Acer Palmatum "Sango Kaku"

[Kenji B]

Hi guys

So down at my local hardware store I was having a nosey around the garden section and stumbled upon a few Japanese Maples. Naturally the Sango Kaku aka coral bark variety stood right out, they also looked the most developed and reasonably healthy. I have done a little research about these as bonsai and it seems they are not the most popular because getting short nodes or dense ramification can be difficult? I will post some quick pics I took so you guys can get an idea of what I may have to work with. These are going for NZ$20 a tree so I figure that is a good deal! If these do not turn out to be suitable for bonsai I may just get them to plant at my parents place and let them grow into beautiful trees!

Bottom two branches can be kept to fatten trunk?

Rotated. Strong leader on the right can be left on to continue strong growth or can be cut and smaller branch on left trained to be new leader? This would help with taper and movement?

Full tree

A different tree but pretty similar. Note thumb for perspective haha

A different variety, does this look more suitable?

So there you have it, If you discredit these for bonsai please do tell me your opinion and reasons for doing so! I would still give it a shot anyway haha, I just love the colours and at 20 bucks a pop its no biggie. I am guessing I would be told to chuck them in the ground or large container to fatten them up which is understandable but should any changes be made before doing so? Being mid Autumn right now I guess it will just be best to leave them be and then do any chopping around spring? Thats just my general Ideas but I have much to learn and the research has only just begun!

Cheers guys!

[SeanBarracudA]

Dude... for $20... buy as many as you can!! That's an absolute bargain!

[Damian Bee]

Is that a graft Kenji?
If it is, don't buy it. You should be able to find them without a graft.
Also if you hold onto your cash for about 60 days you could get a pretty good bare rooted one when they are in season.
Just my

[shibui]

Kenji, I get the feeling you are a bonsai beginner. I do not recommend any Japanese maples for beginners. They have quite exacting needs for pruning and trimming and mostly end up with thick, ugly ends on the branches unless you have more experience. as an example the 2 bottom branches you have identified to thicken the trunk will probably cause a localised swelling and reverse taper if both left on.
I find Sango kaku even more difficult as it seems to have coarse growth habit and thick, straight growth. it is, however, a beautiful variety and $20 seems pretty good.
Damian has warned against grafted plants because often the graft is ugly and often a different colour to the rest of the tree but sometimes you can find good graft unions so just look carefully at the lower trunk before buying for bonsai.

Have a go if you want to. you will probably learn a bit by trying.

[Kenji B]

Thanks for the informative reply Shibui, I am most definitely an over enthusiastic beginner! I can understand your call about maples being a tough subject for beginners. I am a keen learner and love to do my research. I think for now I will just get one and ground plant it to get it nice and thick, I guess I would need to ask a couple of questions about getting some taper in it. I would probably cut off the first right branch on the first pic then cut the fat leader and train its opposite smaller branch to be the new leader. Does that sound about right? I am definitely going to get one even for the sake of learning. I have nothing but time and the earlier I get into it the better I say

[shibui]

I would probably cut off the first right branch on the first pic then cut the fat leader and train its opposite smaller branch to be the new leader. Does that sound about right?

It is hard to tell with the ditch in the way.
The line up the thick trunk does not look all that nice to me and it is almost as thick as the base anyway so where is the taper in that? Maybe cut off the thick trunk and shorten the thinner one on the right to achieve taper? Another posibility would be to cut the trunk above the 2 lowest branches to achieve real taper? I think line is at least as important as taper so look for attractive bends and movement in a trunk and you cannot tell what line looks good until you see the roots that will form the nebari. Best to wait until you can bare root and see what options you have really got.

[kcpoole]

The last one looks nicest to me and i woud remove the left branch, and then cut back the right to a shoot.
You wouled end up with a Taller slender tree, but it does have some taper.

Be careful if they are grafted tho and as shibui says, leaving 2 sacrifice on the same place will generate reverse taper.
They are muich more difficult that tridents, but if you are prepared to learn then they are spectacular.

Ken