Incredible Japanese Maple

[amkhalid]

Jose Acuña has been gradually telling the story of an incredible pre-bonsai Japanese maple that was purchased and worked on during his time at Urushibata's nursery. He recently posted the third installment.

This tree has a lot of wow factor, and I think the best part is the second video where Urushibata is doing the branch selection.

Enjoy

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

 

[donkey]

WOW!!!!!!!
This is one of the most impressive trees i have ever seen

 

[catfish chapstick]

i feel as though the tree is too fat. like way too fat.

 

[Jason]

I'd keep it. Why strive for the allusion of age when you can just have the real thing.

 

[RogueFJ]

What a masterpiece! Thaks for sharing the pix and video.

 

[Concorde]

I love maples. But I have mixed feelings about this beautiful tree. One I would develop the nebari more. After that I don't know where I would go. I hope they keep us updated.

 

[Dr.GreenThumb]

How much does a tree like that cost ?

 

[monza]

Why is it so white?

 

[rockm]

"One I would develop the nebari more.

How would you do that? The nebari on this thing is pretty phenomenal (even if the finer portions of it are currently covered up by soil)

"Why is it so white?"

Very old maple bark is whitish grey. It takes a very very long time to develop. The photo probably pushes the actual color of the greyish bark towards white.

 

[John Romano]

Actually most bonsai nurseries will spray trees with a lime sulfur spray in fall/winter that is about a 20/30:1 ratio. This whitens the bark up until spring and then wears off.
John

 

[rockm]

Lime sulfur might have something to do with it...

As for "too fat" trunks--it's a relative thing. In person, trunks like that are incredible...

 

[Colorado Slim]

this is a spectacular specimen... I prefer smaller trees, but if you are going to have a larger specimen, than do it right... and they did

 

[catfish chapstick]

has anyone ever seen a real tree that looks anything close to this?

 

[chappy56]

I agree with you Catfish. Looks waaaay to unrealistic.

 

[ghues]

I agree that it’s a really impressive tree, probably meets all or most of the rules and I'm sure that it has taken a huge amount of time and effort to get it to this stage.
However, like Cat and others I do find it a little out of balance (from a naturalistic point of view) but maybe that’s because I don't have the formal training to really appreciate such a tree.
Cheers
G

 

[the bonsai kid]

I dont like that fat a base myself.I perfer the more natural look but to each his own

 

[Don Blackmond]

has anyone ever seen a real tree that looks anything close to this?

no, but then there are not many bonsai that look like real trees.

Mr. Urushibata has a nursery full of shohin bonsai that don't look like trees you would see in nature. He produces short, fat trees with pretty extreme taper. Pretty incredible stuff, and he's famous for them. John Romano can tell you more about his nursery.

This maple is fantastic, in my opinion. I'd take a hundred of them in a heartbeat.

I'd wager that Mr. Urushibata does not envision this tree to be a miniature of something you would stumble upon in nature. I'm pretty confident you'll never find any mudmen in the shade under its canopy.

 

[KABUDACHI]

Don

I have to agree but I would actually take 200 trees like that. What a remarkable looking tree. I have never seen anything like that.

James

 

[crhabq]

Catfish, Chappy, ghues

All naked like that the tree does look a wee bit contrived. I would bet that in leaf it is stunning. Personally, I would take that tree and any more like it. (oh, and hope and pray that i don't kill it - killing trees is certainly my strongest bonsai talent).
Ray

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

First off, this tree is indeed incredible -- there's no disputing that. One thing I was thought about though -- and I was wondering if anyone else might agree -- could those lower branches stand to be a bit larger? Not just in diameter, but even in length. I forget what the "rules" say about it, but from what I saw in the videos it just seems like the tree would look more natural if it was left to grow out a bit and fatten up the branches.

That being said, I still think this tree is beautiful and the work that was done on it was equally incredible. I'm sure Master Urushibata knows what he's doing and when a tree is bonsaiable, and I'm not trying to contest him. I'm just wondering if anyone feels the same way I do.