Japanese Maples are usually seen in full size gardens.
However, this tree makes a great Bonsai plant too.
Likes its bigger sister, the Japanese Maple Bonsai has small, delicate 5 lobed leaves that turn brilliant red or gold in the autumn.
These little trees are also quite hardy and easy to grow.
Purchasing Your Bonsai Japanese Maple Bonsai are fairly affordable.
When purchasing your Japanese Maple Bonsai pick a plant that has a diameter of at least 4 inches.
This will make it easier to shape or train to your own design style.
You may also have the option to pick a seedling or one that has been grown to about 6 inches tall.
The choice is yours.
For a beginner the Japanese Maple Acer palmatum also known as the 'Mountain Maple' is the strongest of the varieties and probably a good first choice.
Japanese Maple Bonsai experts will tend to choose vigorous looking seedlings with low and large internodes.
This will allow you to add gentle and elegant looking curves to the lower portion of your Bonsai.
Caring for Your Japanese Maple Bonsai The majority of your Japanese Maple Bonsai will need to be placed in an area outdoors that gets partial summer shade.
However your tree will prefer full sun for the rest of the year.
Because this is a delicate little Bonsai make sure it has protection from the wind.
In the spring you will want to prune your Japanese Maple.
Remove any unwanted shoots or branches.
Let your shoots grow to about 5 nodes before pruning back.
When you do prune leave about a ½ inch to allow for die back.
The leaves can be trimmed in the late spring.
The best time to repot and fertilize your Japanese Maple is late winter or early spring.
Water your Japanese Maple Bonsai as needed.
Because these plants have less soil and shallow pots they tend to dry out faster than other potted plants.
Therefore you will need to water more frequently.
Varieties of Japanese Maple Bonsai Japanese Maple Bonsai come in a few different varieties: Red-leaved, rough-barked and dwarf.
Red-leaved Japanese Maple Bonsai as the name implies have red leaves in summer.
They are more prone to damage to their foliage in the spring as a result of wind, frost, or blazing sun.
However, you do not want to keep them out of the sunny spots in your yard or they will lose their beautiful red coloring.
These Bonsai grow more slowly than their green leaved counterparts.
Rough-Barked varieties have a bark that looks old and weathered.
The variety most suited to Bonsai cultivation is 'Arakawa'.
This tree has green leaves in summer that turn a golden yellow in the fall.
Dwarf Japanese Maple Bonsai have very small leaves, branches and trunks.
They have dense foliage and thinning is sometimes necessary so light can penetrate the plant.
The most common varieties are 'Kiyohime', Yatsubusa' and 'Kashima'.
The Japanese Maple Bonsai is an amazing little tree.
Its leaves come in various colors from red to green and in the fall, will turn a golden yellow or bright scarlet.
As long as these trees are protected from the wind they are strong and easy to grow.
This is a great Bonsai choice for the beginner.