Hi, I know that maples are very popular for Bonsai.I want to make a bonsai
from sugar maple seeds. Is it possible to make a bonsai from a regular
sized tree? If so, will I need to do extra things apart from prunning
roots, repotting and the usual stuff done to bonsai?

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You can make Bonsai out of these maples, however the leaves do not seem to
reduce in size very well. If you are going to bother with seeds, you should
work with seeds of Japanese Maples. They are definitely The best maple to work
with. You might also try considering using seedlings or young trees. I have seen
loads of Japanese Maples being sold on Ebay for $2.00 to 5.00. another
excellent maple to consider working with is the Trident Maple You can even find
seeds for both on Ebay



SteveW

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I have never seen any successful bonsai from sugar maple. Don't waste your
time. If you would like to try a collected native maple, use red maple, Acer
rubrum, but it will take ten years to look like anything.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

The problem with sugar maples is that you can never get the leaves small
enough to be in proper proportion to the trunk. Having said that, you could
try it if you don't care about proportion: but , I would like to point out
that the cost in time to produce a good bonsai far outweighs the savings in
cash of not buying a tree which has good potential.
Marty
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Voicu"
To:
Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2004 2:00 PM
Subject: [IBC] Sugar Maple for Bonsai


Hi, I know that maples are very popular for Bonsai.I want to make a bonsai
from sugar maple seeds. Is it possible to make a bonsai from a regular
sized tree? If so, will I need to do extra things apart from prunning
roots, repotting and the usual stuff done to bonsai?


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****
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++

************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Iris Cohen wrote:

I have never seen any successful bonsai from sugar maple. Don't waste your
time. If you would like to try a collected native maple, use red maple, Acer
rubrum, but it will take ten years to look like anything.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

Have you ever tried sugar maple, Iris?

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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In a message dated 6/14/04 12:05:53 PM, writes:
Have you ever tried sugar maple, Iris?

No. I have seen enough pathetic attempts not to. Likewise silver maple and
Norway maple. The red maple I collected in 1991 is coming along very slowly, but
it is not yet ready to show its face in public. It is very hard to get it to
start new branches. I may have to do some thread grafting.
With so many tried and true species for bonsai, why bother with something
futile?
Iris

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wrote:

In a message dated 6/14/04 12:05:53 PM, writes:
Have you ever tried sugar maple, Iris?

No. I have seen enough pathetic attempts not to. Likewise silver maple and
Norway maple. The red maple I collected in 1991 is coming along very slowly, but
it is not yet ready to show its face in public. It is very hard to get it to
start new branches. I may have to do some thread grafting.

I've got a couple of red maples I collected a few years ago in Maine. They're
coming along pretty well. Fairly good size--5"-6" at the base.


With so many tried and true species for bonsai, why bother with something
futile?
Iris

Well, I wouldn't have experimental trees as my only trees.

I guess my point is this:

1) Just because some have tried the species and may not have succeeded (in the
estimation of some) does that mean the jury is in? Not in my book.

2) It would seem that the "tried and true" species were discovered only through
experimentation. So what's the harm in experimenting? I have a sugar maple with a
pretty good size base, about 6" and it's developing pretty well. Still a long way
to go. If in the end I decide it will never be a good bonsai, then I plant it in
the yard. No harm done. This is going to be a big tree too--probably 30" or so.

Awhile back someone posted on the list that they had reduced sugar maple leaves
down to under two inches. On a large bonsai, what's wrong with that for leaf size?

Another point with leaf size--there are some instances where leaf size does not
correspond to trunk size in terms of scale. I've seen a lot of forest plantings of
either trident or japanese maple, and the leaves are far too big. Not that I
necessarily have a problem with that.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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