Acer PALMATUM 'DISSECTUM'

Acer PALMATUM 'DISSECTUM' - Cutleaf Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum 'Dissectum', Threadleaf Japanese Maple, Japanese Maple.

Can be grown in bonsai style!

Acer is a genus of deciduous trees and shrubs in the Sapindaceae family, comprising over 120 species and numerous ornamental forms. Natural ranges cover Europe, Asia, and North America, with the greatest species diversity observed in eastern Asia. Maples occur in mixed forests, on mountain slopes, in river valleys, and in park landscapes. The second genus of the family - Dipteronia - is distributed only in China.

Plants have a rounded or wide dense crown and large palmate-lobed leaves with radiate venation. In autumn, leaf blades acquire bright shades of yellow, orange, purple, or reddish-brown, making maples considered some of the most decorative trees of temperate climates. Shoots are usually light, with various bark shades on young growth.

Flowers are small, yellow-green, gathered in loose inflorescences and appearing in early spring - simultaneously with leaves or slightly earlier. The fruit is a double samara consisting of two winged seeds that separate and disperse by wind upon maturity. The root system is predominantly superficial, which facilitates rooting but makes the plant sensitive to soil compaction.

Maple propagates by seeds and suckers. Most species are light-demanding, tolerate urban climates well, and are characterized by longevity: average lifespan is 150-200 years, and individual specimens can reach 300-500 years of age. Due to ornamental value and endurance, the genus is widely used in landscape and park gardening worldwide.

Cutleaf Japanese Maple is an elegant ornamental form distinguished by densely dissected, lace-like foliage. It is a slow-growing deciduous shrub or small tree 1.5-2 m (4.9-6.6 ft) tall, with a broad umbrella-shaped or cascading crown. Leaves are deeply dissected, narrow, thin, resembling lace, and coloration can vary from light green to dark green depending on the specific form and lighting. In autumn, they turn into bright shades of red, orange, or gold. Shoots are slender, flexible, gracefully arching.

Flowering occurs in spring. Small dark red or purple flowers are gathered in racemes and well-noticeable upon close inspection. After flowering, paired winged samaras form, maturing by mid-summer, and their lightness and reddish tint add to the plant's decorative appeal.

Maple seeds are winged samaras about 1-1.5 cm (0.4-0.6 in) long, ripening in different seasons. Most species have a natural germination rate of 20-50% even under optimal conditions. Simply remaining in the soil, they may sprout only years later.

Scarification significantly increases seed swelling and germination; without disrupting the upper layer, germination will be minimal. The outer coat is carefully filed or scratched with a hard tool so as not to damage the seed, after which they are soaked for 12-24 hours in warm water with the addition of stimulants (SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon). Subsequent pre-sowing preparation is conditionally divided into 3 scenarios depending on the species.

1. Acer BUERGERIANUM, Acer GINNALA, Acer ELEGANTULUM, Acer MACROPHYLLUM, Acer PALMATUM, Acer PLATANOIDES, Acer SACCHARUM, Acer TATARICUM, Acer TRUNCATUM (and most species absent from the list)

require cold stratification for successful germination. Seeds are placed in a small plastic zip-lock bag, into which slightly moistened peat moss or vermiculite is pre-added, from which water should not be released when pressed. Air is removed with a palm stroke from bottom to zipper, the bag is tightly closed and placed on the lower shelf of a refrigerator. Stratification is carried out for 2-4 months at a temperature of 3-5 °C (37-41 °F). Once every 1-2 weeks, the contents are checked. If condensation appears, excess moisture is removed by gentle pressure, after which the bag is turned over. In case the substrate dries out, 1-2 drops of water are added. After germination begins, seeds are removed from the refrigerator and planted in prepared soil.

2. Acer CAMPESTRE, Acer GLABRUM, Acer GRISEUM, Acer JAPONICUM, Acer PSEUDOSIEBOLDIANUM, Acer SHIRASAWANUM (and complex rare/mountain/Asian species)

due to difficulty of germination have an additional warm stratification stage. After scarification and soaking, seeds are left in a warm room at a temperature of 20-30 °C (68-86 °F) for 2-4 months. Next, the seeds are placed in a plastic bag and undergo cold stratification (as described in point 1), sometimes with a repeat cycle. One should not be surprised by low germination; realistic expectations are only about 20-30%. After germination begins, seeds are planted in prepared soil.

3. Acer RUBRUM, Acer SACCHARINUM (and hybrids such as Acer × FREEMANII)

do not require stratification and are sown immediately after scarification and soaking.

After any of the preparatory stages, seeds are sown into a light air-permeable substrate to a depth equal to seed size or buried 0.5-1 cm (0.2-0.4 in), moistened from a spray bottle, placed in a propagator or covered with film, and germinated in light but not in direct sun at a temperature of 18-22 °C (64-72 °F). Sprouts require ventilation. Waterlogging and drying out of sowings must be avoided.

Sprouts appear after 2-4 weeks; the maximum germination period may exceed 6-8 weeks, and some seeds may germinate only in the 2nd-3rd year. After the opening of the first true leaves, pricking out into individual pots is carried out. Cultivar forms are also propagated by grafting onto hardy rootstocks to preserve ornamental coloration.

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Maple prefers sunny or semi-shady locations where the decorative coloration of leaves is displayed most vividly. The plant is well-tolerated by urban conditions, resistant to wind and smoke. In the first years after planting, regular soil moistening and mulching of the root zone are recommended to retain moisture. The best results are achieved on fertile, loose, and moderately moist soils with good drainage.

Watering is carried out regularly during hot and dry periods, approximately 10-15 liters (2.6-4 gal) per plant, with a double rate after planting. In normal years, watering is performed once a month, in hot periods - once a week. Maple can tolerate short-term soil dryness, but full-fledged growth is achieved with stable moisture. The plant has a superficial root system, so loosening is carried out carefully and shallowly. After planting, the trunk area is mulched with a layer of 3-5 cm (1.2-2 in).

In early spring, sanitary and formative pruning is carried out: damaged, crowded, and diseased shoots are removed. In variegated forms and cultivars with brightly colored leaves, green shoots may appear, which are cut to the base so they do not suppress the ornamental part of the crown. Fertilizers are applied annually: in spring - balanced fertilizers with moderate nitrogen content, in summer - phosphorus-potassium mixtures promoting shoot strengthening.

Most maples are winter-hardy and do not require winter shelter. In severe winters, young plants are recommended to be protected by heaping the root collar area with leaf litter or spruce boughs. When one-year-old shoots suffer from frostbite, spring pruning is carried out - the crown restores successfully through new growth. With age, the plant's winter hardiness increases.