Apr 4 2012

Shohin Japanese Maple

This little maple is about to come into leaf.

I recently read somewhere that if you remove the stipules from the bud as it opens it allows the stalk to dry out faster which causes the inter-nodal length to become shorter. A desirable feature in shohin maples.

Here you see the stipules at the point of my scissors.

This is how it looks with the stipules removed. I will hold judgement on the technique until I see if there is any beneficial results.

Anybody used this technique before?

11 comments on “Shohin Japanese Maple”

  1. I havent cut the stipules them selves but i have pinched the growing tip once the first set of leaves is visable which keeps the internodes short. It is something i would start doing on some of those shoots in the next day or two by the look of it.

    It will be interesting to see how it works for you.

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    • I think it was on Morten’s old blog that I read this, I couldn’t find it on his new one to link to it.
      I also remove by hand by peeling back the stipule, I used the scissors to point out in the photo what I was referring too.

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  3. Thanks for sharing this. Its really interestign technique. Could be really effective for refining the ramification of larger maples.

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  5. Hello from the Basque country
    I read about this technique somewhere.
    I use it with my Maple but I’m still not sure that works

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    • I’ll be interested myself to see if it works. It might be hard to judge on one tree during one season, but that’s the way it is with most bonsai techniques, time will tell. Thanks for commenting, greetings from Northern Ireland 🙂

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  6. First, very eye-pleasing shape to that tree! 🙂

    I’ve never heard of stipule removal, and will also be very interested to see if it works. I’ve come to maples late, so have a lot to learn yet.

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