Acer palmatum 'Peaches and Cream'

Has anyone ever worked with Acer palmatum 'Peaches and Cream', either as bonsai or in the landscape? I came across a specimen at the local nursery and the owner offered it at a pretty low price (it's been deer-damaged and has been sitting around the nursery for a couple of years). It's grafted, of course, but has developed a larger base than I see on most nursery maples. The base would still need work, probably some root grafts and time in the ground or a larger pot. Leaf size is somewhat large, and I don't know how much it would reduce. Leaves are attractive though - cream colored with dark green veins and pink/reddish edges.

Also, the graft is pretty obvious (red arrow), about 5 inches up the trunk. There's a pretty marked discontinuity there, and some evidence of reverse taper. I haven't dealt with grafted maples enough to know whether this graft would get less visible with time, or more visible. Any thoughts? I could always graft branches low on the trunk to attempt to thicken that area.



Unfortunately, the camera battery died after only one photo but you get the idea. Base at soil level is about 4" across. I might get it for the yard just because it's so interesting (and well priced), but just wondering about bonsai potential of this cultivar.

Hello Chris,
Why not air layering?
Cut a little beneath the graft with the supporting trunk, like shown with the blue line,
the new tree will have the benefit off the supporting trunk and some nerbari will be already there.
Sunip

Could always do something like that. I'll have to take another look at the actual tree to see if any of the current branch/trunk structure (above the graft) would be worth keeping. However...if I can't make use of the already enlarged/developing base at ground level, I'm not sure I'd want to bother with this plant as a bonsai specimen...thus the question about how the graft union would likely develop over time.