Air layering Japanese Maple

[EricInSD]

Hi,

I purchased this maple yesterday. It was rooted well into the ground, through the pot. The growth was very slanted, due to the growing conditions, so I put the nursery pot into a larger pot for stability and to allow the cut roots to recover for the season.

The plant will end up in my garden but I'd like to air layer some of the large branches so it will fit and to have some additional material but I have a few questions.

Is it OK to air layer now, given that the roots were cut yesterday?

Are air-layers stressful? Can the tree support multiple concurrently?

I read that some varieties don't take cuttings and air layering well. I don't know what variety this is...

Thanks for your help!
Eric

 

[andrewiles]

The tree looks pretty big for that nursery pot, so I'm guessing you cut off a decent volume of root mass when you moved it. If it were mine I'd let it recover a year before air layering bits off. Especially large bits.

An air layer means the roots have to support the tree above the layer without getting anything in return. So it's putting extra stress on the roots. Important to have a strong root mass to support any air layers you do. Your tree is already weakened from the root reduction.

Many japanese maples air layer very well, but some cultivars are very hard. I don't know what cultivar you have, if any, but in my experience strong growers like yours are likely to air layer well. The dwarf varieties can be much more problematic.

 

[EricInSD]

The tree looks pretty big for that nursery pot, so I'm guessing you cut off a decent volume of root mass when you moved it. If it were mine I'd let it recover a year before air layering bits off. Especially large bits.

An air layer means the roots have to support the tree above the layer without getting anything in return. So it's putting extra stress on the roots. Important to have a strong root mass to support any air layers you do. Your tree is already weakened from the root reduction.

Many japanese maples air layer very well, but some cultivars are very hard. I don't know what cultivar you have, if any, but in my experience strong growers like yours are likely to air layer well. The dwarf varieties can be much more problematic.

Thanks.

 

[Shibui]

Provided the tree is heathy and growing well air layers should succeed. Just chopping a few roots out of the bottom of the pot does not usually stress trees as there's plenty more in the pot and, at this time of year, the roots grow back real quick. I would certainly go on with air layers on that tree now.
There's no way of knowing if it is a named variety or what that variety is unless it has a tag. Given there's no visible graft chances are it is a seedling which means it is no variety, generally referred to as 'green Japanese maple'. Chances are it will layer well. You won't know unless you try and, even then, failure may well be technique or conditions rather than variety.

 

[EricInSD]

Thank you. It sure seems healthy but it was quite embedded in the ground I'll give it a shot on one of the smaller trunk-like branches and post the results in July.