The smallest maple here

[BillyBonesBonsai]

Im doing a small tridant, I wanted to see who has tiny maples out there

 

[Bananaman]

Im doing a small tridant, I wanted to see who has tiny maples out there

I think very small trees are really a testiment to the expertise of the artist. But, in saying that I feel that these small trees should show some patina of age, should have spent a minimum of three years in a pot and show the efforts of training like any bonsai. I have seen many seedlings stuffed into a pot and a picture taken only to see it brown two weeks later. Thats not really a tribute to the art.

I would love to see some truly fine tiny bonsai in a pot with some age.

 

[Bananaman]

Also it would be nice to set some size limits on your thread. Like anything under three inches, or smaller. You decide

 

[Hartinez]

I’m with @Bananaman this could be a cool thread. Call your size. 5” and under or something.

 

[Hartinez]

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/wrightia-religiosa-mame-below-4-target.29384/page-2#post-598274 Great thread here. Not a maple, but excellent documentation and styling.

 

[jeanluc83]

Here is a good Japanese blog on Mame bonsai. The pictures tell most of the story but you can use Google translate. The translation is not great but you can figure things out in context.

https://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/fwnt1093/folder/460497.html

 

[sorce]

Haven't seen @jeremy_norbury maple in a while....

S

 

[0soyoung]

Does this count (second year a. platanoides)?

Or does it need to be bigger like this a. circinatum?

Or must it be well ramified?
Or must it be in 'sumo' proportions (i.e., height less than 6 times the base diameter)?
Or ...

 

[AlainK]

Does this count (second year a. platanoides)?

Nice, very nice.

I've had several of the kind, even Acer pseudoplatanus (Sycamore tree), but as soon as they get out of "infancy", then they can grow crazy. Early adolescence I guess

You might have a good chance with A. platanoides though. But watering trees at the right time in what is hardly bigger than a thumbnail is a real challenge. Good luck with this one.

 

[0soyoung]

You might have a good chance with A. platanoides though. But watering trees at the right time in what is hardly bigger than a thumbnail is a real challenge. Good luck with this one.

Actually they are pretty easy to keep small if they are kept in small pots. I put the really small ones on a bed of wet sand in a humidity tray.
In a sake/tea cup it is easy for me to keep them just on a bench like any other bonsai - like this 5 year old . But give them room and let them go, they will get bigger (leaves too).

But, I still don't know if this is what this thread is to be about or whether I've just bombed it.

 

[Velodog2]

3” from air layer. Twin trunk!

 

[BunjaeKorea]

The problem with mame sized maples is that you need to somehow reduce the leaf size to something believable. Alternatively, you could just ignore it. If you wan't a maplish look you can always try Boston Ivy.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Trident maple, 5” tall from the rim of the pot.

Clump-style Japanese Maple, 8” tall from the rim of the pot.

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Trident maple, 5” tall from the rim of the pot.
View attachment 212299
Clump-style Japanese Maple, 8” tall from the rim of the pot.
View attachment 212298

Now that is impressive!

 

[Tom Lahue]

In 2014 I posted a thread titled "Smallest Bonsai", I don't know if there is a way to link back to it, so I copied the text of it and am adding the picture: I tried to grow a small bonsai tree from seed and wanted one to be about 3 to 4 inches tall. I grew it in a small dish with some moss I got from my yard. I have been growing the moss for about a year indoors under an led light and water it once a day - pumped from a fish bowl. I planted a Japanese maple seed in the moss, after having it in the refrigerator for a few months. It never sprouted. Then I planted a red maple in the moss. Or at least I think it is a red maple. I got the seed from my yard in the spring. One of the seeds sprouted and grew about 1/2 inch tall. I can't remember if I removed the Japanese Maple seed. The head of it never came out of the seed pod. It didn't get any taller. Then next to it another sprout came up. It is now about 1/8 inch tall and has 4 leaves. About a month ago, when the tree only had 3 leaves, I cut off the first sprout and the tree started bending over. But now the tree seems healthy and has 4 leaves.
I wanted a small bonsai, but I've never heard of one being this small. Has anyone here tried growing trees this small?

The amazing part is that It stayed this size for 5 months. But, then tree died. I tried to duplicate this fluke of nature, but have never been successfully. One person told me it wasn't a maple, but a growth cycle of the moss. I don't believe that, since it has maple shaped leafs. Has anyone seen any plant micro sized like this?

 

[JudyB]

Here is a small Deshojo, not sure of exact size maybe 5"?

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Had a trident seed sprout a few days ago ?