Trident maple root-over-rock (2)

[daiviet_nguyen]

This maple is from a cutting. When the cutting was taken, it was about 1 mm thick.

I cannot remember the exact age of this cutting. But it must be more than 6 years old.
It has been trained on rock for about 3 years.

The following photos were taken on 17/August/2008.









I have some earlier photos, but they do not show anything significance about this tree.

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I do not know the origin of this rock. It was already in the yard when I bought the house I am living
in now. Its "bottom" is not flat, it cannot stand on its own. The root mass keeps it standing in the
pot.

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The following photos were taken on 05/October/2008.









Presently (11/01/2009) the leader has grow to nearly 1 meter; and some existing branches
are longer than in the photos. The overall shape is not much different.

I will cut it down to 45 cm height next year. It seems that with trident maples, if the one leader
is allowed to grow wild for one season, cut down in the winter, the next season more branches
would develop rather strongly, and existing branches will also produce more shoots -- as compare
to normal energy balancing during the growing season.

This pot is Korean. I think it is just a mass-produced pot. I cannot remember when I bought
it. It is heavy and is bad quality. The whitish outer coat can chip easily. I would avoid these pots.

* Some basic measurements:

• Pot length: 37.5 cm.
  
  Pot width: 27.5 cm.
  
  Pot height: 12 cm (including the "legs".)
  
  Tree height: 45 cm.
  
  Trunk diameter: 3.5 cm. Measured right on the surface.

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Other trident maples that I have posted

Japanese Trident Maple (1)

Trident maple root-over-rock (1)

[Bretts]

You seem to like the root over rock, me too. I have had plenty of seedlings to work with but very limited selection of rocks. I was told of a 200 meter square area on a farm that has some decent rocks so I will get to do more next spring.
I have some growing in ground for last two years. I pulled up one for a look in spring and it was going good but thought one more year of maturity would be better. Thanks for the progressions

[anttal63]

viet i really like where this is going and the way those roots have grown into the grooves in the rock. have you considered a round pot for multi views? i personally like the 2nd photo as the front. thanks for sharing.

[aaron_tas]

hey viet

nice tree, i also agree with antonio, i like the movement of the roots with the rock in the 2nd photo

[mudlarkpottery]

I prefer the second view too. The rock and tree go well together.
Penny.

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Brett,

More than 15 years ago, I saw a little trident maple on rock at Mr. and Mrs. Dickenson's bonsai nursery in
Blackburn, Victoria. It was captivating... I have been trying ever since. I hope one day I will have one that
I am totally happy with. I have some more, and I have a feeling that they are all somewhat similar.. I am a
bit depressed.

I use a long tube to grow the roots as in this Trident maple root-over-rock (1).
I am guessing that if you grow it in the ground, the roots will get big, it would be hard to put them onto a
rock then. I prefer the roots around 1 mm thick. You can virtually tie them to the rock, put the whole thing
into a big container, and pretty much after one growing season, the roots will be in position. We will then
be able to put it onto the grow.

Hi Antonio, Aaron and Penny,

You mean this one:



I put it onto the rock when this root was about 1 mm thick, so I am able to "tie" it into the rock very hard.
And it stayed there. I do not think it is hard to do that, we have to be aggressive with the roots arrangement
in the first place. And trident maple respond well to this aggressive treatment.

I did consider a drum pot before. I do not like the Chinese and Korean pots. And we could no longer
get Japanese. We could order them from Japan. But too expensive. I cannot afford it.

I love these:





(https://www.tokoname.or.jp/bonsai/gallery/14f35.htm )

Thank you everybody for commenting.

Regards,

Viet.

[mudlarkpottery]

Sorry, Viet, I meant number 3 photo. It's a fine line for choice - you'd probably need to see it firsthand to chose and then it would probably be a personal choice. With the pot , you might prefer something very simple so as not to distract form the rock/tree combo. Have a look through the Kokufu Ten Books, if you have access to them and see how other similar trees to yours are planted up.
Penny.

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Penny,

...photo number 3...

I can see that now. Thank you for the advice about the pot Penny. I do not have Kokufu Ten
Books, but my dad has all issues of Bonsai Today and Bonsai Focus to date. I will use them
first

Regards,

Viet.

[anttal63]

penny your right photo 3 is very dynamic also!

[Bretts]

Maybe you misunderstand Viet. I have the tridents growing over the rocks now. I was transplanting them when I was building my bench before spring 07. I had lots to replant so I picked out the saplings with the ugliest roots to become root over rock. Then it was a matter of matching roots to rock shape. I know at least one has died but I do not even remember how many I did let alone survived. My growing area has turned into a very dense forrest since spring and I have trouble working out wich ones are growing over the rock. It will be like an early christmas when I get to unwrap a few next spring. I have generally used anything that works to make the roots sit against the rock. First I might wire it a little if it is being stubborn and then the best tool is Glad wrap. I insure that the root tips are exposed at the ends.
I have seen your description of the tube method to get long roots. I might try this next spring with a few. Much appreciated.
It is Morten Albek's root over rock trident maple that inspires me.

[Jon Chown]

Hi Viet, I have to say that I am with everyone else on this one in that I like photo 3 for the front as well. You would have to remove the bottom two branches but the remaining ones going up are all good. I think that what attracts me t this as a front is the thickness of the trunk at the base and the way the roots have fused over the rock.

I look forward to your progression with this tree with interest.

Jon

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Brett,

I can see what you are saying now. I did mis-understand you before. It sounds like you are going to have
an exciting harvest this coming winter . Please post photos of the trees Brett. I think everybody would love
to see them.

With trident maple root-over-rock, I think the important component is the rock. It is increasingly hard to
find good rocks from the bonsai retailers. I particularly like the Western Australian rocks, the by-product
from the mining people. I am going to post some more with those rocks later on.

(The rock is importantly in the sense that trident maples are easy to find.)

Before, I waited till middle of August to repot my trees. I can only do it during weekends, so I usually ran
out of time. In the last two years, I repotted trident maples around mid-July, still cold. But they seem healthy
enough later on.

I am just wondering, in South Australia, what is the earliest time you could do them Brett? Thanks.

Hi Jon,

I will contemplate your suggestion... but I cannot promise I will have the heart to follow through

Regards,

Viet.

[anttal63]

viet i too repot alot of deciduous in july, never been a problem here in melbourne.

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Antonio,

Hi, hi... I have just found that out in the past two years I have to get out more....

Cheers,

Viet.

[Bretts]

I have usually found time to do my trees. Unsure how? but anyway I generally just do them as the buds are swelling That usually spreds from late August to early October.. I am usure about SA