Bonborn - The Rescued Maple (2014)

[bonborn]

Picked up this maple from my future house. Poor guy was banished to a corner of the block in a compost tray. Mostly likely a discarded seedling from the mother maple tree on the front of the house. There were 4 trays stacked on top of each other. The 3rd tray had a handful of leftover soil in it. The roots grew from the 1st tray into the second and to the soil in the third tray. Roots were constricted by the holes in the trays.

Has been trunk chopped and repotted in a foam box. I love the trunk. Leaves had all dropped but nice bud swells all the way from the bottom of the trunk.

[Scott Roxburgh]

Nice low movement, hopefully you get a nice low bud and make a nice shohin.

[shibui]

Good root pruning. i would probably have cut the longer ones a little harder but time for that in future.
I hope you have cut the trunk quite short. It would be a shame to combine that nice lower movement with a straight section of trunk and it is far more likely to bud low if it is cut low.

[bonborn]

I hope you have cut the trunk quite short.

Actually i haven't. How low do you think i should cut. There is bud on the right side which can be seen in the 4th pic. This is what i am hoping will grow.

[shibui]

I would be cutting it around where your hand is in the 4th pic. Leave 1 or 2 nodes above where you want your new leader just to be safe.
I can see 2 buds on the right below your hand. I think the lowest is too low and would effectively straighten the trunk if you grew that one. The bud just below the hand would be ok but I think the bud at the front of the trunk would be even better (or maybe the one behind it? - trunk bends should be in 3 dimensions, not just side to side.

[bonborn]

I was thinking more like this. I am cutting it at the red line just to be on the safe side. I am hoping it buds where i have photoshopped. The movement on this trunk is beautiful and amazing. It's got a nice 3D movement going back forth and left right.

[shibui]

I agree with the plan but I would cut just above the node just above your red line just to be safe. After major surgery it is not unusual for Japanese maple to die back a bit or for the uppermost shoots to be very weak and stronger ones grow from the buds a bit lower.
You can reduce the top to final position much more safely once the buds and new roots are growing and you can see which are best position and adequate strength.

[bonborn]

I agree with the plan but I would cut just above the node just above your red line just to be safe.

All done. Cut above the node you said. Fingers crossed all goes according to plan.

[Neli]

Post pictures when it back buds...and I hope you sealed it well/

[bonborn]

Post pictures when it back buds...and I hope you sealed it well/

Yup sealed well. I will definitely post pics of any progress

[bonborn]

And we have a take off. This one i am confused about now. I initially believed it came from the front tree. The front tree is liquidamber with 5 lobed leaves but the leaves on this one looks very different.



How about this for inspiration.

[Sno]

Hi Bonborn maybe Acer Negundo .

[Black Knight]

Hi Bonbon,
I concur with sno. Definately, looks like Acer Negundo. Still a Maple though.
I currently have one that is a mirror copy of yours that started as a dropped seed and growing roots under the house foundations. Kept hacking the top, but could not kill it. So late Autumn hacked it down dragged it from the footings and is now about to shoot sitting in a grow box.
Regards,

[bonborn]

I googled Acer Negundo and the images are very similar to the leaves i have on this one. How are these as bonsai? Don't look very promising though.


EDIT: Also known as box elder. Large droopy leaves. Would suit a larger bonsai. I think i will use it as a testing tree for myself.

[bonborn]

Died with dignity.