n8's Western/Lotus Trident Maple

[n8]

In February, I picked up this trident during the final Lotus Bonsai/Western Tree Nursery dig. Sawed a flat base, keeping sine root flare, potted in an Anderson flat, and cut off a handful of branches. At the time, I thought I could use one of those big lower branches.

I really should have cut off a lot more branching. This is the first ground-grown trident maple I've dealt with and I thought I would need a bunch of foliage to get it rooted. Turns out, I could have cut off all the branches I wanted to.

 

[n8]

Less than three months later and I've got roots bursting from the bottom of the flat. I cut back hard, cleaned some old wounds, and decided I didn't want either of those fat bottom branches--too straight and both had some reverse taper.

Time to start building branches.