New start for small maple

Forum for discussion of Deciduous bonsai – Maples, Crabapple, Hornbeam, Elm species etc.
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TimS
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Favorite Species: Japanese Maple
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New start for small maple

Post by TimS »

I got this little maple tree a few years back; it was during a period of rapid expansion of my humble collection. I was attracted fundamentally by the very small natural leaves and the short internodes that i have still never seen longer than an inch in regular, un-pinched growth.

Today most of those trees have been on-sold or given away as my interests changed, several to MJL who is a very good friend made through this forum and it's great to know trees are going to good homes even when you might have lost a bit of interest in them personally.

I actually had advertised this tree for sale through the forum here with the comment it could be layered easily into 2 trees, and unsurprisingly for such an unusual tree that needs work it didn't attract any interest. I gave it a fair chance to sell but it became clear it wasn't going to, so i decided to follow my own advice, keep it and do the layer i suggested someone else do.

Its very far from good material, but it's hard to just toss away a JM with such naturally small leaves.

The tree looked like this when i purchased it (it was in full leaf at the time, this is a later spring photo i took)
jminfup.jpeg



This is a size comparison of the leaf of this tree to straight species (left), this tree (middle) and shishisgashira (right)
jmapleaves.jpeg

So in early summer i got started and layered the top section off. My thought was acutally just to keep the top and throw away the rest of it, but i decided to persevere with the bottom as well and just cut out the odd straight section.


Top layer removed
JMALA1.jpeg
JMALA2.jpeg
JMALA3.jpeg




The base of the tree will now begin the very long process of becoming a bonsai in its own right
JMALB1.jpeg
JMALB2.jpeg
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KIRKY
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Re: New start for small maple

Post by KIRKY »

Really like the top, now a twin trunk, can easily see something special for the future of this tree.
Cheers
Kirky
Great oaks from little acorns grow.
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