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Trident maples are named for their three lobbed leaves. Deciduous, these trees are popular for bonsai with their
swift growth, four season appeal, and how the leaves take to reduction. New growth is often bronze, changing to a
deep green in the summer and gaining beautiful red and orange autumn colour. Winter exposes the fine network of
delicate branches and grey bark that retains a pinkish hue when grown in a pot.
Hardiness: Zone 5 in the landscape. Recommended zone 7 in a bonsai pot. Trident maples need early winter
protection before the first freeze, as fast growing root systems are particularly prone to frost damage. Protect from
prolonged periods of deep freeze by keeping in an unheated garage or shed once leaves have dropped. When thick
roots on a Trident Maple freeze, they can literally burst, much like frozen water pipes- so a combination of frost
protection and not letting the soil remain too wet before a freeze is essential.
Light: Full sun, with midday protection in the summer, or partial shade. Drying winds can cause leaf scorch, and
the trees should be protected from heavy winds at all times.
Soil: Slightly acidic, fast draining soil. These do fantastically in pure akadama or turface or pot in a standard
bonsai mix, though with a slightly higher percentage of grit.
Watering: Daily watering during growing season, as the fast growing roots have a very high water content. Do not
allow to dry out, but hold water if the soil is still too moist. Trident maples do not tolerate drought conditions at
all.
Fertilizer: Use a balanced, diluted fertilizer every two weeks through the growing season once the leaves have
opened. Substitute a nitrogen free formula in late summer or fall.
Pests and Diseases: Generally pest free. Anthracnose, leaf spot, and powdery mildew (usually due to poor air
circulation around the leaves). Aphids, boreres, scale and white flies. Verticillium wilt is fatal.
Repotting: Every year in spring, before the buds open. Can tolerate severe root pruning.
Pruning and Styling: Cut back tips of new shoots, leaving two new pairs of leaves for younger trees and a single
new pair for older, in spring and summer as needed through the growing season. When two new shoots appear at
a node, clip and keep one pair of leaves per shoot. This was the crown will develop good ramification, a fine
network of branches. Healthy trident maples can be defoliated in the summer to reduce leaf size and increase
ramification. Trunk chopping is a viable option, done in late winter or late spring. Trident's bounce back well and
will reward you with a flush of new growth and branches forming. Trident maples backbud well.
Trident maples will frequently heal roughly, leaving large bulges and scars where pruning was done on large
branches and the trunk. Care must be taken to hollow out, clean and smooth any pruning wounds to prevent
unsightly bulges. By making the wounds concave, rather than simply flush with the trunk, the scar tissue will fill
the space, rather than creating a large bulge. Do serious pruning of large branches after leaf fall in autumn or late
winter.
Wire with care as the bark is easily marked and growth is fast. Check frequently to keep wire from biting into the
bark.
Propagation: Layering. Softwood cuttings (4-6 inches long) in early to midsummer as new growth is just starting to
harden off.
Seeds: Indoors-Soak seeds for at least 24 hours, no more than 48 hours. Place in moist, but not wet, soil. Fresh
seeds may germinate very quickly, but germination can be erratic. If they do not germinate in 60 days at room
temperature, moist chill for at least 60, but no more than 120 days is possible before returning to room temp.
Maples germinate best in full sun, but do not allow the soil to completely dry out. Outdoors- sow outside as soon
as ripe, ignore till spring, other than making certain soil medium doesn't dehydrate completely.
Styles and Forms: Broom, group and forest plantings, raft, and clump styles. Because of the species rapid root
growth, these are well suited to stunning root-over-rock plantings.
Cultivars:
Other Information: Display maples indoors for a few days at most when in leaf, or for an hour or two when
dormant. Bringing it inside for longer during dormancy risks confusing the tree and starting the spring awakening
too soon.
swift growth, four season appeal, and how the leaves take to reduction. New growth is often bronze, changing to a
deep green in the summer and gaining beautiful red and orange autumn colour. Winter exposes the fine network of
delicate branches and grey bark that retains a pinkish hue when grown in a pot.
Hardiness: Zone 5 in the landscape. Recommended zone 7 in a bonsai pot. Trident maples need early winter
protection before the first freeze, as fast growing root systems are particularly prone to frost damage. Protect from
prolonged periods of deep freeze by keeping in an unheated garage or shed once leaves have dropped. When thick
roots on a Trident Maple freeze, they can literally burst, much like frozen water pipes- so a combination of frost
protection and not letting the soil remain too wet before a freeze is essential.
Light: Full sun, with midday protection in the summer, or partial shade. Drying winds can cause leaf scorch, and
the trees should be protected from heavy winds at all times.
Soil: Slightly acidic, fast draining soil. These do fantastically in pure akadama or turface or pot in a standard
bonsai mix, though with a slightly higher percentage of grit.
Watering: Daily watering during growing season, as the fast growing roots have a very high water content. Do not
allow to dry out, but hold water if the soil is still too moist. Trident maples do not tolerate drought conditions at
all.
Fertilizer: Use a balanced, diluted fertilizer every two weeks through the growing season once the leaves have
opened. Substitute a nitrogen free formula in late summer or fall.
Pests and Diseases: Generally pest free. Anthracnose, leaf spot, and powdery mildew (usually due to poor air
circulation around the leaves). Aphids, boreres, scale and white flies. Verticillium wilt is fatal.
Repotting: Every year in spring, before the buds open. Can tolerate severe root pruning.
Pruning and Styling: Cut back tips of new shoots, leaving two new pairs of leaves for younger trees and a single
new pair for older, in spring and summer as needed through the growing season. When two new shoots appear at
a node, clip and keep one pair of leaves per shoot. This was the crown will develop good ramification, a fine
network of branches. Healthy trident maples can be defoliated in the summer to reduce leaf size and increase
ramification. Trunk chopping is a viable option, done in late winter or late spring. Trident's bounce back well and
will reward you with a flush of new growth and branches forming. Trident maples backbud well.
Trident maples will frequently heal roughly, leaving large bulges and scars where pruning was done on large
branches and the trunk. Care must be taken to hollow out, clean and smooth any pruning wounds to prevent
unsightly bulges. By making the wounds concave, rather than simply flush with the trunk, the scar tissue will fill
the space, rather than creating a large bulge. Do serious pruning of large branches after leaf fall in autumn or late
winter.
Wire with care as the bark is easily marked and growth is fast. Check frequently to keep wire from biting into the
bark.
Propagation: Layering. Softwood cuttings (4-6 inches long) in early to midsummer as new growth is just starting to
harden off.
Seeds: Indoors-Soak seeds for at least 24 hours, no more than 48 hours. Place in moist, but not wet, soil. Fresh
seeds may germinate very quickly, but germination can be erratic. If they do not germinate in 60 days at room
temperature, moist chill for at least 60, but no more than 120 days is possible before returning to room temp.
Maples germinate best in full sun, but do not allow the soil to completely dry out. Outdoors- sow outside as soon
as ripe, ignore till spring, other than making certain soil medium doesn't dehydrate completely.
Styles and Forms: Broom, group and forest plantings, raft, and clump styles. Because of the species rapid root
growth, these are well suited to stunning root-over-rock plantings.
Cultivars:
Other Information: Display maples indoors for a few days at most when in leaf, or for an hour or two when
dormant. Bringing it inside for longer during dormancy risks confusing the tree and starting the spring awakening
too soon.
Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum)
| 1 year Trident Maple Seedlings, courtesy Golden Bonsai Nursery |
| Trident Maple foliage. |