JM seedling is just Japanese maple. Named varieties cannot be propagated from seed. Atroputrpurea is a specific variety and there are also many other JM vars with more or less red leaves so not all red leaf JM can be called Atropurpurea.

If you think the root stock has good attributes for bonsai and the price is right chopping the top and using the base is OK.
Layering the top just UNDER the graft is OK too. You will still have the advantage of the same root stock to support the tree, just with a shorter trunk and new roots.
 

19Mateo83

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Here is the tree this post is about. Finally brought it home. It will be air layered and I will keep both the rootstock and the tamukeyama to grow on. The root stock actually has fairly radial roots on it already. It will be next year before I get to do any real root work to it though.
 

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