Walter Pall
Masterpiece
This is an Amur maple, Acer ginnala. it was collected in the wilderness of Korea probably ten to fifteen years ago. Someone cut off all the branches and then wired some of the new shoots. It seems that this tree than was sort of abandoned. Anyway, In November 2013 I got the first picture with a reasonable price offer from my agent. I could not decide right away as this tree seemed to be interesting but very much untamed. So a few more images followed. It took until March 2014 for me to decide to purchase the tree. It arrived in my garden in May 2014 as a big green ball with very healthy looking foliage.
Several issues:
- source: why a tree from Korea if there are maples in Europe too? Well, this species one can find in Europe, but not anything close in potential. Prices in Korea or Europe are not much different, even accounting for transport and all that. But my agent does this, I would hate to bother with all that.
- hardiness: As most bonsaiists I have way too many trees and too small a greenhouse. I need species which I can leave outside without high danger of loosing them I live in climate zone 5 to 6. Amur maple are very hardy, one can leave them outside on the ground in the garden all winter long.
- advanced material: I have about twenty or so maples of which a dozen are god to very good, ready for any exhibit anywhere in Europe. If I want another maple it must be as good as the others or even better of somehow different. If one wants to end up with a really good to outstanding bonsai one should start with really good material - whatever this costs.
-time for development: I am now seventy. I can start with seedlings or cuttings, but I can also start with killer material and try to make killer bonsai of it within the next few years. I go for killer material as I think I have time enough to make the best of it.
- Maple Progression Challenge: what you can see up to here was done within ten months. But it did not start in march 2014. So this is interesting, but does not count for the challenge. Since my maples should be out of competition anyway I thought it is interesting at lest to see what can be done in ten months. And then there is still something to happen n until march 2016.
- huge wound on broadleaved tree: I know very well that this is frowned upon in Japan. But I am not Japanese. We admire our old hollow broadleaved trees in Europe. Since I create trees and not bonsai this is not a fault, but rather an interesting feature.
Several issues:
- source: why a tree from Korea if there are maples in Europe too? Well, this species one can find in Europe, but not anything close in potential. Prices in Korea or Europe are not much different, even accounting for transport and all that. But my agent does this, I would hate to bother with all that.
- hardiness: As most bonsaiists I have way too many trees and too small a greenhouse. I need species which I can leave outside without high danger of loosing them I live in climate zone 5 to 6. Amur maple are very hardy, one can leave them outside on the ground in the garden all winter long.
- advanced material: I have about twenty or so maples of which a dozen are god to very good, ready for any exhibit anywhere in Europe. If I want another maple it must be as good as the others or even better of somehow different. If one wants to end up with a really good to outstanding bonsai one should start with really good material - whatever this costs.
-time for development: I am now seventy. I can start with seedlings or cuttings, but I can also start with killer material and try to make killer bonsai of it within the next few years. I go for killer material as I think I have time enough to make the best of it.
- Maple Progression Challenge: what you can see up to here was done within ten months. But it did not start in march 2014. So this is interesting, but does not count for the challenge. Since my maples should be out of competition anyway I thought it is interesting at lest to see what can be done in ten months. And then there is still something to happen n until march 2016.
- huge wound on broadleaved tree: I know very well that this is frowned upon in Japan. But I am not Japanese. We admire our old hollow broadleaved trees in Europe. Since I create trees and not bonsai this is not a fault, but rather an interesting feature.