Quote:
Originally posted by Rene_Voortwist
I think for the same reason as grafting this acer in the first place..
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Which is...?
Quote:
Originally posted by D3rutat
...as far as i know, the Shishigashira was grafted on a another acer to give it more vigour?So by airlayering Above the graft line you would still be left with a Shishigashira but with less vigour, right?That's why he HASN'T grafted above the graft line.
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I don't know for certain, but I don't buy it. My sense is that shishigashira and other maple cultivars are usually grafted because it is a fast efficient propagation method with high success rate, not because shishigashira and other cultivar roots are no good. Yes, many cultivars are less vigorous in their growth habit, and indeed one doesn't defoliate palmatum cultivars for this reason, but I don't think this is prohibitive with regard to root systems!
If there is any difference in the strength of the root systems, I would think that it would be unlikely to play a major role in bonsai culture. Stronger roots might speed early development in the ground, and they might help survival for a garden plant, but they hardly compensate for the aesthetic cost of an obvious grafting scar on the trunk.
The only reason I can think of to do this is if Shishigashira doesn't layer well, and since I'm about to take a layer to get rid of the graft scar on what otherwise is a very nice little shishigashira shohin, I was wondering if this could be the case.
Does anyone have any first-hand experience layering shishigashira?
Best regards,
Carl