Acer palmatum sharp's pygmy [#07]

[GrimLore]

I am correct to think that those are started from cutting rather then grafting? Reason I ask is that would make far more desirable for me to purchase. Great tree and TY for sharing.

Grimmy

 

[MACH5]

I hope you're updating several of your maple threads soon...

Yes I am Dan... or at least plan to

I am correct to think that those are started from cutting rather then grafting? Reason I ask is that would make far more desirable for me to purchase. Great tree and TY for sharing.

Grimmy

Thanks Grimmy! Well I am not sure but probably you will find both? Off the top of my head, I believe Brussel's has non-grafted ones on Ebay. They are pricey though! I am also sure you will find these in some selected garden stores and nurseries sold for landscape but these may be grafted. You could always air layer it later.

 

[lordy]

Beautiful, period.
I have a young Sharp's Pygmy in the ground. Julian Adams did a presentation on Pygmies several years ago at my club and I was impressed at the size of the leaves. I found them on
JapaneseMaplesandEvergreens.coml and ordered one. It has doubled in size in about 2 years. It was pretty small when I got it. I remember adding a note to the order saying I was "going to use it as a bonsai, so pay attention to the roots when choosing one for me" Anyway, thanks for the pics, and also the tip to keep on top of thinning the canopy. I appreciate that.

 

[dkraft81]

Absolutely beautiful trees. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Dan W.]

Lordy, is yours grafted?

 

[lordy]

Lordy, is yours grafted?

Not sure, actually, but I can check. It's relaxing in a grow bed out back.

 

[MACH5]

Beautiful, period.
I have a young Sharp's Pygmy in the ground. Julian Adams did a presentation on Pygmies several years ago at my club and I was impressed at the size of the leaves. I found them on
JapaneseMaplesandEvergreens.coml and ordered one. It has doubled in size in about 2 years. It was pretty small when I got it. I remember adding a note to the order saying I was "going to use it as a bonsai, so pay attention to the roots when choosing one for me" Anyway, thanks for the pics, and also the tip to keep on top of thinning the canopy. I appreciate that.

Lordy, yes you do need to be very vigilant with these maples. It comes into leaf very densely due to the shortness of its internodes. When I first had it, I was just so taken by how full and beautiful it looked that I just left it as is. It was only a matter of a couple of weeks when I noticed leaves falling off the tree due to lack of light and air. Then powdery mildew took over. I had to take immediate action otherwise I would have lost a lot more than just some of the interior branchlets. Since then I have been very diligent and aggressive with it.

This is mainly a care tip for more mature trees. It may not really apply that much with younger ones since they are more open anyway.

 

[Dan W.]

I was actually referring more to yellow Japanese maples like a Bihou or Sango-Kaku

M5, you might want to look in to "Beni Kawa" too. It's supposedly an improved selection of Sango Kaku. Being newer though, I doubt there would be any specimens already developed for any great length of time.

 

[MACH5]

Thanks Dan! I will certainly look into it. Well if I can only find small plants (as is the case with many varieties) I'll just have to put it in my grow out area for only 15 years... it's only time right?

 

[GrimLore]

Thanks Dan! I will certainly look into it. Well if I can only find small plants (as is the case with many varieties) I'll just have to put it in my grow out area for only 15 years... it's only time right?

That is why I asked about it being a cutting I am pretty certain those are one of the few that can be done successfully.

Grimmy

 

[fore]

So many simply gorgeous JM varietals. Sev. look very similar: Sharps Pygmy, Shishigashira, and Deshojo. Are there any distinguishing aspects to tell the difference Mach?

 

[MACH5]

So many simply gorgeous JM varietals. Sev. look very similar: Sharps Pygmy, Shishigashira, and Deshojo. Are there any distinguishing aspects to tell the difference Mach?

Fore, the ones you mentioned actually look very different from each other. Sharp's Pygmy has small, rather sharply pointed leaves whereas the shishigashira has very curled up ones. The Deshojo has fire engine red leaves that sets it apart right away and retains some of the red pigments throughout the growing season.

Many varieties do look very similar specially in summer, but also many of the commonly used maples for bonsai have distinctive features that clearly sets them apart from each other. These range from leaf size, color and shape, bark color and texture to different growth patterns.

 

[fore]

Yeah, it's hard for me to tell the differences from pictures posted. This gives me a very good idea of these 3 variants. Thanks for the descriptions Mach!

 

[Dav4]

Yeah, it's hard for me to tell the differences from pictures posted. This gives me a very good idea of these 3 variants. Thanks for the descriptions Mach!

Chris, if you dig Japanese Maples, you've got to get this book, 'Japanese Maples' by J.D. Vertrees. http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Mapl...1143&sr=1-1&keywords=vertrees+japanese+maples

I have an older edition, but it's still one of my favorite resources...great pictures of the foliage as well as descriptions on growth habit. I didn't know A.p. 'Sharps Pygmy' existed until I read about it in this book...then I bought one...along with a bunch of other dwarfs.

 

[fore]

Chris, if you dig Japanese Maples, you've got to get this book, 'Japanese Maples' by J.D. Vertrees. http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Mapl...1143&sr=1-1&keywords=vertrees+japanese+maples

I have an older edition, but it's still one of my favorite resources...great pictures of the foliage as well as descriptions on growth habit. I didn't know A.p. 'Sharps Pygmy' existed until I read about it in this book...then I bought one...along with a bunch of other dwarfs.

That's a great looking book Dave! You're right, great pics, descriptions and a ton of other JM info. I do like them, and have quite a few 2 y/o JM saplings, a small Deshojo that I just got from Bill V. last aug., and some older ones in the ground. I only knew about that one b/c the Chic. Botanic Garden's Bonsai Collection has one....this is the one that has a bad claw root that I was asking Al about in that shohin thread. I'm going to repot it next spring and see what's under that root. It'll be interesting to have another variety of JM to learn about.

Anyway, the book's on my 'xmas list' ;D

 

[MACH5]

Spring 2014 update

Here are a few pics of this tree just starting to leaf out. This maple is always one of the last to bud for me. Due to a cold spring, it has been slow coming into leaf this year. In just a few weeks from now it will be covered in a thick mass of chartreuse colored leaves.

Two weeks ago it was repotted into a Yamafusa container I bought in Japan last year. The pot is slightly bit bigger and shallower than the previous one. I think it's much nicer too!

 

[Ryan820]

Good grief.... Amazing.

 

[Dan W.]

Very nice! And a lovely combination! I'm a sucker for nice ,shallow, white/off white pots for maples.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Very nice! And a lovely combination! I'm a sucker for nice ,shallow, white/off white pots for maples.

Me too! Looking great M5.

 

[dkraft81]

Love the new pot. Gotta love a maple pushing new growth too.