Garden Stock Acer Palmatum

Hey,

This is an Acer Palmatum that I bought from a local garden centre and planted in the garden around June 2009. Originally it wasn't bought for future Bonsai purposes (I only really started getting interested in Bonsai at the same time), but it seems to have thickened up well and I wanted to see what others thought and if they felt it would be suitable.

This would be my first attempt at creating something from garden stock and therefore any help would be greatly appreciated - I'm not even sure how much potential there is as it is pretty straight up and down. Also, although the garden centre nametag said Acer Palmatum I suspect it was just a generic nametag, so it could be a different genus (?) and I can provide more images if they are needed.





Thank you in advance,

Phil

It looks like Acer palmatum Sango Kaku (also known as Senkaki) to me. It should have nice small pale green leaves that turn bright yellow in autumn. Bark becomnes greenere during the summer and colours red in autumn. A great variety for bonsai. Air layers well too, so you could leave it in the ground as a source of many future layers and eventually remove a really stocky stump.

Also kown as "Coral Bark" maple. It does air layer easily and that may be a good idea.

Gentlemen, it looks like I could be doing some homework on air layering! I presume the best time in the UK to attempt this would be around late May (end of Spring/start of Summer)?

Thank you for responding and for your suggestions,

Phil

Hi Phil

It isn't important to talk about a particular month. The basic requirement is that a tree with leaves. He was strongly active. For me, such as the weather, sometimes you half of April. (location - East Czech Republic).

Pavel

Hi Pavel, thank you for the reply.

I have done a little reseach and have found this guide (http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATLayering.html) which mentions "For deciduous trees, air-layering is carried out in April to May as new growth hardens off and changes to its Summer colour".

I have found the articles on this site pretty good and accurate in the past, but it is always nice to get an honest second opinion from others.

Thank you,

Phil

That reference gives good guidance. The images are a bit small but adequate. Resist the temptation to constantly 'fiddle' with the airlayer in progress...just ensure that it stays moist.

John Quinn wrote:That reference gives good guidance. The images are a bit small but adequate. Resist the temptation to constantly 'fiddle' with the airlayer in progress...just ensure that it stays moist.

Hi John,

Thank you for the advice, I shall make an attempt in a couple of months and see how I get on.

Cheers, Phil