Bonsai Beginnings: air layer

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23 June 2019

Acer palmatum "Koto Hime" Airlayer Removed

Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum
Koto Hime

The leaves on Kotohime are among the smallest of the Japanese maples. The growth habit is upright with heavy branching. Trees may eventually reach 5 to 6 foot tall, but only after many years. The very small leaves are palmate, resemble a human hand. New leaves are bright red at the leaf edges, with green at the centers, then become bright green. 'Hime' means literally 'Princess' but here indicates a dwarf.

Air-layering as a way of propagating bonsai material. Layering will often create a ring of fine surface roots that yield an excellent nebari in a short period of time.

Root development at separation

of the layer from the parent tree

Acer palmatum

Japanese Maple

Koto Hime Keep Outdoors in a sunny location.
Deciduous tree and fully frost hardy.
Check the soil daily but only water when necessary.
Never allow soil to dry out, keep the soil evenly moist.
Koto Hime Japanese maple has a strong vertical growth habit
responds well to drastic pruning- allow shoots to extend 3 or 4 nodes
then prune back to 1 or 2 leaves, to maintain shape
Horizontal branches must be wired into place
Repot In Spring before buds extend
Koto Hime Japanese maple has a strong vertical growth habit
Fertilize at one-third strength during the growing season.
A great plant for beginners.

23 May 2017

Airlayer Removed today

Acer palmatum Japanese Maple

Koto Hime

Air-layering as a way of propagating bonsai material. Layering will often create a ring of fine surface roots that yield an excellent nebari in a short period of time.

Root development at separation
of the layer from the parent tree

Koto Hime Japanese maple

has a strong vertical growth habit

Root development at separation

of the layer from the parent tree

Acer palmatum Japanese Maple

Koto Hime

Keep Outdoors in a sunny location.
Deciduous tree and fully frost hardy.
Check the soil daily but only water when necessary.
Never allow soil to dry out, keep the soil evenly moist.
Koto Hime Japanese maple has a strong vertical growth habit
responds well to drastic pruning- allow shoots to extend 3 or 4 nodes

then prune back to 1 or 2 leaves, to maintain shape
Horizontal branches must be wired into place
Repot In Spring before buds extend
Koto Hime Japanese maple has a strong vertical growth habit
Fertilize at one-third strength during the growing season.
A great plant for beginners.

16 March 2014

A dwarf Japanese Maple, perfect for bonsai

Acer palmatum 'Oto Hime' low-growing, cascading dome shaped tree, with delicate feathered foliage, and a tendency to grow ‘outwards’ rather than ‘upwards’. . .

Hime is the Japanese word for princess, it initially referred to any beautiful female and here indicates small.

"Otohime" Japanese Maple

from an air-layer

Otohime bursts into spring
with yellow-green leaves and
narrow reddish edging and tips.

"Otohime" Japanese Maple
very small palmate leaves

Kanjohakuhi- a process of developing roots by peeling the bark from a trunk.

"Otohime" Japanese Maple gets its name from the fabled Japanese Princess who reigned at the bottom of an ocean kingdom.

THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD

"Otohime" Japanese Maple Fall 2013

Before:

Notice the contrast between the trunk
and the roots at the graft union

After Removal:

PROCEDURE

Update:
Airlayer in 2010

14 August 2010

Kanjohakuhi

Kanjohakuhi- air-layering

Propagation of a new tree while still attached to the parent tree .

Air-layering is good for creating a larger tree and for creating a better nebari or shortening a too long trunk on an existing tree.

Satsuki Azalea
Rhododendron indicum

Brazilian Raintree - Pithecellobium tortum

Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum
Kotohime

Japanese cedar - Cryptomeria
in a Rooter Pot

Chinese Quince
Pseudocydonia sinensis

Pomegranate
punica granatum

Buddhist pine, Chinese Yew
Podocarpus

Jaboticaba
Myrciaria cauliflora

Ulmus x hollandica
Elm 'Jacqueline Hillier'

Christmas Camellia
Camellia sasanqua
Rooter pots

Chinese Elm
Ulmus parvifolia
Rooter pot
Creating two trees from a too long trunk

Method:

With a sharp knife, make two parallel cuts about 1 1/2 inches apart around the stem and through the bark and cambium layer wide enough to prevent the callus from linking and remove the ring of bark leaving the inner woody tissue exposed.
Place a rooter pot or create a temporary container starting a few inches below the girdle and ending atleast an inch above the girdle.
Dust the wounded stem with rooting hormone.
Fill the “pot” with a moist rooting medium.
Keep the soil moist.
After the new roots are visible on all sides, the rooted branch may be removed from the parent plant. The rooting time will vary with plant variety as well as the season in which it is performed.
Plant in a growing pot and place guy-wires to secure the top of the new tree until the roots are strong enough to anchor the tree.
Keep the plant under a light shade and avoid direct sunlight until the new root system is well developed.

Air layering for difficult-to-root plants (Fact sheet - Texas Agricultural Extension Service)

American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques

The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation: From Seed to Tissue Culture, Second Edition

09 September 2009

Brazilian Raintree Chloroleucon Tortum

Chloroleucon Tortum
Brazilian Rain Tree
Jurema

Family:
Mimosaceae
Genus:
Chloroleucon (klor-oh-LEH-oo-kon)
Species:
tortum (TOR-tum)
Synonym:
Pithecellobium tortum
Synonym:
Cathormion tortum
Synonym:
Feuilleea torta

This hardwood tree is native to Brazil, living along the coast between the coastal rainforests and the restingas. (Zone 11)

Brazilian Raintrees produce small white powder-puff blossoms which turn yellowish within a few days. These are followed by curly seed pods.

The leaves close at night or in subdued light and the tree looks dead, the next morning the leaves are open and the tree is alive.

Flattened "muscular" trunks and exfoliating bark, revealing the white inner bark, add an extra special interest to the tree.

This tree needs well drained soils with some organic matter, too much organic in the soil mix can create wet conditions which causes root rot, fungus and branch die-back. The sandy growing environment in Brazil demonstrates how well P. tortum tolerates dry conditions. If the soil does become too dry, the leaves will dry up and fall off; but in 2 weeks it buds out again. And by the 4th week the tree will be covered with new leaves and shoots!

“Clip and grow” is the best method to develop the raintree. Wire is rarely used on the delicate green branches. If you choose to wire, do so loosely or tie the branches down. Raintree branches tend to ‘die-back’ when pruned, so they should be flat cut, not concave cut.

Repot when the roots become pot bound. Repotting should be done in early to mid summer as soon as the low temperatures stay above 50° F and highs are above 90° F.
Fertilizing is also necessary. The Brazilian Raintree is a heavy feeder, fertilize during the growing season to keep your bonsai healthy. The Brazilian raintree is a member of the legume family.

This tree can be grown from cuttings and large branches can be air-layered- Kanjohakuhi -to form good small trees quickly!
To grow new raintrees from seed, allow the pods to dry on the mother plant; then break the pods open to collect seeds. Sow the fresh seed as soon as possible because the Seeds do not store well. Seeds are small and pale yellow.

If growing this tree indoors, one may need to provide additional lighting.

Grow lights
Jim Moody introduced the Brazilian Raintree to the US bonsai community.