US Maple from seedling?

[Castorag]

I have a baby maple tree that sprouted in an unused flower pot in my yard. Is it possible to train/prune it into a bonsai? I have years, lol. Cape Cod MA

 

[Wulfskaar]

Yes, you absolutely can. A lot of people here grow trees from seeds to be bonsai. It just takes a long time.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Absolutely. When I first started the hobby several people would gift me “bonsai” they found in their yards or flower pots and being a sentimental sort of dude, I often keep the gifts and either grow them
Out as bonsai or grow them enough to regift to someone for their landscape. Here is a nice one that a students parent gave to me in 2018. It was a little seedling not even thick as a pencil when I got it. Here it is for its last major styling in 2022.

 

[Srt8madness]

What kind of maple? Some make better bonsai than others. You can always try!

 

[Castorag]

It’s a generic maple tree, lol, not Japanese, not sugar. Its presumptive parent in our yard is probably 100 years old.

So, what do I do to it? It’s about 8 leaves big and in a 6” oval pot.

 

[Eckhoffw]

You can get a good size maple in a few years!
Just know what you are looking for- size wise.

If a thick trunk is desired, grow that thang out unchecked.
These are silver maples stuck in a small bin 5 yrs. Ago.
some trunks are pencil thick, others smaller.

 

[Castorag]

Do I clip the lead buds to keep them shorter? How? Where? Or do I let it get taller than I want it, and then cut it back? As you can tell I’m a total newbie.,

 

[Srt8madness]

Do I clip the lead buds to keep them shorter? How? Where? Or do I let it get taller than I want it, and then cut it back? As you can tell I’m a total newbie.,

My guess, without seeing a pic, is that you let it grow. Foliage drives thickness, it may get 6'-8' before you chop. Resist the temptation to "do" something, and spend some of the time waiting by reading about Bonsai and how to grow decidious trees. There is a maple subforum with a wealth of information.

 

[Castorag]

It’s about 8” now in a small pot, so I guess I’ve got awhile to wait.

 

[coltranem]

I suspect it is a red maple, Acer Rubrum, but would need pictures to confirm. Have you checked out the Cape Cod club?

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Some pictures can help. There are a lot of ways and options on how to treat your maple tree. We are happy to help.

I would first figure out what species it is. Then I would look up examples of the species you like and work towards that goal!

Acer Rubrum 5yrs old a few weeks ago after a light prune.


Acer Negundo 6 years old from seedling.


Acer Palmatum Arakawa clump from an air layer. Probably 4 years of growth at time of air layer from parent: