And now for something completely different...

[leatherback]

You forgot to mention the knobs, the bulges on the trunk, areas of reverse taper, exfoliating bark, the lack of twinging! And it’s a graft!!!

Oh! This tree is terrible!!! Every bonsai dealer in the country has dozens of them they just can’t sell for any price!

Sorry. I hope you did not take my posts as negative towards the tree.

I for one like it. And some comments triggered my thinking re. trident styles. And I got to know about a new cultivar. All positives in my book!

 

[johng]

John, as you know, I really prefer pines. I’m really not looking to get into “maples” as such. At this point of my bonsai career, I’m into unique specimens. As long as they are suitable for my climate.

Yeah, this tree is pretty unique. I’ve only seen two others as bonsai. One was briefly at Boon’s, Johnny Uchita of Grove Way bonsai had the other. I don’t know of any others.

In leaf, you don’t see the structure. There are so many leaves, each bud seems to make a spray of leaves, and the leaves are long and pendulous. And, they have long petioles. The tree looks more like a weeping willow than a maple.

In the fall, the leaves turn into a spectacular display of scarlet reds, golds, oranges, and yellow.

Contrary to most maples, it looks its worst in winter! I know, bare maples with all their tiny twigs make for a beautiful winter show. This maple doesn’t make little twigs. It tends to act more like a ginkgo. It does have the exfoliating bark to provide winter interest. It’s taken me a while to learn to appreciate the knobs it makes. In fact, I have pruned some of them off. But they’re like the chi-chi that some ginkgo get. Part of it’s character.

It’s too bad the NC Expo dates have changed to become a summer rather than fall show. You would have enjoyed seeing the colors.

Here is an old picture of it in leaf:

View attachment 344640

Well, you have to know that I am mainly giving you shit...might be a chop stick thing. There is certainly some level of truth about the tree in what I am saying but bottom line is I respect your privilege to buy and grow whatever you want. That must be a really old picture as well...base of the trunk looks totally different now. I'll also be interested to see how it looks in the Spring...if that pointy top really domes out with foliage like the photo

 

[Adair M]

Well, you have to know that I am mainly giving you shit...might be a chop stick thing. There is certainly some level of truth about the tree in what I am saying but bottom line is I respect your privilege to buy and grow whatever you want. That must be a really old picture as well...base of the trunk looks totally different now. I'll also be interested to see how it looks in the Spring...if that pointy top really domes out with foliage like the photo

That is a 10 year old year photo when it was owned by someone else. For whatever reason, the previous owner buried the roots deep in that pot. I think it was to hide the fact it’s grafted. And there is some reverse taper at the graft union, which I think they were attempting to hide.

A couple things...

After I bought it, it was bare rooted and screwed to a board. And left to grow in a large wooden grow box for a couple years. I did get a few extending twigs to grow, but not many. I took the opportunity to remove some big bulges (knots) off the branches since I now have some replacement branches.

Last January, I took it out of the box, and took it off the board. I put it in this pot, and lifted it to show the real nebari. There is reverse taper as seen from some angles at the graft union, but I prefer seeing the nebari in spite of the reverse taper.

I had planned to show it at the Nationals last September, but, it will just have to wait until next year.

And, yes, the pointy top really does dome out!

When I bought it, it was in full leaf. I bought it in June. There were so many leaves, you really couldn’t see the structure! (Or lack thereof). I was somewhat shocked to see it it bare in fall as I couldn’t believe so few branches could produce so many leaves!

It IS a unique tree!

 

[BobbyLane]

Yeah ive been reading all the comments about the pine shape, dont really understand the negativity towards it. It's a beautiful trunk, just waiting for the branches to progress. As it sits, its more than possible to grow it into an old deciduous silhouette. Haters, I say.

Although, considering the age of the tree and that its been container grown for so long, I do find it odd that the branches aren't further along than they are. But as you said, this cultivar is unique and that may well be why.

No it isnt. its not been styled that way. its a good bonsai

to grow it into an image of an old deciduous tree would require drastic work. i explained why. hope peeps understand now. i have nothing against this bonsai tree.

 

[Adair M]

we'll never know unless the producer tells us, but i think that the crown has been made by clip & grow (there's a narrowing of the trunk after that hypothetical cut) ->

Here is a close up picture if the part of the tree you pointed at:



I think part of the dramatic change in apparent caliper is it appears that some bark may have fallen off right at that point, and there is more bark below that point.

 

[BonsaiDTLA]

Fantastic bark on a fantastic looking tree. Looking forward to following your progress with it