Acer palmatum arakawa (from a small air layered branch)

clem

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hello, a new JM cultivar : arakawa. I like this cultivar because of the very decorative bark. i dunno yet if it is easy or not to grow for Bonsai.

I bought a young arakawa grafted on a JM i January 2024 ->
acer palmatum arakawa 2024 01 19 (2).JPG
acer palmatum arakawa 2024 01 19 (4).JPG

In spring, I transpotted it in akadama ->
acer palmatum arakawa 2024 02 27 (2).JPG
acer palmatum arakawa 2024 02 27 (3).JPG

I also put a tourniquet on a small branch (with a curve) in spring, in order to air layer it (to get a 100% arakawa maple, from the roots to the branches) ->
acer palmatum arakawa 2024 02 27 (4).JPG

acer palmatum arakawa 2024 02 27 (5).JPG

At the end of May, the branch is still alive but the tourniquet struggles it so much that it is dehydrated ->

acer palmatum arakawa 2024 05 28 (3).JPG

Fortunatly, it decided to grow in August ->
acer palmatum arakawa 2024 08 01 (1).JPG

The branche under the airlayer is dead ->
acer palmatum arakawa 2024 08 01 (3).JPG

so i cut it to separate the air layer and repotted it in a terracotta pot (for better growth until next spring) ->

acer palmatum arakawa 2024 08 01 (4).JPG
acer palmatum arakawa 2024 08 01 (5).JPG
acer palmatum arakawa 2024 08 01 (7).JPG

acer palmatum arakawa 2024 08 01 (9).JPG

Next spring, i will repot it in a flat and larger wood box, to get a good growth. This cultivar seems to grow generously.


To be continued ....
 
Another interesting project is in the pipeline. Unfortunately, it is very hard to find such a nursery Arakawa around my area. One nursery offered me to import one on custom order but the price seemed ridiculous to me.
 
Another interesting project is in the pipeline. Unfortunately, it is very hard to find such a nursery Arakawa around my area. One nursery offered me to import one on custom order but the price seemed ridiculous to me.
I bought my grafted arakawa on "Maillot Erables" (38€ + shipping) : https://www.maillot-erable.com/en/boutique/37_acer-palmatum/145_arakawa

If you still want to buy one, maybe you could send a private message to Guy Maillot on his FB page ? (to see if he can ship to Slovakia and the shipping cost)

I also bought a young seigen grafted on JM in June (which is difficult to find in my experience) on his nursery but it is already out of stock now. i'll open a thread for it when i air layer it next year ->
acer palmatum seigen 2024 06 26.JPG
 
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Awkward is a great cultivar, especially on its own roots. Be prepared to work with long internodes and petioles.
View attachment 563974
Very nice tree and awesome bark.. How old is your tree ? and how long does it take to get a rough bark on this cultivar ?

I have some cultivation infos from a Japanese pro : Hideki Fuse. He advises to avoid complete defoliation so as not to lose branches.
And he also advises to keep the soil always wet (not only humid but really wet) to avoid losing branches too...
 
Very nice tree and awesome bark.. How old is your tree ? and how long does it take to get a rough bark on this cultivar ?

I have some cultivation infos from a Japanese pro : Hideki Fuse. He advises to avoid complete defoliation so as not to lose branches.
And he also advises to keep the soil always wet (not only humid but really wet) to avoid losing branches too...
Thanks, I started this one as an air-layer around 2012, and have thread grafted most every branch. Bark fully covers the branches at around 5 years. I partially defoliate it, but never fully defoliate. The roots grow slowly, and take up water slower than other JM, so it seems to stay on the wet side. This means I’m always pulling moss off the bark, but the bark is more persistent than pines or Chinese elms.
 
Another interesting project is in the pipeline. Unfortunately, it is very hard to find such a nursery Arakawa around my area. One nursery offered me to import one on custom order but the price seemed ridiculous to me.
what size are you after?
 
Pretty cool - I love this species of J maple
 
what size are you after?
I was looking for something like 1m high specimen with a few long branches so I can take 2-3 airlayers or/and few cuttings. I think the offered me much smaller tree for like 150€ so I politely declined.
 
I was looking for something like 1m high specimen with a few long branches so I can take 2-3 airlayers or/and few cuttings. I think the offered me much smaller tree for like 150€ so I politely declined.
OK; was asking because I rooted Arakawa cuttings over winter. But cuttings rooted over last winter would not be something for you size-wise.
 
I was looking for something like 1m high specimen with a few long branches so I can take 2-3 airlayers or/and few cuttings. I think the offered me much smaller tree for like 150€ so I politely declined.
Hi Maros
This nursery has arakawa and also another variety they call pine bark maple. I think they are reasonably priced.
 
Hi Maros
This nursery has arakawa and also another variety they call pine bark maple. I think they are reasonably priced.
Thanks for the link. I will check it.
 
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