There have been a couple of posts regarding the A. palmatum 'atropurpureum'
suitability for bonsai. The good points a
(1) they are generally seedling so there are no high graft issues
(2) they are nearly as strong and as hardy as the generic A. palmatum
seedling - need some protection from hot sun and wind
The bad points a
(1) they don't keep their color all season - and they green up more in less
sun
(2) the leaves are generally on the larger size (but you sometimes find one
that is smaller)

There are better red Japanese maples for bonsai (redder and smaller leaves),
but they are normally grafted and therefore more expensive. J.D. Vertrees
book is the most comprehensive and Mountain Maples www.mountainmaples.com
has one of the longest lists of Japanese maples I have seen and does a very
nice grafting job. However, A. palmatum 'atropurpureum' is often a very
good value, particularly if you want a larger bonsai (50+ cm) and can deal
with it not being red all season. I have several seedlings from a
neighbor's tree that I am starting to grow on - there is a moderate variety
in the leaves which will give rise to different bonsai.

Marty

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