KOTOHIME

[MACH5]

Back in August of 2015, Bill offered me this kotohime maple. I believe it came originally from a private collection in Chicago. Just like pretty much all kotohime maples in the US, this tree was most likely created from a cutting or air layer that can be traced back to one of Bill's own kotohime maples. He is responsible for the introduction and popularization of this unique maple in the US.

Photo from Bill, October 2015. Very good nebari with three trunks.






Although kotohime do not have reliable autumn color, in spring it is very attractive and colorful. The fresh tiny leaves almost look like flowers when they first come out. It is a very vigorous maple that all too easily buds back pretty much from anywhere in the tree in abundance.








As I look to develop a new canopy, I decided to make an air layer at the top on one of the forks to create a future twin trunk bonsai. This was made about 4 weeks ago and the bag was beginning to fill up with roots. It was now a good time to separate the air layer. It seems to be a very easy maple to layer from what I can see.










Nice radial roots developed although I did have to cut off some that grew above the air layered area.







Here is the tree with the air layer next to it all potted up. Comparing to the earlier photos, I had cut back many branches almost right to the trunk as I look to rebuild an entirely new canopy that's dense and finely ramified. The tree is in a beautiful yellow Koyo pot that was made specially for Fuyo-en nursery. It is not clear to me yet whether I will keep all three trunks or its present height. Time will tell.

 

[erb.75]

any secrets to air layering? I've tried a couple times and haven't gotten one to work yet. korean hornbeam, crabapple, and elm this year...too soon to say if it's worked or not. I don't see roots like you have in your pictures though!

 

[coh]

Wow, that is quick for an air layer...and what a set of roots!

I'll be watching the development of these with interest. I haven't worked with kotohime...yet...but would like to find one that is more than a rooted cutting.

Third trunk kind of looks superfluous/distracting from this front. Are any other views possible?

 

[MACH5]

any secrets to air layering? I've tried a couple times and haven't gotten one to work yet. korean hornbeam, crabapple, and elm this year...too soon to say if it's worked or not. I don't see roots like you have in your pictures though!

No, not really. I didn't even put rooting hormone. I am surprised you were not able to layer yours? They seem quite easy to root. I used sphagnum moss and wrapped it tightly with a clear plastic bag and that's the extent of what I did.

 

[MACH5]

Wow, that is quick for an air layer...and what a set of roots!

I'll be watching the development of these with interest. I haven't worked with kotohime...yet...but would like to find one that is more than a rooted cutting.

Third trunk kind of looks superfluous/distracting from this front. Are any other views possible?

Chris yes that was fast. It rooted very aggressively and even surprised me. Last year I did do an arakawa layer in three weeks! But generally they average between 6 and 8 weeks.

Kotohime have a quirky growth habit so a bit different approach than your average Japanese maple. Still feeling my way around this one and getting familiar with it.

The small third trunk at the back gives the tree some depth and the reason I like it. But I can also see it working without it perhaps. I don't have other views photographed but will have them as I get deeper into making decisions on its design.

 

[fredtruck]

Those roots are amazing!

 

[coh]

Secrets to layering...make sure you remove all the cambium. Make the area you cut wider than you think you need. Even so, sometimes layers take a long time (I've had crabapples take 2-3 years at times, first year just lots of callus, second year after I re-cut they'll usually root...though sometimes reluctantly) and sometimes they just fail.

 

[MACH5]

Secrets to layering...make sure you remove all the cambium. Make the area you cut wider than you think you need. Even so, sometimes layers take a long time (I've had crabapples take 2-3 years at times, first year just lots of callus, second year after I re-cut they'll usually root...though sometimes reluctantly) and sometimes they just fail.

In addition, make your cuts, particularly the upper one very precise and clean. Cut straight across all the way into the sapwood and not in an angle. For those folks trying different maple cultivars, be mindful that some are very difficult if not impossible to layer. I believe this may be due to them not being very robust and/or vigorous.

 

[Gary McCarthy]

I visited Bill's place a couple of weeks ago and his kotohime maple was one of his trees that caught my eye right away. Unfortunately he didn't have any cuttings available. I need to work on him about that

 

[MACH5]

I visited Bill's place a couple of weeks ago and his kotohime maple was one of his trees that caught my eye right away. Unfortunately he didn't have any cuttings available. I need to work on him about that

Gary you may want to try him in late winter/early spring. You might have better luck then. Usually he has quite a few species for sale including not so common ones.


A couple of Bill's kotohime maples are by now icons in American bonsai. Remarkable trees 40+ years in the making. As a side note and not to start a whole discussion on the subject, I do believe that to do "American bonsai" you do not necessarily have to work with American species. This is a fallacy in my opinion. It is the art that matters and how we as Americans express it and not the trees we work on.

 

[Gary McCarthy]

Gary you may want to try him in late winter/early spring. You might have better luck then. Usually he has quite a few species for sale including not so common ones.

Going back to his place for his Open House the first part of September. Also taking a class from him in September. I'll be whispering in his ear every chance I get to get some kotohime cuttings started for me. He also had a small leaf variegated maple I HAVE to have as well

 

[Lars Grimm]

Beautiful Sergio. I am curious, do you not buy into the idea that the air layer covering needs to be dark as roots are light sensitive?

 

[MACH5]

Beautiful Sergio. I am curious, do you not buy into the idea that the air layer covering needs to be dark as roots are light sensitive?

No, not at all Lars. My air layering success rate is very high with Japanese maples in general and have always used the clear plastic method. The dark method of course works, but not at all necessary at least from my experience. I believe that roots are not so light sensitive as they are water/humidity sensitive.

 

[defra]

Nice
I like the pot to!
What is its fall color?

 

[MACH5]

Nice
I like the pot to!
What is its fall color?

Not much to speak of. From some of the photos from Bill, looks like it's orange-ish. But generally from my short experience with kotohime and what I have read, it is not very good. Leaves sort of dry up and fall without producing the clear, blazing hues that maples are known for.

 

[Giga]

I like this gangly one! both of them

 

[Shun]

Any updates on this one, @MACH5 ??

Thank you!!

 

[MACH5]

Any updates on this one, @MACH5 ??

Thank you!!

Shun, this tree was sold. But I did manage to get an air layer out of it for a future twin trunk.

 

[Shun]

Oh! Hope to see updates on that too, then!

Its nice to see rather unrefined material go through the metamorphosis in its journey to bonsai!

 

[AndyJ]

Hi Mach.

I have a kotohime sapling but it's done nothing since I bought it last year. It's leaves opened in spring and that was it - no shoots, no growth - it just sat there. I'm interested to see that you say in your experience, they are a very vigorous Maple and backbud well. I just assumed they are really slow growers.

I wonder if my soil is wrong - would you mind sharing what you use? I could do with seeing some aggressive growth!

Many thanks

Andy