Air Layering Japanese Maples

Is it possible to Air layer cultivated Japanese maple varieties (I am planning on Acer palmatum dissectum)? I realise that they are normally grafted to a more vigorous root stock, but are they capable of surviving off their own root system?

I have air-layered Coral Bark Japanese Maple, Sango kaku and both trees are doing great. I have not layered the dissectum variety, however.

hi,
As garden trees with long root run many do ok. it is in pot culture that many varieties end up as weaker specimens though as they generally have a harder life and need to withstand root pruning, up and down moisture levels, cold roots in winter etc.

The growth patterns of a load of red ones done at my local bonsai nursery was poor - long sparse nodes and thin weak roots - they lived to about yr 3 but never came to much and used to lose branches very readily. I guess you are doing disectum as a garden tree though?, and taking it from another garden tree so try it, nothing to lose after all. They arent that great as bonsai really - but make beautiful landscape specimens.

good luck

Marcus

As John says some 'proper' varieties are on their own roots a lot and do great - add kiyohime, shishigashira and mikawa yatsubusa to Johns varieties - all are proven. I think it is the reds and very delicate disectums that are the weak ones.

Thanks gents. I have given it a go and will see what happens.

Hi Lee. I just finished reading www.burncoose.co.uk/site/page.cfm?page_ref=how to....acers, which may help. Good Luck.