maple

[JimJam35]

So I was poking around ky backyard yesterday and found a type of maple growing. I was hopefully that I could take the plant report it and start a new tree. But taking a closer look the new branches are growing off an old cut down stump less than 5 inches around. So I'm trying to grow plants from cuttings that I took from a branch yesterday. But my big question is can I dig up the stump with the roots and do root pruning and make a bonsai of it? Or is it going to be undesirable because of the cut down trunk? I will post a picture or two to help with my description when I get home later.

 

[Danilo]

So I was poking around ky backyard yesterday and found a type of maple growing. I was hopefully that I could take the plant report it and start a new tree. But taking a closer look the new branches are growing off an old cut down stump less than 5 inches around. So I'm trying to grow plants from cuttings that I took from a branch yesterday. But my big question is can I dig up the stump with the roots and do root pruning and make a bonsai of it? Or is it going to be undesirable because of the cut down trunk? I will post a picture or two to help with my description when I get home later.

5 inch trunk sounds desirable... how tall is it?
You would not root prune it upon taking it, you would need to put it in a pot for it to establish its self, and in a few years start work on it.

 

[lordy]

sorry, I couldnt resist.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

It's actually better if you're digging up a stump as opposed to a tall tree. You'd want to chop it back as low as possible anyway so you can develop taper and movement in the trunk.

As for digging it up, wait until next spring if you can, as it's much safer and better for the tree. Here's an article you should check out that explains digging up trees. The article is geared towards repotting/root pruning trees with regard to timing, but it's essentially the same practice.

 

[JimJam35]

picture will be getting posted tomorrow, and its a low lieing stump, didnt get to involved in looking at it and cause i had to cut a chain link fence and now my neighbors wood fence is a wall that im gonna have to work around cause it almost looks to begin on their side.

 

[JimJam35]

here are some pictures of the tree i found, and also if anyone knows what the little guy is in the last picture please let me know, may transplant him and make him safe from landscappers if its a desireable tree..

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Oooh, that looks like a sugar maple. It might be worth a shot just to get a handle on transplanting, but the leaves don't reduce and they don't always make good bonsai specimens.

As for that seedling, that looks like it might be a Trident maple? Amur? That would be a good candidate assuming you leave it in the ground for another decade.

 

[jk_lewis]

Your bigger tree is a sugar maple. The small one is the American red (or swamp) maple, Acer rubrum.

 

[rockm]

The seedling is most likely Red maple -- acer rubrum. Not good bonsai material either.

The cut down trunk isn't the main issue with the sugar maple. In fact, it's on the small side. Most bigger bonsai are made by reducing bigger trees by cutting their trunks...The issue with sugar maple is leaf size and internode length (spaces between leaves on the stem). Neither is very good in sugar maples and makes them a general pain to make into believable bonsai.

That said, you've got a stump to work with, why not dig it up? I would, however, wait until next spring to do so.

It would help if you filled in your general geographic location, as timing for many bonsai practices can depend greatly on where you are.

 

[JimJam35]

live on long island, new york i think last time i looked im zone 7.....so the spring is the best time to transplant saplings also??

 

[JimJam35]

and also im trying to grow trees from cuttings from the Sugar maple, im assuming i should abandon this since its not a good tree for bonsai, and also i have a few neighboring trees that are nice maples wondering if cuttings can be grown from them?? one is a japanese maple and other two im not deff on

 

[rockm]

go to your profile page and fill in the location. That way it will appear in all your posts and we won't have to remember. Us old folk have very shaky memories.

Yes, spring is the best time to do any sort of root work, or work that involves exposing roots and getting them re-established. I was talking, however, about digging up the stump. The seedling isn't worth the trouble.