JM maple styling

[erb.75]

as a general interest in styling maples....

If you have a grafted maple, and think the graft may not be low down by the roots (let's say 6 in. above the roots)....how would you approach styling the tree? I'm thinking long term here (10 years).

Would you air layer the tree high up where there will be movement in the trunk and you can get a good shohin out of it? How do you know that the tree can survive on its own roots without the graft? Should you just chop it low and say "screw the weaker cultivar" and just work with the grafted roots + 2'' of trunk (probably the generic green JM).

Leave it as a straight trunk tree?

Just curious what those of you with more experience do! Here's the tree I'm thinking of in my own collection. Ideally, I'd put a lot more movement in the tree. Straight trunks (esp. on deciduous) are ultra boring to me. I think from this angle this is where the graft is?

 

[aml1014]

That looks like a pretty smooth graft to me. I'd chop just above the graft and rebuild from there personally.

Aaron

 

[erb.75]

when do most people chop JM?

 

[petegreg]

You've got one branch there, just approximately 1 in above the graft. ...If you want to keep the variety. And the rest can be air-layered.

You haven't mentioned the cultivar type. It would be helpful before more experienced maple growers chime in. I like straight trunks if they are huge.

 

[erb.75]

i wish i knew! don't know the type. i wouldn't mind going toward a generic green maple variety though. the internodes are not naturally tight and the leaves are not tiny. It probably could be worked with, but I bet I'm happier with just the generic mountain maple