Florida Sugar Maple For Bonsai?

miker

I was at a friends house in Marianna, Florida and noticed an abundance of Florida sugar maples(Acer barbatum) growing wild in the forest there. What I first noticed is how small the leaves are on even mature trees of this species. It seems like it would be a great candidate for bonsai, instead of Acer saccharum which in general has very large leaves. I dug up a sapling and would like to try this as a bonsai subject. Any thoughts, or experiences with this species?

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Graydon

I've eyeballed them in the wild as well. I didn't notice very small leaves (good find on your part) but I did notice long internodes on the branches. I do believe that may be an issue in developing branching.

Give it a shot and let us know how it goes.

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Cathie

I wonder if the small leaves you saw were more a factor of being in all that sun, and possibly being fairly young at the time?

MikeCartrett

I have quite a bit of experience with both rubrum and barbatum and they are great candidates for single trunk and forest plantings. Graydon is right I think, the full sun and dry conditions are keeping the leaves small. I collect them in the spring if possible(March-April). Usually I can keep the leaves small by defoliating once or twice a year. The only long term problem I have with the maples is the soft wood. I have had red and sugar maple bonsai in south Forida for 30 years and if you do not seal the major cuts well they rot right down the middle of the trunk until the tree falls down under its own weight. Good luck

miker

Thank you for the tips. Interestingly, they looked like relatively small statured trees and most of the ones I saw were in the shade but still had very small leaves. maybe the internodes will be a problem though. I'll give it a try and let everybody know the outcome. Also how far south do these grow in the wild? I've heard they range to like parts of Hillsbourogh and Polk county, but do they grow wild any further south?
-Michael

MikeCartrett

Michael, I have seen the red maple as far south as Ft. Lauderdale on the East coast of Fl. barbatum is usually Tampa and north. Try asking your Department of Forestry guys if they have seen them in the local swamps. I usually collect red maple trees with the best nebari from the flood plain of small creeks. Look for small bridges on two lane roads in the country. But a word of warning, go in the cooler months, in the summer the water moccasins are too thick. I take a pruning saw and cut a circle in the mud then cut the tree down to a foot or 2 tall and pull it up and put into a trash bag. You can get enough for a greast forest in minutes. Mike C.