Wulfskaar's Shishigashira Maple (Lion's Head)

[Wulfskaar]

I got this Shishigashira Maple as a gift a few weeks ago. It's nice and bushy and seems healthy so far. The trunk is about 1" thick or maybe a bit more, so it could stand to get bigger. It's got a lot of foliage everywhere, including coming out of the lower trunk, which I think will be a good sacrifice branch for trunk fattening.

This is my first maple so I'm not really sure where to begin with this. I have a very vague idea of how I'd like it to look down the road, but I think it's too early to worry too much about that.

My only plan right now is to repot in spring into a grow box with better soil, but I'm not really sure what else I should be doing in the meantime. Should I wire it to open up the dense foliage or prune or leave it as it is?

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Nice tree, I haven't started shaping one yet but they will airlayer. How does the graft look? Or possibly own roots? I don't think you should cut anything now as they grow slowly.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Nice tree, I haven't started shaping one yet but they will airlayer. How does the graft look? Or possibly own roots? I don't think you should cut anything now as they grow slowly.

I can't tell where the graft is for sure. I think it's just above the soil level (unless there is none at all) because that's where the green color ends.

I won't trim anything yet. I'm really looking forward to seeing the leaves turn in fall!

 

[ShadyBonsai]

Ah that’s a nice one! I see these a lot in nurseries around my area but the foliage growth always looks sporadic and too spaced out, and the grafts are always terribly done. Cool find.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Ah that’s a nice one! I see these a lot in nurseries around my area but the foliage growth always looks sporadic and too spaced out, and the grafts are always terribly done. Cool find.

It was a gift from my girlfriend so I give her the credit!

 

[Wulfskaar]

A tiny bit of yellow fall coloring is appearing. Much of the leaves got crispy over the summer. I think I had it in too much sun and then after I moved it to dappled sun, we had some really dry winds coming through.

I'm hoping it gets a bit more color over the next few weeks.

I can't wait until I can repot it into good soil. I think it will like that much better than then nursery stuff it's been in.

 

[hinmo24t]

Sweet

try an airlayer up top in a place or two...with consideration of parent tree shape combined If you want that to be formidable too. Lots of fun and doable for some nice little trees.

I almost got a similar tree for $125 last year but held off but I do like those maples

Air layer that at 11 o'clock on it or two smaller ones from that top left section

 

[Wulfskaar]

Thanks @hinmo24t

Yeah, that's the price my gf paid for this one at Lowe's. It's definitely struggling in my climate but still alive.

Once the leaves are off, I'll be able to get a better look at the trunks and branches. It's just so densely packed with leaves along the entire length of the trunk that it's hard to get a good grasp on what I have.

I definitely plan to try a couple air layers on it next year and I'm sure I'll be asking for a lot of advice. It would be nice to get more trees out of that $125!

 

[Wulfskaar]

For maples and other deciduous trees in Southern California, is there anything we need to do to encourage them to become dormant?

It will (likely) not get below freezing at all this winter. Some deciduous trees, like mature sweet gums, are in full fall colors right now, but my shishigashira is just barely turning yellow.

Should I eventually defoliate it, like maybe in December?

I have similar questions with a Chinese Elm I have grown from seed this year. Would I want to defoliate that at some point or just let it do whatever it wants to do?

 

[Wulfskaar]

After several days of hot, dry wind, the leaves are now mostly gone. And now that the leaves are gone, I can finally get a decent look at the structure.

GOALS:
*Make a maple bonsai before I die.
*Use/learn air layering to multiply my stock.

With these goals in mind, I'd like to get some input and opinions on what others might do with this maple.

Where would you chop, air layer, and prune? I have a few ideas but really need more before I go chopping trees down.

One big problem is higher up the main trunk where several branches come out of the same place. Are each of those branches large enough to air layer?

Or... do I just repot in spring an continue to let it run and grow?

 

[dbonsaiw]

I also picked up a shishigashira this summer. The advice I have received from folks here is to first consider a ground layer to deal with what probably is a grafted tree. My plan is to repot in the spring with some serious root pruning (my guy is in a 25 gallon pot and its filled with roots - weighs about 100 lbs) and get the tree growing in a way that will develop the nebari. I have been advised not to attempt any air layers in the same season in which root work is done, so my layers will likely need to wait until at least 2023. Depending on what the graft looks like I will ground layer before that. I personally do not care for the look of graft lines generally, but my shishi is a multi-trunked behemoth and maybe I can just ignore the graft on this one. I probably wouldn't leave the graft on any other tree.

 

[Wulfskaar]

I also picked up a shishigashira this summer. The advice I have received from folks here is to first consider a ground layer to deal with what probably is a grafted tree. My plan is to repot in the spring with some serious root pruning (my guy is in a 25 gallon pot and its filled with roots - weighs about 100 lbs) and get the tree growing in a way that will develop the nebari. I have been advised not to attempt any air layers in the same season in which root work is done, so my layers will likely need to wait until at least 2023. Depending on what the graft looks like I will ground layer before that. I personally do not care for the look of graft lines generally, but my shishi is a multi-trunked behemoth and maybe I can just ignore the graft on this one. I probably wouldn't leave the graft on any other tree.

My graft line isn't at all noticeable (to my newbie eye), so for now I'll be leaving the main trunk attached to the current roots. For all I know, it's on it's own roots already (?).

Good point about waiting on the air layers too. I have read that as well, but I've also read about people doing both the same year. However, I'd like to err on the side of caution because I'm not in prime maple territory. I need to make sure the thing survives the repot I'm planning in February or March 2022.

I tried doing a virt or two, but I guess I really have to figure out where I want to take it.

If a man does not know to what port he is sailing, no wind is favorable.
-Seneca the Younger

 

[dbonsaiw]

Please keep us posted on the graft line. Attached are some pics of the shishi I got. While I'd love to believe otherwise, dollars to donuts there's a graft line buried in my pot.

I'm still unclear why root work and air layering are mutually exclusive, especially if I'm just layering a few branches and the tree is left with a substantial root ball even after pruning.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Please keep us posted on the graft line. Attached are some pics of the shishi I got. While I'd love to believe otherwise, dollars to donuts there's a graft line buried in my pot.

I'm still unclear why root work and air layering are mutually exclusive, especially if I'm just layering a few branches and the tree is left with a substantial root ball even after pruning.

I suspect if I have a graft line, it's also below the soil. I don't care too much, honestly, at this point.

I think if your tree is strong and doing well, then it would be a lot less taxing to air layer a bit the same year after repotting. My zone isn't great for maples. If my repot goes great and the tree responds well and lushly, then I may try one air layer. Most likely, I'll have to wait just to make sure my tree has gained enough vigor to stay alive and be healthy.

 

[Wulfskaar]

What stage are these buds in? Should I be worried about anything coming early?

Much of the outer branches have similar buds all over.

I intend to repot into a growing box, but don't want to do it too late!

 

[0soyoung]

Wait until you see the buds have cracked = you can see green between the individual bud scales.
You've then got until you've actually got growth pushing out from the bud to get it done.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Wait until you see the buds have cracked = you can see green between the individual bud scales.
You've then got until you've actually got growth pushing out from the bud to get it done.

Is it still early in the process? Months vs weeks?

 

[0soyoung]

My guess is about 6 weeks.
They should darken in color (reddish) before they crack.

btw, the most distal buds (those at the tip) will be the fattest (just as in your photo) and will be the first to crack. I often prune to a visible bud pair as this is happening. Among other things, this effectively delays bud break --> you extend the window of time for repotting.

 

[Wulfskaar]

My guess is about 6 weeks.
They should darken in color (reddish) before they crack.

btw, the most distal buds (those at the tip) will be the fattest (just as in your photo) and will be the first to crack. I often prune to a visible bud pair as this is happening. Among other things, this effectively delays bud break --> you extend the window of time for repotting.

Thank you! This is my first spring with a maple, so I just want to make sure I'm not missing the boat on repotting.

 

[SeanS]

Not the best photos, but you can see where these tree’s buds were when I repotted them. As @0soyoung mentioned they should turn red and then crack open revealing the green of the leaves