I like the Full-Moon maple, Acer japonicum, which is native to Japan and Korea. It is a similar to the widely popular Japanese maple, Acer palmatum, which is also native to Japan, Korea China and Russia. The Full-Moon maple has slightly larger leaves than the Japanese species. However, the main difference is in the leaf shape. Japanese maples have five, seven and rarely nine acutely long serrated leaf lobes which are often extend to the main petiole. While the Full-Moon maple has seven to 13 serrated leaf lobes which are not as long and look like a full moon shape with the shorter leaf lobes. In early spring the young foliage of Full-Moon maples have a white downy hair which is gone by the summer.
There are only a handful of Full-Moon maple cultivars, with the Golden full-moon maple the most popular because of the bright yellow spring growth. Japanese maples, on the other hand have well over 1,000 different cultivars.
During the past 50 plus years have learned that both maple species can be easily trained for bonsai. The Full-Moon maple appears to be more winter-hardy than the delicate Japanese maple cultivars. The Full-Moon maple has larger leaves and thick heavy twigs, not the thin branches characterized by Japanese maples. The Full-Moon maple does not respond well to summer defoliation and sometimes will not leaf out until the following spring. Even if leaf defoliation is successful, the twigs will continue to develop into a coarse twigs and branching. This is no problem because the leaves are fewer and larger. Big specimen Full-Moon maples are more commonly seen. However, I have seen several shohin sized Full-Moon maple bonsai with proportioned size leaves. The flowers of Full-Moon maples are larger and more attractive than the Japanese maples. The flowers of both species develop into winged-seeds called samaras.
The foliage buds on Full-Moon maples are a bit more pointed and larger. Often the leaves do not drop in autumn and must be carefully removed by hand. This characteristic of retaining some foliage throughout the winter is called “marcescence” which is common with Beech and Oak. Often the old dried out leaves persist to protect the young buds for spring growth.
Golden Full-Moon Maple
Acer japonicum (shirasawanum) ‘Kinkakure’ ‘Aureum’
Full-Moon Maple
Full-Moon Maple
Acer japonicum (shirasawanum)
Full-Moon Maple
Acer japonicum (shirasawanum)
Two-Line Cascade Bonsai
In early 1972 I purchased a Full-Moon maple growing in a three-gallon nursery pot which had a low growing second trunk. It is interesting to note that the trunks have not increased in thickness during the past 55 years of container growth using bonsai training techniques. But the mature bark appearance has developed.
This bonsai has dependable autumn color. It “was” a beautiful two-line full cascade bonsai until it went flying off the post it was tied to in 2016. The lower trunk snapped about halfway to the end. I left the broken stub to remain to see where new adventitious buds would develop. The unusual Chinese bonsai container shattered when it fell, however, Alan Adair did an excellent job piecing it back together using two-part epoxy and Superglue. I really liked the container so kept it. After the accident it was transplanted into a shallow, blue-glazed container and a new lower branch was allowed to grow wild to thicken the lower trunk. In 2022 it was repotted into a deeper, blue-glazed container to increase vigor. During the past two growing seasons the bonsai produced a bud in the desire position and was allowed to grow to nine feet long. The upper branches were not trimmed back except for the crown. In 2023 a heavy iron rebar was used to shape the lower trunk line.
The lower trunk line will be shortened by at least five feet in spring 2026. This bonsai is now being recreated into a new bonsai. Perhaps better than the original form. Time will tell and I’m having fun recreating the beauty. I’m going shopping in Tokoname, Japan, in a few weeks to see if a new, higher-quality container can be discovered. But large round or equal-sided glazed containers are difficult to locate. But I know the perfect ceramic artist who can custom make a new colorful new container.