AusBonsai

my mum gave me a maple that she got from a nursery in Hartley that is called "butterfly'. It has a light pink outlight around the outside of a light green leaf. Would like to know if anyone has used it before. It has budded back all the way down the trunk. I can't keep it under control! ( my computer is slow so here is a address to find it's leaf)http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Ar ... n_Full.jpg

i should also say that this plant is fairly big. trunk size- 1" and cut down from about 2m to 40cm

MasonC i have never seen such a leaf and it is beautiful. Another nice tree added to your collection.

yer. it has the nicest maple leaf there is i think. you should see it when it turns in Autumn. BEAUTIFUL!

Looks very similar to A.Palmatum "Karasugawa". I have one here at home. Very nice variagation in the leaf

Thats one beautiful tree, how big is it and how thick is the trunk. I imagine this tree shouldnt be a problem to bonsai. Id say this probebly is a fast grower.Good luck with it and send some progress pictures. cheers!

In the 3rd edition of Vertrees Japanese Maples, he has the following (abbreviated as its too long to copy the whole lot):

'"Butterfly" is very spectacular small-leaved variegate. The leaves are variable in shape- rarely are any alike - and have five or seven lobes. Each lobe is different - some short, some long, and most irregularly shaped on leaves on older wood. The leaves on new growth have lobes which are more uniform. The petioles are short, 1-3cm.

Growth is normally short and twiggy, making a dense, large shrub or very small tree of 5-6m high. It is stiffly upright. Occasionally a plant in very good culture puts out a shoot 40-60cm long. New shoots and twigs are very delicate and slender.

One of the most reliable and desirable cultivars of the variegated group, this dainty and attractive tree always brings comments from visitors. It differs from the similar "Beni shichihenge" in its taller, narrower growth and the lack of pink variegation except along the edges of the cream in the spring, and has deeper cut lobes than the similar shaped "Kagiri nishiki". The Japanese name is thought to be "Kocho nishiki" which translates to variegated butterfly.'

It sounds like it has many qaulities desireable for bonsia. I would like to see a better photo of your tree as Vertrees says it is difficult to graft because of small scions. I have grafted maple trees from a nursery at Hartley and thr grafts are nearly invisible. Hopefully yours will do the same.

Paul

its exactly as this describes and it grows EXTREMELY fast. Yes, all the maples that i have got from Hartley have almost invisible grafts. Some aren't even grafted. will get some photos