paperbark maple

[mwilker]

I have not seen any paperbark maples used in bonsai. I love the bark and the leaves are not too big. Anyone have any insights?

[centaura]

I have seen a few prebonsai paperbarks, though haven't managed to obtain one for myself yet. I've heard that they are fiendishly difficult to propagate from seed. I found some seedlings near one at work, where there was no other maple near, but they turned out to be alder trees and not paperbark maples. The other note is that folks will freak out when they see their leaves, due to their similarity to poison ivy leaves in looks. The key is to look at the petiole and leaf placement to distinguish the alder and paperbark maple from the ivy.

If your club is having a Jack Wikle field trip anytime soon, he has one on his yard and had a few in his grown bed for sale the last time I was there.

-Cat

[plantmanky]

I've heard that they are fiendishly difficult to propagate from seed.
-Cat

Yes, the paperbark maple (A.griseum) is difficult to not only propagate from seed but cuttings as well. This is a freak maple of nature in that of the seed produced by the tree only 2% or less of the seed is actually viable with an intact embryo. Cuttings are also virtually impossible to strike. If you have a tree from which you can collect seed, get a bunch of them and you may get one or two to sprout. As far as a bonsai subject, they are rather difficult to make a real nice bonsai out of but if you have the patients and persistance give it a whirl. They have long internodes so cutting and pinching back is a constant job and makes progress slow. The smaller branches are rather straight and brittle which also makes if difficult to get nice movement in them. I tried a few of them and finally gave up knowing that there are many other more satisfactory trees to use.

Randy

[dwieder]

The only A. griseum I have seen used in bonsai is in "The Art of Natural Bonsai" by Dave Joyce. It's nothing spectacular but it is a very cute little tree. I love the bark and the fall colors are great. The book also has a few tips on this particular tree. It inspired me to want to give an attempt with seeds. - I had no luck, but I have seen starter trees on e-bay from time to time. Good luck and share pictures if you try it.

Dan W.

[ross.clark]

Someone also should try Acer triflorum. It has leaves similar to paperbark (A. griseum) but the latter has much better fall color. The bark of A. triflorum is gray and peels, but not as much as paperbark. It's a nice small maple.