An Introduction to Bonsai Maple Trees
By: Lee Dobbins

Bonsai trees have long been a favorite hobby of many due to their
interesting shapes and decorative appeal. Bonsai trees can be grown
indoors to decorate a living room, den or office or left in the garden
for an exotic look. This is a unique hobby that lets one combine their
love for growing plants with their creative skill in shaping the bonsai.



The maple is one of the most popular trees used for bonsai. Of the
maple family, two are particularly popular: The Trident Maple and the
Japanese Maple. This article will provide you with a brief introduction
to these two bonsai maple trees.



The Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum) is an oriental deciduous tree. It
is very tolerant to pollution, which is why it can be grown in cities
and towns. The trident maple is quite hardy as far as bonsai trees go,
but it will still need special care, particularly with regards to
protecting it from frost. The trident maple’s roots have high moisture
content; and during winter this can become a disadvantage. In order to
protect this maple from frost, you can try keeping it in a greenhouse
or covering it with straw during winter. The trident maple should be
placed in a sunny spot that has shade in the afternoons.



The Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) is also known as the Japanese
Mountain Maple. There are many varieties of Japanese maple to choose
from; it is a very popular bonsai maple tree. Just to give you an idea,
there is the Nishiki Issai, Ara Kawa, Nishiki Sho, Nishiki Gawa – these
are varieties with rough barks that age quickly. There are also
varieties with unusual barks – this includes the Sanku and the Aoyji.
The Kiyo-hime Tama-hime are examples of the dwarf varieties. These grow
more like bushes rather than trees.



The Japanese maple has a diverse variety of hybrids, by some counts
more than three hundred. The leaves of Japanese maples range from light
green to deep burgundy. Like the trident maple, Japanese maples are
quite durable trees. Air pollutants and insects are usually not a
problem for them. The Japanese maple grows best in moist, fertile soil,
and do not perform as well in places when exposed to too much sun.



Caring for your bonsai tree is not that difficult. It needs the
appropriate amount of sun and water. The maples prefer a bit of shade
with not excessive direct sunlight. If you have yours in a pot, you can
place it where you want but be sure to move it out of the direct sun
during the hottest part of the day. You should not let your bonsai dry
out but also, do not drown it in too much water. Careful pruning and
shaping of the bonsai will give you a lovely tree that will last for
years.



Bonsai maple trees are quite beautiful and are ideal for bonsai
beginners. Their innate durability makes them easy to take care of. And
let’s not forget that they are also some of the most incredible-looking
bonsai around!

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