Miyabe Maple

[YukiShiro]

Hi people.

bought this maple recently. I did not know we had this kind of maple here in sunny South Africa. Does anyone have any experience with miyabe maple? I've done some research and it seems to be the eastern cousin of Acer Campestre. Any info will be extremely helpful.
I'm very excited about developing this tree, I really like that this species has buttery yellow fall colour.
I wired the thick-ish bottom right branch and found that the branch was very supple fir it's size.
Love trying out new species!
It's a bit of a big one. It's planted in terrible garden soil, so I will be repotting it next spring into akadama and pumice.

here is a pic of it at the grower very early in spring


it grew very well since then, and when I got it last week, you couldn't see the tree for the leaves


I did some Initial pruning on it to see what I wanted to use and what can be removed later.



as you guys can see that upper portion of the trunk has some horrible reverse taper. I do plan to airlayer below where the reverse taper starts, use the layer as a possible mother plant for cuttings...

did a stupid virt of it:


here is a few shots from different angles:


Any comments and advice welcome

Best regards
Herman

 

[YukiShiro]

oooof tough crowd

 

[just.wing.it]

That's cool! Never heard of it....but the low taper in that trunk is certainly promising.
Maybe try a ground layer some day for a better nebari.
The virt looks good!

 

[YukiShiro]

That's cool! Never heard of it....but the low taper in that trunk is certainly promising.
Maybe try a ground layer some day for a better nebari.
The virt looks good!

YUP! I want to try and layer of that inverse taper in the top to see how this species does with layering techniques. If it's good then I first want to get it out of the horrible soil and get it settled in good bonsai soil.
then attempt the ground layer...also want to try some cuttings, if I need to root graft in future(very likely to be needed)

I'm kind of at a loss with deciduous material. fiddled around with conifers most of my time in the hobby

thanks for the reply!! xD

best regards
Herman

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I personally wouldn't worry about the upper section, that's what trees do naturally where they spread

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I mean after you cut down to the lower branching...

 

[AlainK]

Great to hear about someone trying Acer miyabei.

It's not common here, I've never seen any in a park or in a private collection, though I think it can be found from specialized nurseries in Europe. (https://www.naturoscope.net/catalogue/article-508-acer-miyabei)

Keep us updated, I'm eager to know how it develops.

 

[YukiShiro]

Great to hear about someone trying Acer miyabei.

It's not common here, I've never seen any in a park or in a private collection, though I think it can be found from specialized nurseries in Europe. (https://www.naturoscope.net/catalogue/article-508-acer-miyabei)

Keep us updated, I'm eager to know how it develops.

Hi AlainK,

will do,

It seems to be a very strong plant, like field maple. Even the leaves look very similar. only difference I can see in the leaves is that Miyabei leaves has this wavyness to the leaves.

tree is back budding on the trunk below where I want to start the airlayer, which is a bonus!

best regards
Herman

 

[Potawatomi13]

Cut off trunk just above 3rd branch angled down to 2nd branch. Develop from there.

 

[YukiShiro]

Cut off trunk just above 3rd branch angled down to 2nd branch. Develop from there.

that is also an option that I thought about, if the front is going to be the last pic I posted.

I can always do that later if the idea grows on me

thanks

best regards
Herman

 

[YukiShiro]

Update:

Did the chop in mid autumn. Realized after I completely forgot about the airlayer that I wanted to do. So...then decided to give cuttings a go.
Of which I think 70% took ps. I did not expect any to make it. Including this thick cutting that became a small bonsai lol

Here's some pics of the tree after the chop, just starting to bud out

Best regards
Herman