maple styling sugestions

[dkraft81]

Hi all, so I collected this maple out of the back yard this past spring. It came out of thecollection pretty well, but I think it is still on the week side. I dont plan on doing anything more to this tree this year, and maybe not even next year. I thought id get your guys thoughts. The tree has very obvious issues, mainly the lack of branches on one side of the tree.

I also dont know what kind of maple it is. If you guys have an idea what cultivar it is im all ears. We bought the house in january, I saw the tree and couldnt leave well enough alone.

Here are the pics. Ill try to find the ones from when I collected it.

 

[dkraft81]

Here is the photo of it after collection, since then several of the branches had to be trimmed since they were dead.

Oh yeah sorry about the photos above being sideways.

 

[k2bonsai]

If that were my tree, I would air layer the top off just below the thick branch as this is too thick for the current tree anyway. then I would trunk chop down to above the lowest new fresh branch i see growing and use this For a new leader. This will give you really nice trunk movement close to the base and also start some nice tapering.

If doing this I would remove it from the bonsai pot and put it In a larger growing pot or even better a colander from a $2 shop.

My second option would be the chop the trunk higher above the thick branch, around the area where you can see that little branch going upwards to the right. this would be an ideal branch to keep the delicate flow of the trunk and induce more taper. However I think this branch may be at the back of the tree? In any rate the thick branch will need to go in the future.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

You're wise to let it grow; doing more than that will be risky. Those long shoots can be used create some thread grafts next spring to add more branches.

the graft is visible, but could be used as movement in the trunk, as long as it doesn't present as reverse taper.

 

[dkraft81]

Thanks for the ideas, like I said i dont have any plans for it anytime soon. Brian would mind pointing out the graft location. I have looked for it and havent seen anything obvious, probably because I am new to maples. There is deffinately a section of the trunk that is darker. It looked like just where the old soil layer was.

Also anyone have thoughts on the possible cultivar?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks for the ideas, like I said i dont have any plans for it anytime soon. Brian would mind pointing out the graft location. I have looked for it and havent seen anything obvious, probably because I am new to maples. There is deffinately a section of the trunk that is darker. It looked like just where the old soil layer was.

Also anyone have thoughts on the possible cultivar?

Look at photo 1 in the first post. See the big scar at the level of and facing toward the lid of your travel mug? It appears that is the graft; everything below it is the stock, and the shoot (now trunk) emerging at the cut is the scion. If that's right, the bands above and below on the trunk was probably caused by grafting tape.

It will be very difficult to positively ID the cultivar. A good start is to photograph leaves in the fall, spring and of the branches leafless...even then it's really a guess.

 

[moyogijohn]

collected maple

I like the trunk the way it is.. how tall is it ?? like you said,do nothing more this year..let it gain strength.. why not make a short branched tree out of it for something different ??? leave all the branches but cut the thick one at the top back so the others can catch up.. my opion only..also how thick is the trunk ?? good luck john

 

[dkraft81]

I like the trunk the way it is.. how tall is it ?? like you said,do nothing more this year..let it gain strength.. why not make a short branched tree out of it for something different ??? leave all the branches but cut the thick one at the top back so the others can catch up.. my opion only..also how thick is the trunk ?? good luck john

The trunk is 26" tall and the base is 1 1/2" with the nebari at 3 1/2".

 

[dkraft81]

Thought I would give an update on the tree. I may not have to worry about styling this tree as I had to do an emergency repot tonight. Unfortunately we have been having a lot of rain lately and the pot was holding water. When I noticed the issues with the leaves and moved the pot I had water run out the bottom, and I had not watered the tree in two days. The roots looked pretty bad so we will see if it pulls through.