The protective cover of the Calico scale (Eulecanium cerasorum), an invasive species, is readily apparent. Photo by R. Gill. From the USDA website, used under open source permissions.

Scale are another ubiquitous garden variety pest in temperate regions. Scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, generally classified as the superfamily Coccoidea. There are about 8,000 species of scale, with many of that rather large number considered pests on our plants. Scale are one of the most destructive insects in the United States, with many species invaders from other areas of the world. They can survive in harsh conditions, from the tundra to the tropics, and thrive on all parts of a plant, commonly the underside of leaves and on branches, but are not limited in their location habits.

There are three general categories scale insects fall in to: most common being Diaspididae, or armored scales; Coccidae, or soft scales; and Pseudococcidae, commonly known as mealybugs. The armored scales are the ones with the most effective outer coating, and subsequently, the most difficult to deal with.

These invasive scale insects, Citrophilus mealybugs (Pseudococcus calceolariae), when disturbed, secrete a red liquid as a means of defense. Note the two droplets on the large mealybug in the center. Photo by Q. Holdman. From the USDA website, used under open source permissions.

Scale Habits: Most scale are plant parasites. They feed on the sap of a plant, usually pulled directly from the vascular system. While one or two scale may not be a cause for alarm, a host of these little critters feeding on a tree will quickly lead to problems. Almost every woody plant is a target for one scale species or another. Some scale feed exclusively on one type of plant. Others target a small number of species, while still others are happy to feed wherever they end up.

Scales are around year round. They can over winter in any life stage (see Reproduction/Lifecycle below), but eggs and mated females have the best tolerance and survival of low temperatures. Once the weather starts to warm up in temperate climates, the new flush of growth we see in our plants coincides with egg hatching, though there may be later and earlier hatchers, depending on the scale species and host plant.

Soft scale and mealy bugs can excrete honeydew, sometimes in large amounts. Sooty (black) mould happily grows on this stuff, and while it is generally harmless, it is unsightly. Ants are also attracted to the honeydew excreted, though they do not herd scale the same way they do aphids. Armored scale do not excrete honeydew.

Scale insect under a laural leaf. Photo by Ramiro Barreiro, from wikicommons, used under open source permissions.

Scale Reproduction/Lifecycle: The sexual dimorphism (differences in appearance between male and female) is huge (relatively speaking) in scale insects. Mature female scale are sessile (which means they are unable to move), have no legs or antennae, usually much larger than the males, and are usually the ones we see when we notice a scale infestation. Mature males are smaller, typically have visible wings (one pair, thus making them resemble true flies), do not feed (they don’t even have mouth parts), and die in a day or two.

Anatomy of a Scale Insect: Scale insects vary greatly in size, as well as appearance. They can be very tiny, at only a millimeter in diameter, or a little larger, though few are larger than about five
millimeters across. Scale come in almost any colour, from brown to green, white to yellow, all depending on the species, and range in shape, including round, oval, pear shaped, oblong or threadlike. They are covered in protective coatings, ranging from shiny waxy covers to pearl-like, from woolly to oyster-like. These coatings are excreted by the insect for protection, the scale living and feeding under the protective coating. While there is a wide range of appearances, most resemble the scales of a fish or reptile, or like scale armor of the medieval ages (hence, the common name!). The armor of female scale are often larger and more obvious than that of the male. The appearance of the armor can vary not only with species, but also the host plant the scale is feeding on, gender, life cycle stage, time of year, and other environmental conditions, which can make identifying the particular species, or even genus, of scale by the layman, very difficult.

All scale have (or had) antenae and six legs, though mature females lose (or almost lose) these features completely. They have piercing and sucking mouth parts.

How do you know if you have Scale: Scale come in all shapes and sizes, but the appearance of small, scale like or woolly *things* on your plants, especially the trunks and undersides of leaves, is usually a good indicator. There may be no other signs until an infestation is serious. A serious infestation will be obvious by stunted growth, yellow spots on the top of foliage (caused by scales feeding on the bottom part of the leaves – these spots will get bigger and bigger the longer the scale feeds), premature foliage drop, and dieback of young twigs and even whole branches if allowed. An untreated scale infestation could easily be the death of a tree. Fortunately however, these are easy to spot early just by keeping a keen eye on your trees. Also keep an eye out for sooty mould or ants, which can be a sign of both scale and aphids.

With a careful eye, entomologist Gary Miller takes a closer look at a fern scale (Pinnaspis aspidistrae). Photo by Stephen Ausmus. From the USDA website, used under open source permissions.

Scale can live on any part of a plant, so beside checking the most common locations (the stem and under sides of the leaves) be sure to also check in leaf axils, buds, the tops of leaves, along the midveins of leaves and anywhere else you can reach. A magnifying glass can be useful if in doubt, as some scale can look less like bugs and more like naturally occurring bumps on a leaf or stem surface. Crawlers can be detected by wrapping double sided sticky tape around a branch and seeing what pops up over a day or two. Pay careful attention to old wound scars so common to bonsai. The bark may be thinner here, especially if the wound is only a few years old, and the folding of the healing bark can hide scale effectively from view. The colour differences between bark and scale can be very subtle. Wetting the bark can often help differentiate between normal bark bumps and scale.

Examine plants for live scale insects by crushing the wax cover. Dead scales are dry inside. Live ones…
well…. are not.

Scale prevention: The best prevention for scale is healthy, happy plants and early detection. When plants aren’t stressed, they have better defenses against infestations. Keep a good distance between your trees to keep good airflow, adequately water your bonsai, and make sure they are getting the right amount of light for their species preferences. Don’t over fertilize. Chemical fertilizers high in nitrogen produce large amounts of just the right kind of growth that attracts aphids and scale. Scale will also lay more eggs on plants receiving more nitrogen. Slower acting, organic fertilizers are better for helping prevent these infestations. While we go for good growth in our trees, this is another reminder for us that balance is the key to all things in bonsai. Scale can also thrive in thick inner canopies of trees, so keep your trees from getting too over grown in the interior. Allowing light and fresh air to penetrate will help prevent other diseases as well. Because they thrive in warm, moist areas, adding additional fans to increase airflow may help. Keep new plants isolated for a week or two before putting them near your other bonsai. This way, if there are scale nymphs (harder to spot than mature females) on the tree that you may have over looked at purchasing, you have a chance to catch it before it spreads to your other trees.

Scale Removal: If despite your best efforts, you notice a scale infestation on one of your trees, don’t panic! There are several steps you can take, ranging from the simple to the more complex. Scale is a difficult insect to get rid of using common insecticides. Because in mature scale (which is usually when we notice an infestation) their waxy coating protects them from most insecticides, other courses
must be followed.

In cases of only a few scale, the best bet is to just remove them with your finger nails or a stiff bristled brush. Use a strong jet of water afterward to wash off the plant and any possible eggs that might have been left behind. Continue to check back every few days or so, just in case.

Scale are preyed upon by parasitic wasps. Check for tiny holes in the outer armor which is a sign that the beneficial wasps have already been on the job. Some other beneficial insects, such as lady bugs, green lace wings and praying mantis feed on the nymphs (crawlers), but not on mature scale. These beneficial insects will stick around as long as there is food (i.e. scale crawlers, aphids, etc), but you can encourage them to stick around longer by planting certain things that attract them (yarrow, cilantro, parsley and sweet alyssum are all plants that lady bugs in particular like). Lady bugs and praying mantis eggs can be purchased at most garden centers now, as an alternative to chemical pesticides. If you are going to try beneficial insects, make certain you don’t use any pesticides, as these will kill the good bugs as well as the bad.

Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil (like neem oil or dormant oil) can be used against all stages of scale growth, including mature scale (it suffocates them), and is generally safe for bonsai, but check the label, and if in doubt, do a test on a small portion of the plant to be certain it does not cause an ill effect. An even coat that gets every part of the plant (especially the underside of the leaves!) is necessary. These only work on contact, and do not provide long term prevention. If a spot is missed on the plant, the infestation can balloon again once the oils have dried, and applications may need to be repeated. Do not use oils on water stressed plants (those that have been under watered and have wilted, or those that have been over waters and may have root rot), or if the weather exceeds 90F (30C), as this can harm the plant. Supreme- or superior-type oils will kill overwintering populations when applied in late autumn and again in midwinter. These can be safe to use in conjunction with beneficial insects.

Most insecticides that list scale on their labels are really only useful during the crawler stage, or on mealy bugs. If use of an insecticide seems necessary, use the double sided tape method to watch for crawlers and spray then. If possible, prune off as much of the infested foliage as possible before reating, not only to remove the scale, but also to allow deeper penetration of the insecticides. Follow label instructions, coating the plant thoroughly on all surfaces (especially under the leaves!). Some systemic insecticides may be useful as well. Repeat the process if needed (which is likely) one to three weeks later. Some insecticides are safe for bonsai. Others are not. General guidelines are to follow the instructions on the bottle for usage, including timing and dosage. If in doubt, test it on a small area of the tree. If there are no negative affects (dying leaves, blackening bark), you can probably proceed with the rest of the tree.

Even once scales are dead, they will not always fall from your plant. You can tell a dead scale from a live one by crushing the outer coating. Dead scale are dry on the inside. Live scale will squish. There is no way to remove dead scale, other than manually. Use your fingernails or a stiff brush to remove them from the bark and leaves.

*****

Want to know exactly what kind of scale you are dealing with? Below are two online resources that may help further identification of your scale infestation. There are too many types to go over here, and it would be a disservice to everyone involved if I tried.

Scale Keys – http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/ScaleKeys/index.html
Scalenet – http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/scalenet/scalenet.htm

I was lucky to get this Juniper from nursery stock in early spring 2007.

The tree had grown out of control for many years, nearly nobody wanted to take a look. But I found the lifeline twists, wider and very strong. Parts of the jin were nicely carved many years ago, leaf is vigorous.  So I decided buy it.

I started to restyle it in the middle of April 2007. First, I selected the best view from all sides.

After a few seconds, I decided to represent the high mountain style that I had seen in the Taiwan High mountain years ago.

Put wood brick to make the main branch toward to left. It’s a pity some ugly lines came out; both are the same in length and the lifeline is similar to “S” style. So another lovely front should be sought out.

The lifeline is powerful and exposes a more lovely jin.

Now, I think it's the best new front.

In the working process should be make stedfast enough.

back view

Remove parts of twigs, highlighting the trunk & main branch.Cut off branch that is too heavy for the tree.

Cut off branch that is too heavy for the tree.

Cut off branch that is too heavy for the tree.

Two hours work—Carve heavy branch to expose magnificent main branch.

One day passed. The Soul of Taiwan high mountain was released.

Repot the next day. After serious treatment , this juniper is pretty weak. It would be better to put it in half sun, water less and maintain it carefully.

Repot the next day. After serious treatment , this juniper is pretty weak. It would be better to put it in half sun, water less and maintain it carefully.

Repot the next day. After serious treatment , this juniper is pretty weak. It would be better to put it in half sun, water less and maintain it carefully.

Repot the next day. After serious treatment , this juniper is pretty weak. It would be better to put it in half sun, water less and maintain it carefully.

Repot the next day. After serious treatment , this juniper is pretty weak. It would be better to put it in half sun, water less and maintain it carefully.

Amazing view

Amazing view

It is strong enough to style again after 7 months. The low branch is too long and straight, so it is necessary to bend it up

After 4 hours of work.

The lowest point of the branch was bent up nearly 100 degrees. As the work proceeded, the branch separated in to two parts. It will need something to protect it, than it might survive. Normally, we use electric plastic to cover the damaged part. Sometime we have two colors to choose from, red and black. I personal like the red one, because red is easier to see and remove when the time it right. Black is not as easy to see, and you could forget to take it off and hurt the branch.

At the end of 2007.

Trying to plant in this 50 years old Taiwan native pot.

Repot in February 2008. Finally enough of the root ball could be taken off. It would be better to keep humility, one of the easily way is cover by the tower.

Repot in February 2008. Finally enough of the root ball could be taken off. It would be better to keep humility, one of the easily way is cover by the tower.

Repot in February 2008. Finally enough of the root ball could be taken off. It would be better to keep humility, one of the easily way is cover by the tower.

Early may, 2008.

Finally, arrive at the station. Later in May 2008.

Compare Before & After

From  April 2007 to May 2008. In the very intensive restyle procedure, this tree has upgraded to another stage. Indeed more work and ideas are waiting to continue to improve it, also infinity interesting will be enjoy by myself also for audience. Not every tree is as lucky as this one. Basics are a healthy tree, right time and season, right technique…..and especiallym “open mind of the creator” are elements to create more advanced trees.

Man & Nature

Taiwan has countless huge junipers in the high mountains, most of them  over 3000 years old, and some parts have trees over 4500 years old.  ” In their many facets & moods , revel the artistically perfect and  breathtakingly graceful hands of mother nature, awe-inspired and instill a great respect.”
This tree is just beginning to catch the essence of YUE SAN junipers. After some years it will full of the Soul of a “Taiwan high mountain style” Juniper. I hope.

( Law of Taiwan Government : It is prohibited to collect any YUE SAN Juniper. –At least 7 years in jail for the stealing one from the mountains.)

Discuss this Progression –>

Am I a Bonsaist? One often ponders this question, what we make of ourselves, and frequently we hesitate to give an honest answer. However, the reality is very simple to define if we are bonsaist or not.

To help with this estimation I will cite a few attitudes that are common among bonsaist and you can draw your own conclusions and accept if you are a one.

You know you are a bonsaist when it is not hard to get up before the sun rises and drive 100 miles to be in the right collecting place when the sun comes up. You wander, walking for six hours in the fields with several kilograms of equipment on your back; when you get home you still have strength to plant what you collected.

You begin to see bonsai in all plants with strange forms; when you walk through the street, instead of looking forward you look at all the trees, you kneel down just to see the trunk. You can’t pass through a nursery without stopping to see the same plants, pots and fertilizers you already know are there, and if you stop at the bookstore you no longer look at the books of your profession but you search for the suiseki or bonsai books instead.

You become a nature designer with a title, and you design your own garden for your bonsai and begin to hate people that when they see your bonsai say “and that weed.” The same people don’t understand that you save money for some time so you can buy that special concave cutters since in the tool box you already have one that you use for your electrical repairs. They also don’t understand how this cutter becomes part of your daily life.

You begin to program your holidays based on the re-collection potential of the places you’ve already been and begin to negotiate with your partner about going there at a certain time, since the moon will be in good place for collecting. At the end when you go out with the family, you come with the car full of stones, plants and seeds.

You realize you have friends of your childhood and bonsai friends. Your other friends look at you strangely when you talk about plants, nurseries or watering.

You travel several times, hundreds of miles, just to collect a certain tree “that you needed,” and then you travel more just to find one better. Before each trip, as you fall asleep, you begin to enumerate in your mind all of the tools and equipment that you have to take the next day for the collection.
On occasion you walk 100 meters and then another 200 and then 200 more and you do that for the rest of the afternoon without resigning to the fact that there is nothing worth collecting in that area.
When you travel for the weekend to see grandma, you take (just in case!) the tools, saws and bags for collecting.

The trees stop having a common name and now you only call them by their scientific name also you save and treasure each and every rock you could use to complement your bonsai.

You realize that your social life begins to lose its appeal, and if there is full moon you would rather be in your garden. You don’t want people to talk to you when you are working on your bonsai, but when you finish you call everyone in the family to see it.

Other reasons you know if you are a bonsais is that your friends and family members can only capture your attention when they say the word “bonsai.” And then you realize that you have more pictures of your trees than of your own children (Shhh, that’s a secret).

You know a day you get into the forest where you can find spiders, snakes and who knows what else, when before bonsai just thinking about it would make your skin crawl. You get together with your friends in the field and you get lost for hours coming back with your clothing all dirty, and a great trunk in your hands, just to hear, “Son throw out that stick and come to dinner.”

Suddenly everyone you know asks you to help them with their garden, or they want to know what to do with an orchid that is dying, or they send you a dead bonsai so you can save it! “Please I’m only a bonsaist! Not a miracle worker!”

Sometimes you find that after saving and buying that pot you wanted, a week later you find some better ones at another store.

Your biggest dream is to win the Lottery so you can travel to Japan. You look at the movie “karate kid” and stop in the parts were the bonsai come up so you can analyze them. You could paste pictures of bonsai all around your office and… well the list can go on, but don’t be scared. Don’t think you are crazy, better yet, think that you are a bonsaist and this is our passion.

Discuss this editorial –>

USDA img #k836-3, used under open source permission Green Peach Aphids, Myzus persicae.

Aphids are a ubiquitous garden variety pest in temperate regions, as irritating on our tomatoes as they are on our bonsai. Also called plant lice and greenflies, Aphids are part of the insect superfamily of Aphidoidea (which pretty much covers all of the types of aphids but two), with over four thousand species known (over two hundred considered pests to horticulturalists), ranging in size from one to ten millimeters. Soft bodied, tiny, and destructive, they are seriously irritating little buggers that feed on the soft parts of our plants.

Aphids, for the most part, cause damage to our plants in one of two ways: by feeding off of the sap of the plant, and by potentially introducing viruses to the host plant (though fortunately, this is more common with vegetables than with trees, phew). The first is easier to deal with by dealing with the infestation. And, I assure you, if you see a couple aphids now, deal with it, rather than waiting. A couple aphids might not do much, but if they like your tree, they will reproduce, and *quickly*.

Anatomy of an Aphid: Aphids have soft bodies, ranging in color from green, yellow, brown, black and pink (though green seems to be the most common). Some species may appear waxy or “woolly”. Their bodies are squat, and frequently pear shaped, with a tail like protrusion (called a cauda). They have two compound eyes. Aphids have antennae, like all true insects, with as many as six segments. They feed themselves through stylets, which are the sucking mouth parts we find so detrimental, which are enclosed in a sheath called the rostrum. They have long, thin legs compared to their squat body shape and size, with double clawed “tarsi”, which is just a fancy name for a certain part of an arthropod’s leg. Most aphids have a pair of abdominal tubes (called cornicles or siphunculi), through which they exude defensive fluids to help ward off predators. The presence of cornicles distinguishes aphids from all other insects.

USDA image from wikipedia, used under open source permission The green apple aphid (''Aphis pomi'') *A, adult sexual female *B, adult male *C, young female *D, female laying an egg *E, eggs, which turn from green to block after they are laid. (Enlarged about 20 times)

Aphid Habits: Some species feed on only one type of plant (these are called monophagous), though there are others that will feed on a large number of different types of plants (the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, as a for instance). They are passive feeders. This means rather than sucking out the sap of a plant, they use their mouth parts to puncture the phloem of their host plant, letting the natural pressure within the phloem force the sap out to them. Since the sap of most plants is relatively high in sugar (a product the aphids don’t need much of) and relatively high in nitrogen (something the aphids do need a lot of), they frequently give off a waste product known as ‘honeydew’, drops of sweet liquid containing the sugar they didn’t need. Ants on a plant can frequently be an indicator of an aphid problem, as ants are attracted to the honey dew. Some species of ants will even ‘herd’ aphids as food sources, moving them to new plants and protecting them from predators. When host plant quality becomes poor or conditions become crowded, some aphid species produce winged offspring (known as alates) that can disperse to other food sources.

Aphid Reproduction: Interesting note- Aphids give birth to live young, called Nymphs. At least, some do, others lay eggs. There are also species that can reproduce asexually, which, considering how invasive these things are and the fact that they can be spread via wind, goes a long way toward explaining why this family of insects is so darn pervasive. Different species of aphids have different methods of reproduction, which makes it difficult here to give a brief over view. But the general gist is that most aphids reproduce rapidly when conditions are right. In the spring and summer the females (asexually) give birth to live young (all female), some of which may have wings to help them spread. At the end of the summer, males and females are produced, and eggs are laid and fertilized from this generation which will hatch the following spring. But in a warm situation like the tropics or a greenhouse, female aphids can reproduce asexually for years.

Photo by Scott Bauer. USDA Img #k9602-1, used under open source permission. An alate (winged) green peach aphid, Myzus persicae.

How do you know if you have Aphids: Aphids come in a number of colours and sizes, but all are tiny, soft, pear shaped bodies with cauda (tail like protrusion) and cornicales (two tubes protruding from the rear end). If you have an infestation, you’ll be able to see them. You can also look for ants that are traveling up your plants (they look like they are on a mission, which is pretty accurate actually). Honeydew, the sweet liquid excreted by the aphids is another sign. Black moulds can grow on the honey dew, but they are generally considered harmless. Ugly, but harmless. Aphids leave pretty distinctive signs, even beside themselves. Leaves in an infested part of a plant will often look wrinkled or folded, even outright distorted. Aphids feeding on the base of a leaf will cause the leaf to curl backward, folding over them. Flower buds may be damaged or fall off completely. Some species of aphids will form a gall (an abnormal lump on a branch) and live inside of it, to help protect them from predators. You may also see yellow, stunted growth, wilting, mottled and brown foliage. Beside the weakening caused by the removal of sap, some aphids’ saliva is actually toxic to the plants they feed on.

Aphid prevention: The best prevention for aphids is healthy, happy plants. When plants aren’t stressed, they have better defenses against infestations. Keep a good distance between your trees to keep good airflow, adequately water your bonsai, and make sure they are getting the right amount of light for their species preferences. Don’t over fertilize. Chemical fertilizers high in nitrogen produce large amounts of just the right kind of growth that attracts aphids. Slower acting, organic fertilizers are better for helping prevent these infestations. While we go for good growth in our trees, this is another reminder for us that balance is the key to all things in bonsai. Aphids can also thrive in thick inner canopies of trees, so keep your trees from getting too over grown in the interior. Allowing light and fresh air to penetrate will help prevent other diseases as well. There are also some studies that have been done using reflective mulches (silver coloured polyethylene sheets) to help prevent aphid infestations, though I’m not sure if anyone has tried them in bonsai cultivation. Keep new plants isolated for a week or two before putting them near your other bonsai. This way, if there is an aphid problem you may have over looked at purchasing, you have a chance to catch it before it spreads to your other trees.

Aphid Removal: If despite your best efforts, you notice an aphid infestation on one of your trees, don’t panic! There are several steps you can take, ranging from the simple to the more complex.

The simplest, and cheapest way to deal with a mild aphid problem is to spray the entire plant with a strong burst of water to knock the aphids off. Make sure you get everywhere, especially the bottoms of the leaves and branches where the aphids might hide. Remove any leaves that have curled in on themselves, as aphids will hide in these as well. Don’t just knock them on to the soil beneath your benches though, as they will just come back. Find someplace out of the way or over a drive way where you can then wash the whole thing down again. Spray your plants early in the day so they have a chance to dry and you can check them again in the afternoon. A solution of soapy water can also be used to wash over the entire plant.

My personal favorite (an a preventive measure I take almost every year anyway) is to release insects that feed on aphids in to my garden and amoung my bonsai. The most common are lady bugs, though there are also types of parasitic wasps, aphid lions, crab spiders, syrphid flies and lace wings amoung others. These beneficial insects will stick around as long as there is food (i.e. APHIDS!), but you can encourage them to stick around longer by planting certain things that attract them (yarrow, cilantro, parsley and sweet alyssum are all plants that lady bugs in particular like). Lady bugs can be purchased at most garden centers now, as an alternative to chemical pesticides. If you are going to try beneficial insects, make certain you don’t use any pesticides, as these will kill the good bugs as well as the bad.

Photo by Scott Bauer. USDA Img #k5812-17, used under open source permission. A P-14 lady beetle (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata) devours a pea aphid.

Insecticidal soap or neem oil can be used, and is generally safe for bonsai, but check the label, and if in doubt, do a test on a small portion of the plant to be certain it does not cause an ill effect. An even coat that gets every part of the plant (especially the underside of the leaves!) is necessary. These only work on contact, and do not provide long term prevention. If a spot is missed on the plant, the infestation can balloon again once the oils have dried, and applications may need to be repeated. Do not use oils on water stressed plants (those that have been under watered and have wilted, or those that have been over waters and may have root rot), or if the weather exceeds 90F (30C), as this can harm the plant. Supreme- or superior-type oils will kill overwintering eggs of aphids trees if applied as a delayed dormant application just as eggs are beginning to hatch in early spring. These treatments will not give complete control of aphids however, and additional controls may be needed later in the season. Earlier applications will not control aphids.

There are also many other, stronger insecticides available for aphids (malathion, permethrin and acephate to name a few). Some of these are safer for bonsai than others. Especially if a certain tree is hit consistently by aphid infestations, a systemic pesticide might be worth considering. Maples and Elms in particular can be susceptible to repeat attacks. There are so many kinds available it is hard to go over all of them. General guidelines are to follow the instructions on the bottle for usage, including timing and dosage. If in doubt, test it on a small area of the tree. If there are no negative affects (dying leaves, blackening bark), you can probably proceed with the rest of the tree. If you can, however, avoid the use of diazinon and chlorpyrifos; beside diazinon being dangerous for a few species we use for bonsai, both have been identified as serious sources of pollution in lakes and rivers. Carbaryl is not recommended because it is not very effective against aphids. In general, check the labels and see what pests they are effective against.

Keep in mind that if you see ants in conjunction with the aphids, you also have to deal with the ants, as they will simply re-infest the plant. If they have made a nest in the pot itself, repotting and making sure to remove all of the old soil is effective. There are also some insecticides useful against ants, but many are not, so be certain to read the labels. Smaller garden centers can often lead you in the right direction for which pesticides will be the best for your area.

On large, landscape trees, Aphids are seldom a problem. But on small bonsai with limited roots, they can weaken a plant quite a bit, and even lead to death if not taken care of. While it may seem simple, or even not very worrisome if you see only a couple aphids, whether on a bonsai or another garden plant, early reaction and prevention are your best defenses again a full blown infestation.

Discuss this article –>

The Willow Leaf Ficus has grown into one of the most popular and perhaps best ficus trees for creating a shohin bonsai specimen. It’s a tropical tree easy to care for, versatile to style, not fussy about water or light that can thrive in either outdoor summer conditions or in indoor culture. The small leaves look good in shohin size pots and it can develop fine ramification in scale with the smaller trees. Every shohin bonsai enthusiast should have several in their collection.

Figure 1 A shohin-size formal upright Willow Leaf Ficus with great nebari and branch placement. It’s the author's favorite bonsai.

Species Characteristics

There remains considerable discussion about the Willow Leaf Ficus’ true Latin name which has changed over the last several years from Ficus salicifolia, (a direct translation of the common name Willow Leaf Ficus), to Ficus neriifolia, (nerii refers to the genus Oleander which has narrow leaves but is not a ficus), to Ficus salicaria. In 2004 a botanist published an article declaring it as a new species and calling it the Ficus salicaria. Salicara is latin for “Willow-like.” (The citation is Berg, C.C. 2004. A new species of Ficus (Moraceae) of uncertain provenance. Brittonia 56(1): 54-57. As Berg named it the full name would be Ficus salicaria CC Berg.)

The origins of the Willow Leaf Ficus are a mystery. No bonsai artist has reported seeing a Ficus salicaria in the wild. Jim Smith, the Florida expert on this Ficus, believes it is a native of South Africa, although the South African tree has larger leaves. But doubt exists about it coming from South Africa as that area has an arid climate and the ficus appears to prefer a more humid environment. Dr. Enrique Castano, a Mexican microbiologist and bonsai enthusiast, compared its DNA to that of the similar looking Ficus Pertusa in Latin America and found it did not match. It’s possible that the Willow Leaf Ficus is a sport of some other ficus and may not exist in the wild. It first appeared at a South Florida orchid nursery in the 1950 or 1960s. Perhaps one of those avid orchid hunters of that period brought it back from some exotic jungle locale. Since not even Berg knows where the tree originally came from, the mystery will only be solved when some intrepid bonsai artist finds the long lost mother grove. Until then, one can only wonder.

The tree was first started as a bonsai by the late Joe Samuels, of Miami, Florida in the early 1970’s. Joe found the plant at that South Florida nursery and over several years convinced the owner to sell the only sample to him. Joe developed the famous “Cloud” banyan-style bonsai from it. Since cuttings readily root soon many Florida bonsai nurseries and growers developed specimens and started selling them.

There is one common variation in the bonsai trade that is due to some unusual genetic mutation – Ficus 89. This mutation occurred at Jim Smith’s nursery in Vero Beach, Florida, during a freeze in 1989. The trees appeared to die from the cold, but certain specimens eventually budded again, however the leaves on these changed and returned larger and longer. Jim called them “Ficus 89.” These Ficus 89 are not ideal for shohin bonsai due to the larger leaf size. While the Ficus 89 will respond to leaf reduction techniques, the smaller leaf variety responds just as well and starts from a smaller leaf, hence better for shohin.

Styles

The Willow Leaf Ficus has stylistic versatility. It can be made into virtually any style from formal upright to cascade. The only style that doesn’t work is driftwood attached as the dead wood of the Ficus is not very hard nor very durable. Deadwood branches don’t last long. Holes and scars can be used but expect them to rot over the years.

One style that this tree assumes very well is the shohin sumo style. A short fat trunk reminiscent of a sumo wrestler can be developed from the swollen roots or trunks of a chopped tree.

Figure 2 A sumo style shohin Willow Leaf Ficus growing in a very shallow pot that accentuates the trunk taper.

Bonsai Traits and Care

The Willow Leaf Ficus has eminently suitable traits for shohin bonsai. It makes small narrow leaves that respond well to leaf reduction techniques. It grows quickly so it can develop into a shohin style in a short time. The fast growth also means it will develop ramification in a one or two seasons giving the feel of a mature bonsai.

It thrives in shallow pots and hardly needs any roots for growth. However little root room will slow development so it’s best to put only finished shohin bonsai in a very small pot. The Willow Leaf Ficus can grow in virtually any soil. In fact, it can grow without soil if given sufficient humidity and liquid fertilizer. As with all bonsai the amount and timing of water used depends on soil size, temperature and root mass. Fortunately the tree isn’t fussy and can tolerate wet roots and dry roots although it will thrive if the surface of the soil dries out between watering.

Root development requires the most attention to create a good shohin bonsai. This tree, like many other ficus will make vigorous roots, called tubers. These tubers will develop underground or at the surface and can quickly ruin the scale of a shohin bonsai. Fortunately these tubers can be cut and carved and will create new smaller roots from the cut surfaces.

Another interesting root feature is its propensity to make aerial roots. Under very humid conditions and with a dense tropical canopy the tree will drop aerial roots which are indicative of a tropical tree and can be incorporated into a shohin bonsai design.

The tree’s scar healing capability is only average. Small scars will heal but major scars don’t seem to fully cover over. The exception entails a shohin made from a root cutting. For some reason the root tissue seems to form a complete callous much better than trunk tissue.

Shohin Bonsai Care

Care will vary depending on the growers’ location. As a tropical tree, it can’t survive any freezing weather and prefers to be hot and humid. In tropical regions they grow outdoors in full sun all year long and barely take a dormant period. For those in temperate climates, the tree can thrive in indoor culture provided its tropical environment is mimicked to a degree. That is it needs to stay warm and humid and have sufficient light.

The tree will enjoy most any fertilizer types. Miracle Grow granular gives great results as the granules give a bit of nutrient to the tree with each watering. The trick is keeping the granular fertilizer on the small surface of the shohin pots. Liquid fertilizer works as well but must be given regularly as this tree is always growing. Organic fertilizer can satisfy the plants needs but might be too smelly for indoor cultivation.

Shaping follows regular bonsai techniques. The tree responds well to aluminum wiring although the wire can dig in rather quickly if the tree is growing vigorously. Smaller twigs will also respond to manual manipulation – that is bending a branch each day in the desired direction. This however is a time and labor intensive process so wiring offers a more efficient method to style the tree. The tree can also be grown with the clip and grow technique.

Regular defoliation can help develop ramification. When performing defoliation, cut the leaves just above the petiole. Some growers will pull the leaves off to save time but this is a bit crude, even if the tree will tolerate it. Pinching new growth will reduce the leaf size. The new leaves appear in a pleasing orange color that soon turns light green.

Pests and Disease

The leaves are susceptible to fungus. The leaves will turn brown and some ramification lost. If defoliated and fungicide provided quickly the damage can be contained.

Scale is the most common insect. They can be removed manually or treated with dishwasher soap or insecticidal oil. Indoors you might find white flies. Borers can be deadly as they can girdle a tree and kill all live growth above the girdle. Systemic pesticide will help prevent the borers.

Propagation

This tree is extremely easy and fun to propagate. Cuttings root so readily that it’s not unusual for Florida growers that hate to throw away clippings to have hundreds of cuttings after a major pruning session. Placing a bit of rooting hormone and keeping the cutting moist but not submerged will grow a new tree. Root cuttings also will sprout buds and make trees. These cuttings having grown in the confines of a container can have very interesting shapes very suitable for shohin bonsai. The trees also air layer very readily, in fact the aerial roots can actually support the growth of a new tree.

The Willow Leaf Ficus sometimes makes a small fig. To date no American growers have noticed viable seeds from these figs due to the fig’s symbiosis with a specialized insect. Most ficus require a wasp to fertilize the flowers which lie in the interior of the fig. The female wasp enters a small stoma in the bottom of the fig to lay eggs and in turn distributes the pollen to the seeds. Perhaps the wasp species unique to the Willow Leaf Fig doesn’t live in North America.

Case Studies

Here are a few case studies to illustrate the development of a shohin Willow Leaf Ficus.

The first is a shohin bonsai called “Rigatoni”. In 1999 this bonsai started from a simple tubular cutting akin to a piece of rigatoni pasta. The cutting was about 1.75 inches tall and about 3/4 inch diameter in 1999.

After it sprouted numerous buds, a leader was selected to make an informal upright tree. Usually when developing a ficus, branches are pruned very short and regrown to develop taper. This approach is a bit different than working with a juniper or pine. A ficus can be grown into a design instead of wired to heavily contort the branches to move the foliage pads in close.

It has since developed into a shohin bonsai – about 5 inches tall.

Here it is with and without leaves. When developing the pads, prune them as triangles when looking from the side and from the top. With shohin size trees, the pads will merge into one another as there isn’t room to “let the birds fly through.” The surface roots to the right formed as a result of a tuber that was allowed to grow and then cut and carved. It gives the tree a sense of maturity. The pot is a hand signed Japanese pot I picked up in Japan.

Figure 3 Here is the Rigatoni Ficus in leaf. Hard to believe it was a cylindrical shoot 8 years prior to this photograph.

Figure 4 This is the same tree 15 minutes later after defoliation. Defoliation helps develop ramification and will create smaller leaves temporarily

Figure 5 This photo shows the tree in 2008, Nine years after being a tubular cutting, The blue pot is a hand carved pot by the author replacing the prior pot which broke after falling off the bench.

Root Cutting Example

This shohin Ficus bonsai started as a root cutting in 2004. An interesting portion of Willow Leaf Ficus root was trimmed at both ends and left free to grow for a year.

Regular pruning kept the non leader branches short and thin- a critical step in shohin Willow Leaf Ficus development. Also note the granular fertilizer on the soil. The slanting shape on the right of the tree came from the clever use of a root to add trunk mass. Aerial roots can also provide this function.

Figure 6 Here it has developed branches after about 1 year. Note branch selection and the development of the tuber root on the right. The scar where the main leader was rechopped to change direction and add taper and to keep the tree small is still visible.

Figure 7 After two years of pruning and defoliation it has developed stout taper and wonderful ramification. Note how well the scars have healed on this root cutting. The pot is hand made by the author

Gallery

Here are some other shohin Willow Leaf Ficus trees to enjoy.

Figure 8 This little tree has quite a history. It was originally started by Jim Smith. At one point Suthin Sukosolvisit rewired the tree. Five years ago it was restyled by the author by raising the trunk, growing new roots and selecting a new front. Now it has the look of an ancient ficus in an 8 inch tall tree. The pot is by Sarah Rayner. Note the orange color on some of the new leaves.

Figure 9 This trunk of this slant style might be a bit thick for a shohin, but the tree is only 9 inches tall. It was air layered off a larger ficus and has had major work including the wedge technique to lower the number 1 branch. The pot is the BCI World Convention Commemorative pot by Certe of Italy.

Figure 10 When this tree started several years ago it had very poor rootage. Using sphagnum moss and rooting hormone, ground layering improved the surface roots in only a couple of years. The tree tops barely reaches 10 inches. The pot is a Bonsai Society of Florida 2002 Convention Commemorative pot by Horse Creek Pottery.

Discuss this article –>

Experience bonsai artist will immediately recognize between a tree that has been develop over the past few years as compare to one that has over 20, 30 or more years in pot development. This is simple because of the bark develop in the trunk, branches and exposed roots. The bark tells the story of how the tree has grown. Quick growth usually creates a thicker trunk, but the outer bark that we commonly call bark does not have the character of age. For this to occur, the trees have to slow down so the layers of dead cells accumulate and bind tighter to form an ancient look typical of the species of tree in question.

Part of the reason why bark is so appreciated among bonsai artist and collectors is because it provides the essence of WABI (The type of beauty given by a particular type of imperfection) and SABI (The type of beauty that only comes with age). Because of its important, many species and cultivars of different type of threes and scrubs have been selected for outperforming others in the time of bark formation. In Japan many cultivars like Black pine, maples etc may have the variety “arakawa” That we translate into rough bark, although “ara” really means “defect, flaw, blemish” however, in this case the “defects or flaw” are what is appreciated!

Over time we tend to observed that different species of trees when they mature form different types of barks depending on the species. They can be classified into : Ring bark, Scaly bark, Fissured bark, Smooth bark, Peeling bark, Green stems, Corky wings, Bark armature. No one can be said that is better than the other, Some trees with smooth bark do show a lot of character, as particular pigments do make some of this type of barks quite feminine in nature and attractive. Other Rougher barks may create twist and turns of age’s passes, while others with thorn like structures will warrant respect. With regard to its biological importance, the bark serves two very important functions.

The outer, mostly dead tissues (outer bark) form a protective barrier between the living cells and the abiotic and biotic environment. The inner tissue (secondary phloem), including living cells (inner bark), is where sugar transport for the plant occurs, and the inner bark also can have defenses against herbivores, such as cells with tough cell walls or cells filled with bitter or toxic chemicals. Some like the Quinine, found in the bark of the South American cinchona tree, has been used for many years to treat malaria, and others may hold the key for certain types of cancer as the bark of the pacific yew. They types of tissues from the outside to the deeper portion of the tree involve 1 Cork (2) Cork cambium (3) Phelloderm (4) Cortex (5) Phloem (6) Cambium (7) Xylem.

In young stems, which lack what is commonly called bark, the tissues are: epidermis, periderm, cortex, primary phloem, secoundary phloem, vascular cambium and then xylem. It is dependent on the type of species what number and organization of specific cells in the cork cambium, phelloderm and cortex it has for it to produce the different types of patterns seen in the bark. Some will produce chemicals that will allow a greater adherence and therefore create a thicker bark than others. Their organization may create different patterns that together with the flow of nutrients changing the growth pattern in different sections of the outer layer increase the effects of the patterns seen in the bark . It should be highlighted that the bark not only develops in the trunk but also in the branches and exposed roots. These are the real indicators that the branches are not newly develop and that the tree has acquired the age, maturity and respect.

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Photograph and Bonsai by Wolfgang Putz Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum) Height: 45 cm, 17.72 inches Pot: Horst Heinzlreiter (Austria)

Scientific Name: Acer buergerianum
Common Names: Trident Maple, three pronged maple, san jiao feng, Chinese ahorn, tokaede
Cultivars: Acer b. formosanum, the Taiwan or Formosan Trident.
‘Eastwood Cloud’ – Almost pure white spring foliage, that slowly turns to a creamy pink and finally light green. Slower grower than the species.
‘Goshika Kaede’ – a pink and green variegated form with smaller leaves than the species.
‘Evergreen’s Rough Bark’ – valued for its bark appearance.
‘Kifu Nishiki’ – Rounded, almost unlobed leaves.
‘Kyuden’ – dwarf variety with short internodes and distorted leaves.
‘Mino Yatsubusa’ – Dwarf characteristics with long, narrow leaves.
‘Mitsubato Kaede’ – cork-like bark and short internodes.
‘Miyasama’ – naturally short internodes.
‘Miyasama Kaede Yatsubusa’ – Dwarf characteristics
‘Natuto’ – Notable foliage that forms a sharp pointed “T” with strongly involute (rolled) margins.
‘Nusatori yama’ – Foliage of this cultivar is almost entirely white, sometimes with rose overtones. Difficult to grow, rare cultivar.
‘Streetwise’ – good autumn colour and bark that exfoliates at an early age
‘Tancho’ – rolled edged foliage similar to ‘Naruto’
‘Wako nishiki’ – Variegated dwarf cultivar. Naturally tiny leaves.

Trident maples are a deciduous tree well suited for general bonsai cultivation. With multiseason appeal, these trees are adaptable and forgiving even of some of the worst blunders. Fast healing and fast growing, they are good for the novice and advanced bonsai practitioner alike.

Anatomy: Part of the Aceraceae family, Trident Maples are native to Eastern China, Taiwan and Korea, though now can be found across much of the northern hemisphere. In the landscape, Tridents are prized as shade trees that can grow in rather poor soil and are rather adaptable to city and suburban life as they have a high tolerance to air pollution. Growing up to 65ft(20m), though more typically to around 30ft (9m), they have a wide, low spreading habit, though the low growth is often pruned to offer a more typical sillohuette of a shade tree. They can be found in the landscape both as single trunked and multitrunked specimens, both styles suitable in bonsai cultivation.

Foliage: Glossy leaves have three short lobes closely set at the upper end, usually between 1-3in(2.5-7.5cm) across and in opposite pairs. Young trees often have slightly serrated edges, while more mature trees will have smoother margins. New growth is often bronze, changing to a medium to deep green with a paler underside in the summer and turning yellowish, sometimes flushed with red and orange in autumn.

Photograph by Peter Evans

Photograph in the public domain at wikipedia

Stem and Trunk: Bark is flakey and pale grey to orange-brown, though can retain a pink hue when grown in pot culture.

Photograph by Peter Evans

Photograph by Peter Evans

Photograph by Peter Evans

Flowers/Fruits/Seeds: Trident maples are monoecious (having seperate male and female reproductive units on the same plant). Flowers occur in spring- small and inconspicuous pednulous clusters of yellow-green. Winged fruit (sometimes called “keys”), consisting of two seeds, called “samara”, are abundant and often persists through the winter. The fruits wings point foreward and often overlap eachother.

Photograph in the public domain at wikipedia

Hardiness: Zone 5 in the landscape. Recommended zone 7 in a bonsai pot. Trident maples need early winter protection before the first freeze, as fast growing root systems are particularly prone to frost damage. Try to keep potted tridents at temperatures above 20F. Protect from prolonged periods of deep freeze by keeping in an unheated garage or shed once leaves have dropped. According to several sources, when the thick roots on a Trident Maple freeze, they can literally burst, much like frozen water pipes, though I have never experienced this personally. Regardless, a combination of frost protection and not letting the soil remain too wet before a freeze is essential. They are also susceptible to late spring freezes, and once the buds begin to swell should continue to be protected against sudden cold snaps of temperatures below freezing.

Light: Full sun. Midday protection can be offered, especially to help keep the pot cooler in the summer. Trident maples can tolerate partial shade. Drying winds can cause leaf scorch, and the trees should be protected from heavy winds at all times.

Soil: Slightly acidic, fast draining soil. These do fantastically in pure akadama or turface or pot in a standard bonsai mix, though with a slightly higher percentage of grit. Chopped sphagnum moss, with it’s acidic nature, is a good choice for organic material in a trident’s soil mix.

Watering: Daily watering during growing season, as the fast growing roots have a very high water content. Do not allow to dry out, but hold water if the soil is still too moist. Though they can handle dry periods when in the landscape, Trident maples do not tolerate drought conditions at all in bonsai cultivation.

Fertilizer: For trees in early development and growth, use a balanced or a high nitrogen, diluted fertilizer every two weeks through the growing season once the leaves have opened. Older more mature trees will respond better to a lower nitrogen slow release formula to control leaf size and general growth. Consider dosing occasionally with an acidic fertilzer (like one used for azaleas). Substitute a nitrogen free formula in late summer or fall.

Pests and Diseases: Generally pest free. Anthracnose, leaf spot, and powdery mildew (usually due to poor air circulation around the leaves and easily remedied). Chlorosis can occur if the soil pH is over 7.0. Aphids, boreres, scale and white flies. Verticillium wilt can be fatal.

Repotting: Every year in spring for young trees, every 2-3 years with older trees, before the buds open. Trident maples can tolerate severe root pruning.

Pruning and Styling: Cut back tips of new shoots, leaving two new pairs of leaves for younger trees and a single new pair for older, in spring and summer as needed through the growing season. When two new shoots appear at a node, clip and keep one pair of leaves per shoot. This was the crown will develop good ramification, a fine network of branches. Healthy trident maples can be defoliated in the summer to reduce leaf size and increase ramification. Trunk chopping is a viable option, done in late winter or late spring. Trident’s bounce back well and will reward you with a flush of new growth and branches forming. Trident maples backbud well to old wood.

Trident maples will frequently heal roughly, leaving large bulges and scars where pruning was done on large branches and the trunk. Care must be taken to hollow out, clean and smooth any pruning wounds to prevent unsightly bulges. By making the wounds concave, rather than simply flush with the trunk, the scar tissue will fill the space, rather than creating a large bulge. Two different schools of thought exist on pruning of large banches on maples. One is to do serious pruning of large branches after leaf fall in autumn or late winter when the tree is dormant. The other is to do pruning of large branches in early spring or late summer to give the tree a chance to heal before winter. These recommendations seem to come about equally in different references.

Wire: Wire with care as the bark is easily marked and growth is fast. Check frequently to keep wire from biting into the bark. Wiring can be done at any time during the growing season, though because of the fast growth of tridents, mid to late summer is best. If you wire in spring, be prepared to remove and rewire sometime during the growing season.

Leaf Reduction: Leaf pruning can be done in midsummer to encourage a new crop of smaller leaves. Trident maples react well to full or partial defoliation (though partial defoliation, of up to a half of the leave mass, is less stressful on the tree), but only attempt if the tree is very healthy and has been growing vigorously. If partial defoliate is chosen, remove foliage evenly all over the tree, rather than defoliating complete areas. Completely defoliating a single branch or two is more likely to result in the maple ignoring those branches to favor the branches that still retain leaves. Do not defoliate every year, as it does put undo stress on the tree. Defoliation can result in better autumn colour.

Jin/Shari: Trident maple wood rots easily. Carved trunks are not uncommon, however the bare wood should be treated with a wood preservative/hardener.

Styles and Forms: Broom, group and forest plantings, raft, and clump styles, though they can be grown in almost any manner. Because of the species rapid root growth, these are well suited to stunning root-over-rock plantings.

Propagation:
Seeds: Indoors-Soak seeds in hot water for at least 24 hours, no more than 48 hours. Place in moist, but not wet, soil. Fresh seeds may germinate very quickly, but germination can be erratic. If they do not germinate in 60 days at room temperature, moist chill for at least 60, but no more than 120 days is possible before returning to room temp. Another method is to cold store them in the refridgerator immediately upon sowing for up three months. Dry stored seeds have a low germination rate, and seeds are best when collected fresh or from a reputable dealer. Maples germinate best in full sun, but do not allow the soil to completely dry out.
Outdoors- sow outside as soon as ripe, ignore till spring, other than making certain soil medium doesn’t dehydrate completely.

Cuttings: Hardwood cuttings (4-6 in/10-15cm long) in late winter, early spring. (Softwood cuttings (4-6 in/10-15cm long) in early to midsummer as new growth is just starting to harden off. Larger cuttings may be taken, and there are even reports of cuttings several inches thick rooting well. Trident maples have a period of extremely strong root growth in the two weeks prior to budding, which may be a good time to take larger cuttings, as they are more prone to send out new roots during this time.
Layering: Airlayer and ground layering in spring.

Photograph and Bonsai by Thomas J Mozden Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum) Height: 66 cm, 26 inches Pot: Houtoku

Photograph and Bonsai by Nick Lenz Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum) Height: 46 cm, 18.11 inches

Photograph and Bonsai by Walter Pall Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum)

References:
BCI Trident Maple Entry -

http://www.bonsai-bci.com/species/trident.html

Evergreen Garden Works: Acer -

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/acer.htm

Bonsai Learning Center Trident Maple -

http://www.bonsailearningcenter.com/Tip … tmaple.htm

Bonsai Survival Manual Colin Lewis, 1996
Trees and Shrubs Ernie Wasson, Tony Rodd, 2004
Growing Shrubs and Small Trees in Cold Climates Nancy Rose, Don Selinger, and John Whitman, 2001
Japanese Maples, Third Edition, J.D. Vertrees, 2001

Discuss this Species Sheet –>

In nature, the transformation process is a survival strategy of plants used to overcome challenges such as fire, lightening, attacks by insects, or diseases, which may injure or damage some anatomical parts of a tree. As an effect of this response, the tree can change into new pose and will normally change into new form.

In bonsai, the artist manipulates the transformation process by employing the rules of plant physiology, morphology and environmental factors. The horticultural clues are re-created in integration with aesthetic principals in order to articulate the thematic message through the silent chronicle. The success of a good bonsai design depends on how the bonsai effectively communicates with the viewer in telling its history of life through the demonstration of aesthetic value added to it. If we succeed in doing so, it means we have fulfilled the three aspects of good bonsai: aesthetic beauty, horticultural clues and thematic messages.

Trees have a genetic propensity to overcome obstacles and conditional challenges. They can sense and respond to environmental events and changes, and they can integrate these separate responses to individual conditions into a general whole-tree reaction. This reaction, by all means, is the strategy for survival, growth, and regeneration.

Trees in nature are always going through three phases, pre-mature, mature and transformation. “Pre-mature” is the stage where the tree is considered as being immature or young. It is the stage where the tree has not yet obtained the anatomical balance in ideal proportions. “Mature” is the stage where a tree is considered as having all the anatomical features in proportional balance. It is the anatomical features that make a tree look mature and these features are the proportional ramification structure, not the condition of the foliation.

Although these trees have no leaves, they portray an old trees’ image due to ideal ramification structure.

If damage occurs due to environmental and atmospheric factors such as fire, lightening, being attacked by insects, or diseases that may injure or damage some anatomical parts of a tree, the tree will set back to the pre-mature stage in terms of anatomical condition. If this happens, the tree will respond to overcome the problem for survival by setting a new anatomical balance. In this context, it will form a new physical structure for the foliation to obtain enough sunlight. This is what I refer as a transformation process (photo). Despite of the loss of some anatomical parts, normally the main changes are with the ramification and foliation, which may set into a new composition.

The trunk feature and the foliage composition tells us that the tree shown above is in the stage of a transformation process, but it has not yet reached the post-mature condition. Obviously, this tree will form a new shape, which will be very different from its initial shape. It may very well be years before it obtains a new balance.

A young tree will display its genetic inheritance by perfectly showing a regular and easily illustrated architecture. Once the tree becomes mature and transforms to the post-mature stage, it may be very different and not resemble the expected prototype at all. This is because a tree never achieves its predestined form due to outside influences and because it must follow the rules of physiology, morphology and environmental factors in attempting to correct these influences.

This is a good example of a juniper growing in a harsh environment, in which it is being continuously attacked by the forces of nature. Such trees have inspired many bonsai artists to create impressive bonsai with jin-shari.

In bonsai, our intention is to create a mature tree with balance in all anatomical aspects, not just partially. Therefore, when we are working to style collected material (yamadori), our task is to create a new anatomical balance through the transformation process. We must imagine that the material used to be a mature large tree with all the environmental conditions of such, and then we assume it was attacked by outside influences and set back to the pre-mature stage. Now we go to work on the transformation process to re-obtain a mature condition with balanced anatomical features, or to the post-mature stage.

Photograph courtesy of Sandro Segneri – Italy ; This is a good example of a bonsai depicting a post-mature tree through transformation. The composition obviously displays a new balance of anatomical features. Aesthetically beautiful, the tree tells of the morphological aspect by itself.

In nature, the transformation process is a survival strategy used by plants to overcome challenges. The plant can change into a new pose and then it can change into a new form, but it does not always become more beautiful. It may take a very long time to reach a new beautiful balance because most of the new ramification is formed by rejuvenation. Normally the transforming tree will look rather chaotic, suffering, and full of defects, but in bonsai the transformation is to re-create a beautiful form of tree in miniature size. This is accomplished by exploring the existing anatomical features and character, while romanticizing the life journey of the tree with the use of refinement and improvisation to create a new harmony.

In his notebook, Leonardo da Vinci made the sketch above depicting that all the branches of a tree, at every stage of its height, when put together are equal in thickness to the trunk.

A transformed tree does not have to follow Leonardo’s theory, but in order to create a beautiful bonsai, we still need to train the ramification features so that they are not too far from it. This is so that the branches do not look like young rejuvenation, which do not depict a post-mature image.

The trunk of this tree tells its ancient age, but the ramification structure obviously shows the rejuvenated branches which set back this tree to a pre-mature stage. This is what we should avoid when designing a bonsai, because such attributes do not depict a post-mature tree.

These are good examples of trees in nature, which have reached their new shapes and balance as the result of a transformation process, which followed the morphological and environmental rules.

The transformation process in bonsai is to work on the style and form of a tree, while using its basic character and setting it into a manner which convincingly gives horticultural clues, either in the morphological sense or the environmental. This should be done with good integration among all the elements and components, the trunk features, the branch configuration, the ramification structure, the foliation, and even the selection of the container. Some minor accentuation features may enhance the transformation message, such as broken branches, scars, or deadwood. The bonsai should not only look beautiful, but upon exploration, should tell by itself how and where it grew in nature, how the style was formed, and why the transformation took place.

The following photographs show an example of transforming a yamadori into bonsai.

This Premna was collected from the wild on a rocky coastline hill where it had been growing in very harsh conditions, which formed the physical features. Assuming this is a tree in nature which had been set back to its pre-mature stage, we will use it as a medium in which to create a bonsai that portrays an old tree in its post-mature stage after transformation.

Our objective is to explore the existing character into an artistic piece. In doing so, we may not simply use the existing pose as formed when it grew in nature, instead we may set a new pose that allows us to form an artistic composition, while still following the morphological rules of plant growth.

In this case, we need to find the new angle, the new position, in order to simulate a logical posture of the tree which gives horticultural clues that forms the so called ” style.” In design principals, this is the composition process. The trunk line and all the existing features are the available design elements and components to be used in the creation, this does not include ramification, which will need to be created in future steps to successfully design a good bonsai.

This virtual simulation shows the goal to aim for. It depicts an old tree in nature that has gone through the transformation process and has reached the post-mature stage; yet, it looks beautiful artistically…

Bonsai should not only look beautiful, but upon exploration, should speak of how and where it grew in nature, how the style was formed, and why the transformation took place. This is one of the most difficult parts of bonsai design. We often see a bonsai with dramatic post-mature features, which obviously show results of transformation; but the details, especially the foliation condition, do not support the message. The overall impression is that such bonsai are rather artificial, more decorative, and less soul evoking, although they may very well look nice.

Photograph courtesy of Sandro Segneri – Italy; There is no doubt that this bonsai is very nice, but it looks a bit fancy and decorative due to the canopy shape and symmetrical composition. By giving more space to the composition, sparser foliation in irregular shapes, and creating more movement on the trunk and branch line character, the theme can be conveyed clearer as a transformed tree growing in harsh conditions. Changing the pot to a larger angular shape may also enhance the environmental nuance.

Transformation does not only happen on trees growing in nature, but it also happens to bonsai growing in containers. Due to the limited growing space, if not being properly cared for, a bonsai can lack nutrients, the root system can easily become injured while repotting or because of improper drainage, and diseases, pests, or other factors can attack the plant. Such conditions may cause damage to the tree, which can lead to partial death. If this happens, we need to re-style the bonsai and the new design may be very different from the initial form, this is also a transformation process.

The following is an example of transformation that happens in bonsai.

This picture of a Casuarina bonsai was taken 20 years ago. The basic trunk character was very interesting, but the branch configuration was obviously trained in a “textbook” manner. It had very formal styling that did not fit to the character of the tree and gave no horticultural clues as to how this “tree” was formed in nature. From the root shape and the slightly twisting features, it was clear that this tree was certainly not used to being in a formal upright posture. This tree was supposed to depict a post-mature condition, but the reformed canopies and crown shape did not portray such in the morphological sense. These reasons were why this bonsai looked rather artificial and unnatural, even though it might look nice.

Due to improper care of the deadwood, it was rotting out and only the live veins remained, some branches also consequently died, which set the bonsai back to the pre-mature stage. Therefore, this bonsai needed to be restyled to forma new composition of balance, set a new pose, and train a new ramification structure to fit the new trunk features through the transformation process. The initial “front” no longer fit the new shape, so another viewing angle needed to be found to use as the new “front”.

The initial back was found to be the best new viewing angle and this new “front” eventually portrayed a totally different illusion from the old design. New dimension and movement were set to create a new focal point. The new design is now more artistically beautiful and is more horticultural convincing in conveying the image of a post-mature old tree in nature.

Both humans and animals have anatomical features that are predictable, but the form of a tree is undetermined or unpredictable because of the meristem function, which may greatly vary the overall shape or form of a tree, even among the same species. In the transformation process the physiological factors, the meristem function of morphological factors, and the environmental aspects are working to form a new shape of the tree. It can also transform it into a new pose or style.

In bonsai, humans manipulate the transformation process, yet the tree still follows the rules mentioned above. In this process, we employ the morphological and environmental factors, yet we use more of the horticultural clues in order to articulate our message through the silent chronicle. The success of our design depends on how well the bonsai effectively communicates with the viewers in telling its history of life, in combination with the aesthetic value added to it. If we succeed in doing this, it means we have fulfilled the three aspects of good bonsai: aesthetic beauty, horticultural clue and thematic message.

Discuss this article –>

Photograph and Bonsai by Walter Pall Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) Height: 90 cm, 35.43 inches Pot: Derek Aspinall

Scientific Name: Acer palmatum
Common Names: Japanese maple, smooth barked Japanese maple, kaede, momiji
Cultivars: There are too many cultivars of Japanese Maples to list here. For a far more complete list, I highly recommend the book, Japanese Maples, by J.D. Vertrees. Listed below is a small selection:
‘Atropurpereum’ – Red maple variety with larger leaves. The name is often used by many nurseries to refer to any Japanese maple with red leaves, and the name has become mostly meaningless. Also known as ‘Blood leaf’.
‘Beni Kawa’ – Green foliage, often tinged red with an upright habit. These are best known for their winter appeal as shoots are a brilliant salmon red.
‘Butterfly’ – a small leafed dissectum (cutleaf) variety with a delicate upright habit. Variable shaped, the variegated foliage is blue-green with white margins. Magenta colour in autumn. Seeds are particularly tiny.
‘Chishio’ – meaning ‘blood’ in Japanese, this cultivar is well known for its stunning crimson foliage in autumn. It also has bright red spring foliage, turning in to a medium green in summer. A slow growing, hardy cultivar.
‘Deshojo’ – Spring foliage is bright orange-red, with light green foliage with reddish bronze edges taking over later, though the spring colour does not hold as long as some other cultivars.
‘Kagiri nishiki’ – Variegated cultivar with deep bluish green with white margins with diffused rose or pink markings that fade during the summer. Also known as ‘Roseo-marginatum’, though confusion occurs, as that name has also been applied to other cultivars as well.
‘Kashima’ – Dwarf cultivar with tiny red edged leaves in spring, green in summer and yellow in autumn. Popular bonsai cultivar.
‘Katsura’ – Bright apricot-yellow foliage with a darker margin in the spring. Summer finds the leaves a bright golden green, with autumn colours yellows and oranges of a deeper and more vibrant hue than the spring foliage. Naturally small leaves and internodes, though not a dwarf cultivar.
‘Kiyohime’ – Emerald green, very small foliage, though slightly larger than other dwarf cultivars. Rarely puts up a central leader in the landscape, preferring a branching shrublike habit.
‘Seigen’ – delicate foliage, deep coral pink foliage in spring, maturing to a mid-green with orange-red edges. Bright crimson in autumn. Foliage very easily damaged by sun and wind, even compared to other Japanese maple cultivars.
‘Seiryu’ – upright dissectum (cutleaf) cultivar. Bright green summer foliage with occasional reddish tones in the margins and yellow to golden autumn foliage. Slightly smaller leaves than most dissectum varieties.

One of the most popular subjects for bonsai, Japanese maples exude a sense of elegance and grace. The five to seven lobed foliage comes in a variety of colours (though usually green) through a myriad variety of cultivars, often exhibiting three different colours over the course of spring, summer and autumn. Japanese maples are generally slow growing, but well worth the time for the incredibly beautiful bonsai they produce.

From a horticultural standpoint, Japanese maple refers to the species Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum and their cultivars. Some references also group all Asiatic maples (those endemic to Central and Eastern Asia) in with this name, but for this guide, we will be referring primarily to A. palmatum. The techniques herein can also be applied to the species A. japonicum, and can be applied to many (though not all) other maple species in bonsai cultivation.

History: A. palmatum has been cultivated in Japan for hundreds of years, with the selection and propagation of specific cultivars going back almost 400 years, to the early 1600’s. Natural variation in wild stands of Japanese maples, and observed mutations and cross pollination in cultivated specimens led to more than 200 cultivars being developed in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867). Many of those cultivars were lost however during the two world wars, especially in the 1940’s, as Japanese maple stands were cut down for firewood, the land converted to growing food as so desperately needed in the wartime era of the small island nation. Only over the course of the last fifty years (since the 1960’s) has interest been revived in these beautiful trees. We can now count over 250 named cultivars known, with more being created and discovered not only in Japan, but also in Europe and the Americas.

In the past (and still) there has been much confusion in the naming of cultivars of Japanese maples. Between nomenclatures in different languages (Japanese, Dutch and English common), different names for the same cultivars, regional differences and simple miscommunication amoung other things, pinning down exactly which cultivar of Japanese maple you might be looking at can be difficult (and some nurseries are more or less helpful than others with this). While the problem is slowly being rectified, confusion can still occur. The book, Japanese Maples (as mentioned above) by J.D. Vertrees is an indispensable guide to the many cultivars available.

Anatomy: Acer palmatum, native to Japan, is part of the large family of Aceraceae, and share common characteristics with most other maple species world wide. Both the scientific name palmatum, and the common Japanese names (kaede and momiji) refer to the appearance of the foliage, and its resemblance to a hand (human or otherwise, see the trivia section). Different varieties exhibit a huge range in foliage colour, bark quality, preferred growing conditions in the landscape and general natural habitat. These trees seem to have a natural propensity to genetic drift, as new cultivars and random mutation in even standard A. palmatum seedlings is so prolific.

Japanese Maple Foliage, unknown cultivar. Photo by Heather Hartman

Japanese maples can typically be found growing best in altitudes from 330-4300ft (100-1300m) above sea level. While they are native to Japan (with a few regional to Korea and China), they are now grown across most of the temperate areas of the world as popular garden and landscape trees.

Deciduous trees or large shrubs, Japanese maples may have single, or multiple trunks in the landscape. Immature trees tend toward an upside down pyramid appearance, while older, more mature trees have rounded domes of upper branches and foliage. These trees range in size from full sized trees of around 30ft (10m) to the smallest dwarf cultivars whose mature height may be as little as 3ft (1m). While there are some notably larger exceptions in the landscape, most Japanese maples are not towering giants.

Foliage: Leaves vary greatly by cultivar, though most range from 1 ½-5in (3-12cm) tall and wide. All are palmate with five to seven lobes, though the depth of the lobes also vary greatly. Margins are frequently toothed, though some more obviously and deeply than others. Japanese maples are frequently divided in to groups by their foliage, both shape and colour: red leafed, green leafed for colour, and then broken up by how deeply divided the palmate lobes are. Some references refer to five groups based on leaf divisions, those listed below taken from J.D. Ventrees:
Amoenum – Lobes are shallowly to moderately divided; no more than two thirds of the way to the leaf base.
Palmatum – Lobes are moderately to deeply divided; two thirds to three quarters of the way to the leaf base.
Matsumurae – Lobes are deeply divided; more than three quarters of the way to the leaf base.
Linearilobum – Leaf lobes are narrow, straplike and divided to the leaf base.
Dissectum – Lobes are deeply divided and deeply dissected in to sublobes.

The deeply dissected foliage of the Seiyu cultivar. Photo by Heather Hartman

Not all cultivars can be so easily split up however, and the general groups above have been used for convenience and as an identification tool, not as hard and fast rules. These leaf shape groupings should also not be confused with the subspecies they are named after, as not all of the cultivars that fall in to each group actually resemble the subspecies all that much.

Variegated foliage of the Kagiri nashiki cultivar. Photo by Heather Hartman.

Stem and Trunk: Both smooth and rough barked varieties exist, with bark colours ranging from greys and browns to brilliant reds.

Flowers/ Fruit/Seeds: Small, inconspicuous flowers grow in cymes. Individual flowers have coloured sepals, ranging from cream coloured to yellow-green and red, protecting five small whitish petals appear in spring in May or June depending on the local climate. Small winged fruit (called ‘samara’ or ‘keys’) develop and ripen in September or October. Samaras of Japanese Maples are some of the smallest in the Acer genus.

Hardiness: Zone 5 or 6 in landscape. Winter protection is necessary, as though it belongs outdoors, it cannot survive without protection in areas where it generally dips below freezing for the winter. Root damage to Japanese maples occurs at 14F(-10C) in the landscape (below this point, total root destruction can occur), while trees in the small pots of bonsai cultivation can be damaged even easier. Keep in a frost-free shed or garage after leaf fall for protection.

Light: Dappled sun to light shade. The dappled light is important in the summer, to protect the delicate leaves from sun-scorch. Some cultivars are more tolerant of strong sun than others, but almost all benefit from at least some shade on hot summer afternoons. Red leafed varieties, while more prone to leaf scorch than green leafed varieties, tend to have less vibrant foliage when grown in too much shade, and will actually revert to green from red if not given enough light. A balance must be found between too little light (such that the red leaves change to green) and too much (where the leaf margins scorch). Also protect from excessive wind.

Soil: Well draining, slight acidic. Some organic matter (conifer bark, chopped sphagnum moss- not peat moss), but not enough to become waterlogged. Pure akadama can be used if careful attention is paid to watering and fertilizing. Chopped sphagnum moss is a good choice as a soil additive, as it is slightly acidic.

Watering: Japanese maples require slightly acidic environments, so use rainwater instead of tap water if possible, as tap water tends to more frequently be slightly alkaline. Keep soil moist at all times, as maples do not tolerate drought, but keep from being waterlogged or boggy. Whether watering heavily or watering lightly (to encourage growth or to restrict growth respectively), ensure a consistent amount of water. Uniformity of watering, rather than quantity, matters most to these trees. Water burning the leaves during the heat of the day is a myth, and you don’t need to worry about it, but still consider watering before the heat of the day. Not because you might burn the leaves, but so the tree has enough water to make it through without drying out.

Fertilizer: Feed every week to two weeks with a high nitrogen fertilizer as leaf buds open in spring. Every other week during the spring and summer after leaves have hardened off with a diluted, well balanced fertilizer, easing up on either strength or frequency during the hottest part of the summer, as growth slows. Switch to a nitrogen free formula in late summer/autumn, tapering off before winter. Lower fertilization can result in shorter internodes on more developed, mature trees, while too much fertilizer can result in leggy growth. Keep the age and maturity level of your bonsai in mind when deciding on fertilizer strength and frequency. Do not fertilize right after repotting. Wait until you see new growth, and then start light, moving in to stronger summer feeding.

Maples can occasionally be dosed with an acidic fertilizer (like that for rhododendrons) or alkaline fertilizer (like that for roses), especially if there is yellowing of the leaves (chlorosis), as alkaline or overly acidic situations can lead to a binding of nutrients in the soil. Test the pH of your soil if this is occurring, and apply as needed, but this is not necessary if the tree is happy and healthy in other respects.

Some Japanese maples may ‘resent’ the use of ammonium sources of nitrogen in fertilizer. A fertilizer with a non-ammonium source of nitrogen may be a consideration if you are noticing a problem or have overly acidic soil composition, though this is more of a problem with Japanese maples in the landscape than in bonsai cultivation.

Keep in mind that variegated cultivars may lose their key characteristics if over fertilized. Atypical leaf shapes may revert to normal leaf shapes, while distinct colours and patterns may fade. If you notice this occurring, reduce the amount of fertilizer and/or the frequency with which you are feeding.

Pests and Diseases: Healthy Japanese maples are not prone to infection, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be watched, as infestations and infections, when they do occur, can rapidly spiral out of control. They can be particularly prone to aphids and scale when stressed. Aphids can infest young shoots in spring, leading to distorted leaves. Spider mites, weevils, and bark beetles (especially if the tree is already unhealthy) can also attack. Also watch for local caterpillars, as they can defoliate a tree swiftly. Verticillium wilt can be fatal in maple bonsai. Watch for anthracnose, powdery mildew, and cankers. They can also be prone to fungal infections from overwatering which will lead to root rot.

Leaf scorch is a common problem with Japanese Maples, though not a disease. It is caused when the leaves lose water faster than they can take it up. While typically attributed to too much hot sun, it can also be caused by late/early frosts, drought (did you water your bonsai today?), drying winds, and even a build up of minerals or salts in the soil, due to an imbalanced pH or over fertilizing.

Repotting: Repot early in spring before the buds open. Every year or two for trees under ten years old. Two to three years for more mature trees. Do not remove more than half of the root mass (unless it is rotted or damaged) from young trees during repotting, and less than that for older, established trees. Japanese maples naturally have very shallow root systems and easily take to shallow bonsai dishes, though care needs to be taken to never too radically prune back the roots due to impatience to have the tree in the ‘perfect’ container.

Pruning and Styling: Pinch out the tips of new shoots when one or two pairs of leaves have formed completely to retain shape or encourage ramification. In Japan, the centers of new shoots are removed with tweezers and a magnifying glass just as the shoot is opening up for maximum internode reduction, though this should only be used on mature trees that are focusing on ramification, rather than immature trees still focused on growth. Pruning in late spring to midsummer will lead to masses of new shoots from the internodes. Prune out new, unwanted growth with long internodes. Heavy pruning or trunk chopping can be done at almost any time of year, though there are several opinions on when it is best to prune heavy branches. Some say spring, when the tree is growing the strongest and will respond best and heal quickly. Some say late summer to early fall, so the tree still has time to heal before winter dormancy, but will not throw out as much new growth as it will in the spring (though this runs the risk of new growth not having enough time to harded off before the first frost). And some say after leaf fall in autumn or in late winter when the tree is in dormancy, to reduce the amount of stress placed on the tree and because you can better see the tree’s structure. There are equal disagreements about using wound sealant or not, as some claim it protects the tree while others say that it only traps bacteria already present.

Maples will back bud reliably, throwing of shots from old and new wood alike. But keep in mind that they back bud primarily from internodes. Cutting a branch back too far, back beyond the first node, can run the risk of losing the branch. When trunk chopping, while they will frequently backbud from dormant buds, keep an eye out for visible nodes on the trunk below your chop point. These will be clear bands in the bark on younger trees that still have immature bark. If you have a choice between stock with clear nodes below the point where you want to chop, and none, choose the stock with the nodal bands if your aim is smaller bonsai. On smaller bonsai especially, these nodes will mark where the branches will grow, and are very important in future planning.

Keep in mind that many cultivars of Japanese maples are grafted onto root stock of a different, hardier cultivar or a standard A. palmatum. Never trunk chop below the graft point, unless the specific cultivar is of no interest to you.

Wire: Wiring can be done almost any time of year, though early spring, before bud break is ideal, as the structure of the tree is clear and visible. The tree is also getting ready to put on new growth, and the branches will set better. Watch carefully if wiring this time of year, as due to the quicker growth, the wire can quickly damage the bark and branch. Be careful also of dislodging leaf buds, as they are easily damaged at this point. Wiring after summer defoliation is another option, as is wiring after autumn leaf drop. If wiring in autumn, provide additional protection as the branches will not heal until spring. Do not wire in winter, as the branches become brittle and break easily. Even if not defoliating, wiring in midsummer is a good choice, as the growth will have slowed slightly from the earlier part of the spring, but the branches will still have a chance to set. Wrap branches with raffia to protect the delicate bark, and rewire in six months (or earlier if you notice the wire starting to bite).

Leaf Reduction: Defoliate healthy trees in early to midsummer to reduced leaf size and increased ramifications on healthy trees. Full or partial defoliation can be used (though with partial, remove leaves randomly from all over the tree, rather than from specific branches, to avoid confusing the tree), leaving the petioles (leaf stalks) on the branches. Avoid defoliating and repotting in the same year, and do not defoliate two years in a row.

Jin/Shari: No. Though wood can be preserved with wood hardeners, it is generally not recommended as the wood rots easily.

Styles and Forms: Suited to many forms, including: broom, informal upright, group plantings, raft, twin trunk, clump and weeping. Cascade and semi-cascade are possible, and even beautiful, but can look contrived with this species with the exception of some dissectum cultivars.

Propagation:
Seeds: Growing Japanese maples from seed can be frustrating. Germination rates vary, and even viable seeds can take up to five years to germinate! So do not throw out your Japanese maple seed trays if they don’t germinate the first year. Leave them out for several years, though the highest germination rates will occur in the first three or so years, with sporadic germination following that. If you have purchased seeds, and they arrive dry however, other preparations should be done. Soak seeds in warm water for 24-48 hours. Treat with fungicide and place in polyethylene bags filled with equal parts sharp sand and peat. Store bags in the refrigerator (no warmer than 40F (5C) for at least 60 days, but no more than 120 days. Plant in seedbeds or trays outside (sometime around March, though take local climate in to account, though light frosts are not known to damage germinating seeds). Planting mediums usually contain peat and sand or perlite, percentages depending on how damp your local climate is. A slow release, balanced, weak fertilizer can be mixed in with the planting medium. Plant seeds at a depth of about twice the diameter of the seed.

Ripe seeds that have not been allowed to dry out can also follow the above method, though soaking in warm water is neither needed, nor recommended. Sow ripe seeds as soon as they ripen outdoors, which will allow the winter for cold stratification.

Maple seeds are ripe when the wings are brown and have dried out, but the seed still retains its original colour and has not dried out. Do not remove the wings, as it is not only a boat load of unnecessary work, but also causes the seeds to dry out more as well as opens things for fungus and disease.

Keep in mind that many cultivars do not breed true to seed, and while you will get a Japanese Maple seedling, it may not match the parent plant. Spontaneous mutation is more common with some forms of Japanese maple than others, so watch for interesting flukes in your seed bed!

Cuttings: Softwood cuttings, 4-6 inches (10-15cm) long, in early to midsummer, just as new growth is beginning to harden off. Many cultivars do not root easily and the failure rate can be extremely high on these. Remove all but the top pair of leaves. Bottom heat has been shown to increase the rate of successful cuttings. Keep shaded.

Grafting: Grafting can be a long and complicated process, especially as some Japanese maple cultivars have very specific grafting requirements. In general, grafting is one of the few ways to consistently propagate many cultivars, using standard A. palmatum understock and the cultivar as scion.

Other: Airlayering and ground layering are good options to preserve a particular cultivar, some time in mid to late spring as new growth hardens off. Some cultivars are not as strong on their own root stock as they will be on grafted rootstock.

Other Facts and Trivia:

Brent Waltson at Evergreen Garden Works has a great article on chosing Japanese Cultivars for bonsai which I highly recommend: http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/japmaple.htm

When buying A. palmatum stock: Watch for poor graft sites in cultivars of Japanese Maples. Few nurseries, especially those that do not focus in stock for bonsai, take the time to do a nice graft, as it matters less for landscape trees. If the cultivar you are looking for must be a graft, look for low, smooth graft sights. Any ugliness in the graft will only get worse with age, not better, so choose carefully.

Display notes: Display maples indoors for a few days at most when in leaf, or for an hour or two when dormant. Bringing it inside for longer during dormancy risks confusing the tree and starting the spring awakening too soon.

In Japanese, maples are known as kaede and momiji. There is little distinct separation between the uses, though kaede is more commonly used in everyday speech to refer to maples in general, while momiji is most often applied to maples with deeply serrated leaves (like many cultivars of A. palmatum). Linguistically, kaede stems from the ancient word kaerude, where kaeru = frog, and de = hand, as the leaves of maples reminded people of a frog’s webbed hands. Momiji can be translated two ways, one as “baby’s hands”, though this does not apply directly to the translation, acting more as a simile (“Little baby extends its hands which are like the leaves of momiji.” Quote from Japanese Maples, by J.D. Vertrees). It is also linguistically related to an ancient verb, momizu = becomes crimson leaved.

Photo By Hanna Pall Artist - Walter Pall Acer palmatum

For a full view of Japanese Maples in all of their glory, visit the Japanese Maple Gallery at the Art of Bonsai Project: http://www.artofbonsai.org/galleries/maples.php

Bibliography:
Japanese Maples, Third Edition, J.D. Vertrees, 2001
Bonsai Survival Manual, Colin Lewis, 1996
Trees and Shrubs, Ernie Wasson, Tony Rodd, 2004
Growing Shrubs and Small Trees in Cold Climates, Nancy Rose, Don Selinger, and John Whitman, 2001
Evergreen Garden Works Japanese Maples – http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/japmaple.htm
BCI Japanese Maple Entry – http://www.bonsai-bci.com/species/japanese-maple.html
A. palmatum Wiki entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_palmatum

Discuss this Species Sheet –>

Celitc chinensis

This is not a step to go blind into or one in which guesses are made and fingers are crossed. The removal of a single branch can change the entire range of possibilities, a flush cut can negate any possibilities of jin in the future, and decisions concerning the potential must include only the available resources, as it does little good to base a design on components that simply do not exist.

There are no textbooks, guidelines, or rules that can lead us through this decision making process. There are no words of wisdom to study when attempting to find the tree within a piece of material, this knowledge must come from the soul of the artist, from the talent and creativity of the artist, and from the material itself. Each species of plant has different responses to training, each offers advantages and disadvantages, and each offers different design possibilities that may or may not work with another species. Each piece of material is different, each has special characteristics, each offers unique possible futures, and each offers their own individual souls waiting to be released by the artist.

Usually an artist selects a piece of material because they see a tree within the raw stock or the potential of a possibility contained within the available components. This vision may or may not fit into the standardized traditional styles, but a tree should never be forced into such, instead, it should be allowed to be what it wants to be. This is the difficult part of the decision making process, seeing what the tree offers and not projecting our own biases, thoughts, or wants onto it. One should not say, I am going to make a cascade out of this piece, if the tree wants to be a cascade, let it, do not force it to be what it is not. Sometimes this will lead to an unconventional design, as in the photograph above, but this is all right, as long as the result is artistically feasible and visually pleasing.

Sketches and computer virtuals are great tools to use for visualizing many possible futures of our material, providing that they are used to portray actual, existing components of the plant. It is tempting to stretch reality when using such tools by adding a branch where none exists, using unrealistic foliage sizes, or contorting branches and trunks in a manner that cannot actually be accomplished. Creating such unrealistic additions may make for a great picture, but it serves no purpose at all in planning our design path.

Knowing the species and the growth habits of the material is mandatory for creating realistic possibilities. If a species grows quickly, for example, one can foresee, more foliage, great ramification, or even, if the species back buds well, new branches or foliage closer to the trunk. Adding a branch to a Ficus Retusa may be realistic, however adding one to a Japanese Black Pine would not be. Of course, grafting and other techniques may accomplish almost anything in the long term, finding the tree in the current state of the material, especially for the purposes of this article, should be a short-term project as demonstrated below.

In many cases, a bonsaist will have a piece of material that they have been working with, but have come to a point on the path where they are stuck. The path forks off into many directions and the choice as to which one to take can be very frustrating, because a wrong turn now may be irreversible. This is where having the talent to see the tree within is important and where having the tools to see many possible futures of the material, without committing to any with cutters, is valuable.

The following photographs and drawings are presented in order to demonstrate the basic principles of recognizing the tree within given material and using the available, existing components to bring it out. Finding the focal point of the composition and working with that in mind, gives us a starting point, everything else follows. There are, of course, many possibilities inherent in a piece of material, each artist may see different futures depending on their own talent and vision, but in the end, all that matters is that the result is artistically feasible and visually pleasing.

Carmona mycrophylla Length: 120 cm Owner: Rudi Julianto

The branches and foliage should follow the impressive trunk movement, growing according to the existing visual flow. Although easy to overlook with sketches or virtuals, attention to dimension is very important.

Casuarina Equisetifolia Height: 55cm, Cascading 65cm Owner: Rudi Julianto

Since the apex is growing slightly to the left, the cascading part should bend to the left as well in order to achieve balance and appear to have been effected by the same forces of nature as the rest of the tree.

Hawthorn Owner: Andras Istvan Nagy

To achieve good balance with the trunk movement, the canopy should go further to the left. The branch on the right should bend upward in order to get closer to the other foliage on top and compact the foliage mass.

Phempis acidula Height: 55cm Owner: Rudi Julianto

In the picture, trunk looks like it is slanting to far, even though the base looks strong enough to hold it. Keeping the trunk length and a ‘wind swept’ style now works due to foliage refinement that reflects the idea better and a change of pot to a more suitable form.

Bougenvillea spectabilis Owner: Sam Lee

It was necessary to eliminate two of the four branches, in this example those that were in the middle. This tree has rich contours and texture on the trunk and great movement. The remaining design is easy if we just follow the character of the tree and let the tree tell us what it wants to be.

Casuari equisetifolia Height: 55cm Owner: Rudi Julianto

All the character was already in this tree, it was speaking loudly of what it wanted to be and required only listening. The only task was to build the branches and foliage to look like a tree in nature; perhaps growing in a open and windy ocean site.

Phempis Acidula Height: 60cm Owner: Rudi Julianto

This tree was in desperate need of a restyling. The foliage was way to heavy and covered the branch movement. simply by opening up the foliage, we exposed the hidden dimension and impressive “Phempis” character that was only waiting to be released.

Tamarindus Indica Height: 90cm Owner: Billy Anggara

By only removing the over abundance of foliage on this tree, we can bring out the “bunjin” that it wants to be.

Lumnitzera Racemosa Height: 70cm Owner: Antok

What many would see as hopeless, hidden inside this material was a very nice bonsai in the “Raft” style. Some slight pruning and wiring was all that was needed to find the tree within this material.

Trident Maple Owner: Jim Lewis

This tree had connected roots and the “wind swept” style was a suitable choice for this material. But, the first, second and third trunk were going in similar directions and had similar movement. By making a few minor adjustments, such as bending the third trunk downward a bit, and adding some ramification, the raft windswept tree hidden within was released.

Procumbins Owner: Jim Lewis

This is a good example of a tree that was being forced to be something it did not want to be. Thinking outside of what we first see is sometimes the best way to see new possibilities. In this case, by rotating the tree, the average cascade becomes an excellent slanting style.

Premna Nauseose, Height: 75cm, Owner: Rudi Julianto

Another example of thinking beyond what is presented, by tilting this tree dramatically, we can see what is really hidden within. We can see that this tree has been attacked by nature on the lower parts. Using this focus point, we can remove the lower branches to add to this feature and create an informal upright style that incorporated hanging branches to create dramatic nuances.

Black Currant, Height: 75cm, Owner: Ken Martin

The good thing about this tree is that it has contrasting combinations between the zigzagging trunk (masculine) and the spotted flowers (feminine). Beautiful and unusual style “bunjin cascade” that needs just a little refinement. Knowing when you have found the tree within is just as important and hard to master as searching for it.

Co-authored by Will Heath

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