Orlando Bonsai » Trident Maple https://www.orlandobonsai.com The purpose of this site is to share and enjoy the art, history and horticulture of bonsai and to provide current bonsai news and information. Sun, 19 Sep 2021 06:47:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.41 You gotta start somewhere https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1752 https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1752#comments Sun, 09 Jan 2011 01:51:42 +0000 http://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1752 So today I had a chance to work on my huge Trident maple which I enjoy a great deal.  Every winter I watch as temperatures drop and leaves start to fall letting me know that it is almost time to work on this amazing tree.  Only problem I find is that this tree takes a lot of wire and the large stuff too (5mm wire).

The branches needed to be flaten out into pads to allow for more interior growth and open spaces between the branches.  This year the tree has developed well and lots of new developments.  Next year at this time it should be looking very good.  As you know by now this phot is not of the front of the tree, but instead the left side. 

The reason I took the photo from this side is to show a problem that I have with the tree itself.  I am in dire need of a low first left branch.  two years ago I had one pop out but it didn’t make it through the next year.  I am tempted to thread graft but I thought I take a look at what is goin on the trunk.

However as I looked closer

Then even closer I was amazed to see the smallest of little growth popping out through the very old trunk of the tree.  Although it is appearing a few inches away fom where I would prefer it to be, I can certainly live with this.  Let’s just hope this liitle branch makes it this year and becomes the strong primary branch of this tree that it so badly needs.


]]> https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?feed=rss2&p=1752 0 Breaking free https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1735 https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1735#comments Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:00:19 +0000 http://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1735 It has been just about two years that I tried an approach graft on my trident maple.  Well today as I was doing some repotting I looked at the graft and see that it was successful.

You can see at #1 the branch that was used for the graft.  Number 2 is the new branch.  You can see how much bigger it is than the original branch.  This shows that the branch has grafted to the cambium of the tree and is now sending food down to the roots.  The size difference is sure indictaion of a successful graft.  Section 1 has now been cut so the branch is own it’s own.

 This photo was taken when the graft was first started.  You can see how clean the cut was before the cambium rolled over the graft.  Also the branch was the same thickness at both ends.


]]> https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?feed=rss2&p=1735 0 Trident Maple https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1400 https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1400#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 00:31:15 +0000 http://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1400 I have learned so much from this tree.  My first carving, and very first apprach graft were performed on this little tree.   Such easy material to work with, and the leave size reduces so naturally.

Trident Maple


]]> https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?feed=rss2&p=1400 1 Spring is here! https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1360 https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1360#comments Sun, 04 Apr 2010 19:16:46 +0000 http://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1360 Spring has finally arrived in Orlando, and the trees are coming to life! My Large Trident Maple has been pretty sluggish this year, but this weekend’s warm sun has it popping with new leaves all over.

Spring Trident Maple

I just love the new leaves that come in red. It will just be a few weeks before the turn a bright green, but these colors look so beautiful!


]]> https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?feed=rss2&p=1360 0 Moving the beast https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1212 https://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1212#comments Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:17:23 +0000 http://www.orlandobonsai.com/?p=1212 On a very cold day (for Florida) i was lucky enough to have the NoNaMe’ Bonsai Study group and Mike Rogers help me to move my large Trident Maple.  Altough it fit nicely where I had it, I found that it was too difficult to work on it.  So I decided to move it out into my yard for easy access.  The fact that the tree and bonsai pot weigh about 500 pounds I’m not worried about it walking away.

The first challange was to get the tree out of the pot and then move the components separately. 

Defoliating the Maple

Defoliating the Maple

 We moved the tree into a plastic tub so that it could be moved more easily.  Since the tree hadn’t dropped its leaves yet, the group helped the tree into dormancy by defoliating the tree.

setting the stand

setting the stand

The stand needed to be placed and leveled so that it would support the tree, and sit level.  Edwin and David are using a level to make sure we had a perfect stand.

Finishing touches

Finishing touches

I added some additional soil to stablize the stand while the rest of the group finished with the tree.

Combing the roots

Combing the roots

One last task was to comb out the roots.  I don’t know the next time I will repot this tree so we took advantage by working the roots prior to the repot.

Setting the Tree

Setting the Tree

The tree was then set in the pot (back towards the photo) and the soil was added.  The sun rises from the right side of the photo and sets behind to the left.  I am trying to develop my first branch and in order to maximize the sunlight we potted it facing this way.


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