Acer circinatum

vine maple

As bonsai, the vine maple is in its infancy. Like many other species, the vine maple has its pros and cons. Proponents of the vine maple love the shape and autumn color of the leaves. Other advantages of the vine maple are its availability, low cost and longevity. It will bud back readily, and the leaves will reduce to one inch. However, new growth on the vine maple tends to be leggy, which means that constant pruning to avoid long internodes is a must. Difficulty in increasing the trunk diameter of vine maple has also been reported.

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Lighting:

 In general, maples are subject to leaf burn, and prefer at least partial shade.

Temperature:

 Vine maple show less cold hardiness than many other maples. Although vine maple survival at -30F has been reported, it is probably better to stick with the safe recommendation of never below -10.

Watering:

 Moderate. Reduce watering in winter, but keep soil evenly moist.

Feeding:

 Every two weeks in summer, using a standard bonsai food or half-strength plant food. Time-released pellets are also an option.

Repotting:

 Every 2-3 years. Repot in spring, before bud burst, in bonsai soil slightly rich in organic material.

Styling:

 Pinch back new growth after two pairs of leaves have appeared.

Propagation:

 From seed, softwood cuttings or air-layering.

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Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 10:20:41 -0700
From: Marty & Patty Weiser 
Subject: Comments for TOW - Acer circinatum (Vine Maple)

A few comments from my limited experience.

Leaves:  I fell in love with this tree because the leaves are quite similar
to A. japonicum (Fullmoon Maple) which I had admired in many books.  The
most common forms have leaves that look a bit like a disk with 9 to 13
triangles attached around the perimeter.  The range from about 5 to 13 cm
across based upon trees I have seen in the ground - I would expect them to
reduce somewhat.  The often turn bright red or yellow in the fall.  The
twigs on the one I purchased are bright red with internodes of about 3 to 5
cm on this 1 m tall nursery specimen.

Hardiness:  It has been reported that A. circinatum is not particularly cold
hardy (-10 deg C).  However, their must be a fair bit of variation since
mine survived over a week of -25 to -30 deg C this winter in non-optimal
conditions (balled tree sitting on ground with the root ball mulched in a
windy site).  I checked tonight and it is budding all the way to the tips of
the branches.

Marty & Patty Weiser
Spokane, WA USA
weiser@eznet.com

=================================================================

>From: Joel Schwarz 
>On Thu, 26 Oct 1995, Craig J. Hunt wrote:
>> P.S. Another naturally occuring maple we have is vine maple, is it
>> possible to bonsai these? I have several in the ground fattening.....
>>
>Craig:
>A lot of people south of the B.C. border in western Washington and Oregon
>have played with vine maples (acer circum(something or other--can't
>remember).  It's a marginal tree for bonsai for a couple of reasons.  It
>doesn't respond well or quickly to be transplanted.  Growth for a number
>of years is extremely limited. Trunks don't fatten readily and
>developing a good taper is difficult.
>
>It tends to have long internodes, resulting in twiggy looking foliage.
>The foliage is somewhat large, but can be reduced.   On the plus side,
>vine maples can have wonderful fall color and the trees are extremely
>plentiful and common.  In fact, it's considered to be a "weed" species by
>the timber companies out here and they spray plantations of douglas firs
>to kill vine maples, red alder and willows.
>
>The general feeling among veteran bonsaists here is that Japanese Maples
>(acer palmatum) with all their variations in subspecies is a far better
>choice of material. It's also extremely common and can be collected since
>it produces ample seed every year. Just find a friend or neighbor with a
>mature Japanese maple and ask to dig some of the seedling growing
>underneath it. But if you've got the time, and the space in your
>backyard, go ahead and dig a few vine maples, be patient and maybe in
>7-10 years you'll have the start of a bonsai.

=================================================================

>From: Lynn Boyd 
>
>> P.S. Another naturally occuring maple we have is vine maple, is it
>> possible to bonsai these? I have several in the ground fattening.....
>>
>     from-------------------Lynn----------------boyd@peak.org
>
>   Craig, you have asked a question that has been on my mind for
>  seven years, and I anxiously await some answers from more ex-
>  perienced than I.
>   I took a small vine maple from the forest seven years ago.  It
>  grew in the ground with top clipping for 3 years, then I potted
>  it, reducing the pot size twice in the past 4 years.
>   Yesterday I purchased a bonsai pot, put my vine maple, now 28
>  inches tall, somewhat over 3" in trunk dia., on the table -
>  then froze!  At this point I am without vision.  I believe the
>  branching to be a little sparse, not bad.
>   I have a tamarack, western larch, now dropping needles, covered
>  with little cones, that has received the same treatment, but for
>  two years longer, so it is larger and has considerable more root
>  mass.  I have an even greater anxiety concerning this.
>   Can I bear a loss? - good grief, I have such enormous experience
>  that I have a traditional wake for bonsai losses.  (It could
>  rival a Bonsamurai party!}

=================================================================


>From: Lynn Boyd 
>On Thu, 26 Oct 1995, Craig J. Hunt wrote:
>
>> P.S. Another naturally occuring maple we have is vine maple, is it
>> possible to bonsai these? I have several in the ground fattening.....
>>
>   ---------
>     I answered, following:
>
>>   I took a small vine maple from the forest seven years ago.  It
>> grew in the ground with top clipping for 3 years, then I potted
>> it, reducing the pot size twice in the past 4 years.
>>  Yesterday I purchased a bonsai pot, put my vine maple, now 28
>> inches tall, somewhat over 3" in trunk dia., on the table . . .
>   etc.,
>      ---------
>      I wish to correct a mistake - the trunk is not 3 inches in
>      diameter, but circumference.  Big difference, eh?
>      I couldn't find my calipers so measured with a tape, and
>      slipped up on that one because I am used to thinking
>      in diameter. I wish it had enlarged more than it did.
>
>      I plan to treat the trunk with one of the exquisite tortures
>      explained in some of the writings posted here among these
>      "loving" group members.  I expect to find the most exquisite
>      of all on Bonsamurai's offered list . . . if any Viking
>      genes remain active thereabout.

=================================================================

From: Herb Gustafson 

I have been using vine maple as Bonsai for nearly forty years. They bud
back easier than Palmatum, the leaves will dwarf to one inch, they are
hardy to 25 F., show fine Fall color and are long lived. I love them.

=================================================================

>From Craig Hunt 

I have been reading Herb's book "Bonsai Workshop". It is an impressive
book. There are examples of Herb's work with vine maples in it if anyone 
is interested.

=================================================================

From: Lynn Boyd 

Herb,

  Your affirmation of the vine maple's possibilities was very
heartwarming. Thankyou for that input.
  It seemed to me the leaves were dwarfing on their own without
any encouragement from me; I could be mistaken, but they are
not as large as they were 3 years ago nearly.
  I am reluctant to try Michael Persiano's trunk fattening formula
of fertilizers to improve the trunk somewhat because I am afraid
of growth going wrong above, but I did think I would try one
of the other more physical applications discussed here in group.
---------------------Lynn--------------------boyd@peak.org

   PS:  Since I am in Corvallis area I can assume my vine maple
   has much the same natural environment as yours.

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Information Sources:

Information on vine maple is scarce, although the interest and enthusiasm levels for the use of this tree in bonsai are high. The only published author that I am aware of who pictures/ discusses vine maple as bonsai is Herb Gustafson, in his books "Bonsai Workshop," and "Miniature Bonsai." I put together some general information on maples, augmented with posts by Marty and Patty Weiser, Joel Schwartz, Lynn Boyd, Craig Hunt and Herb Gustafson. Special thanks to Craig for forwarding his collection of vine maple posts.


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