The Acer rubrum, which is widespread in North America and is often referred to as the Canadian red maple, is ideal for bonsai cultivation. Unfortunately, this type of maple is rarely grown as a bonsai in our latitudes, and such plants are also rarely available in specialist shops.
How to care for a red maple bonsai?
To care for a red maple bonsai, it should be cut before the leaves emerge in spring, fertilized in summer and watered adequately. It also needs a wind-protected location, a nutrient-rich substrate, regular repotting and winter protection.
Design options
Like almost all maples, the red maple can be used for various types of design and styles. Whether as a solitaire, as a multiple trunk or even as a bonsai forest - the North American always cuts a good figure. Especially in autumn, when the leaves turn the eponymous, strong shade of red.
Location and substrate
The red maple, known in its homeland as “soft maple”, prefers a sunny to light, partially shaded location. However, this should definitely be protected from the wind, as this type of maple cannot tolerate drafts. By the way, neither is heat, because red maple is very sensitive to high temperatures. The substrate should be permeable, loose, moist and nutrient-rich.
Watering and fertilizing
Red maple should be kept evenly moist, although occasional dry periods don't bother it much. However, you should definitely avoid waterlogging, as the weakened tree tends to react to this with a fungal infection, for example with the dreaded Verticillium wilt. Fertilize the bonsai about once a month between April and August with an organic liquid fertilizer (€14.00 on Amazon).
Cutting and wiring
The most important thing when raising a maple tree - no matter what type or variety - is the right time to prune. If possible, the red maple should be cut back in spring before the leaves emerge, because at a later point in time the sap pressure is too high and the tree could bleed heavily and lose shoots due to drying out. Cutting should be avoided in autumn and winter, as the risk of fungal infection is very high at this time of year. You can do the wiring after cutting the leaves in June, but then remove the wire again before the winter break.
Repotting
Young maples are ideally repotted about every two to three years, each time receiving a new planter and fresh substrate. From the age of around ten years, repotting about every five years is sufficient. You should only place your maple bonsai in a shallow bowl when it has already developed into a beautiful tree and the trunk has reached a he althy thickness. Remember that every transplanting requires root pruning.
Wintering
Although the Canadian red maple is used to frosty temperatures in its homeland and is therefore hardy in our latitudes, potted specimens should still receive sufficient winter protection. Maples that are in shallow bonsai pots, on the other hand, should not be allowed to overwinter outdoors if possible - they are better off in a frost-free but cool place. Temperatures not exceeding six degrees Celsius are ideal.
Tip
The red maple can be propagated very well via seedlings - the fruits ripen shortly after the leaves emerge - as well as via cuttings. Removal of moss has also proven effective on maple bonsai.