Japanese Maple Bonsai Tree Care
The Japanese Maples come in a very wide variety of cultivars. The foliage varies in size and colour dramatically.
Some of the most common cultivars include:
Deshojo - Amanzingly red foliage in spring
Seigen - Red in spring, turning to red and orange in autumn
Dissectum - Highly segmented leaves. A purple version is also common
Katsura - Orange in spring, turning green in summer before turning flame yellow in autumn
Kiyohime - Very small leaves, naturally bush-forming habit
Sango Kaku - Pink branches, green leaves
Ukon - Lush, fresh green growth. Sound dull, though the green hue is captivating
General Notes
A deciduous tree which lends itself well to bonsai cultivation. The leaves reduce well in size with time. Most cultivars have fine branches. The tree back-buds well and responds well to pruning. Most plants have woody bark. Can be suseptable to wire damage if the wire is left on for too long. The bright colours of the foliage can suit brightly coloured pots if desired though it also looks great in an unglazed bonsai pot.
The tree can be grown in a range of styles including upright, slanting and cascade. The looks good in a twin trunk, triple truck and group style.
Location
A bright location is useful for developing good autumn colour. The leaves are however very fine and can be easily damaged by strong summer sun. Strong wild will also dry out the delicate leaves of the finer cultivars. We keep our Acers in full sun in spring and autumn. During summer we use shade netting, available from B&Q or any other garden centre, to provide dappled shade. Sensitive to cold temperatures, they need protection below about minus ten degrees.
Watering
Watering will be required most days during the summer. Don't let the tree fully dry out in cold weather