Acer shishigashira bonsai 1-13

Palmatum Shishigashira maple in bonsai

The Shishigashira Maple, Acer Shishigashira develops small leaves with short petioles that grow very tightly along the branches. Its very compact habit is ideal for bonsai cultivation. In spring, the foliage is a tender green before taking on a deeper hue during the summer. In the fall, you can enjoy more shimmering colors ranging from yellow to red to various shades of orange. 'Shishigashira' is a dwarf variety with a slow growth. As it naturally makes small internodes and small leaves, it is very suitable for small bonsai but not only.

+ Family: Aceraceae
+ Origin: Japan, Korea, China

Growing tips:

Location: Outdoors all year round, the Shishigashira maple is a species of undergrowth. It grows in the shelter of large trees that provide shade and protect it from the wind. Choose a location in full sun in spring and fall to promote growth and develop beautiful spring and fall colours. In winter, we advise you to protect it from heavy frosts (below -3°C) use a winter veil or glass wool and wrap the pot with it. So, with this protection, you can leave it outside without any problems.

Watering: Maple trees need a substrate that is always moist. Water it regularly while allowing the root ball to dry out slightly between waterings to avoid excess water. In spring/summer, watering will be done regularly, when it's hot, it's every day ! On the other hand, in winter, water according to the supervision of the soil. Thanks to the rain and cold, you won't necessarily need to water regularly since the substrate will remain moist.

Important: Don't hesitate to water the entire root ball up to the roots, the water will drain away through the holes under the pot or bathe the bonsai in water (drenching) for a few minutes, to make sure you water it well. We do not recommend putting a cup/container under the pot as the water will stagnate and can cause root rot. (Too much water = asphyxiation).

Substrate and repotting: Maple likes cool soils with a good amount of organic matter. In the nursery, we use agricultural soil composed of black peat, blond peat, eco-aged, topsoil, horse manure, pozzolana. During the next repotting, which is done about every 2/3 years at the beginning of spring, you can mix more draining substrate such as: akadama, pumice, kiryu... Just be careful not to disturb the root ball, don't destroy the whole root ball!

Many bonsai react noticeably when repotted at the wrong time or too drastically.

Waist: Pruning shoots and twigs can be done all year round. Strong branches should be harvested in autumn to avoid excessive sap loss, or in summer.

> How do you prune a Japanese maple?

Fertilization: In the nursery, we use blue tomato/flower fertilizer NPK 12 12 17. You can use some and put a handful (small or large depending on the size of the pot) on the substrate from May to October, every 2 months alternating chemical/organic.

» Complete Guide to Caring for a Bonsai Maple