So excited to see the forum back! I missed this amazing resource. Last year, I purchased this Aka Shigatatsu Sawa from a good online acer specialist nursery I'd used before. I duly repotted and set about uncovering the rootflare. I found that the rootstock was quite a severe L-shape, and had been planted so that half of the bend was buried. This must have happened quite some time ago, because there were lots of thick roots growing parallel to the buried trunk. Thinking this couldn't be good for the tree's long-term health, I removed most of those roots and re-exposed the buried "horizontal" trunk, repotting it as "upright" as I could. It didn't grow much that year. Here is how it looks today - it is budding out. As you can see, I left one " prop" root, and there is a clear lean to the repotted tree. I am hoping that grafted top section will branch out to the right in time, and acquire a sort of interesting twisted shape. I would be grateful for any advice (this is only my second potted maple). Thank you!
Looks like it's doing well. So IMO I would leave it alone for a couple of years after the work you did last year would have stressed it a little. Then once you have a good strong root structure,you can think about shaping or doing a chop to a main stem to get movement and hence more interest.
I think the answer to the title question is, yes. The only thing I might do differently is to take off the top little root. I don't think it will develop anyway.
Thank you both! @emery - I'm actually thinking of snipping off all the roots on the right, as they're above the soil level. I left them in to "prop" up the tree until it had developed replacement roots.
Hello - I’d only cut the upper one as Emery indicated, I’d definitely leave the ones below it…they will add sone strength in time and may form a strong foot to the tree.
I agree, the upper one is a little distracting so no harm in getting rid. The others are fine and it would weaken the young tree to remove them. They are above the soil level now but once they thicken up to a few cm's diameter they will intersect the soil surface nicely and look like a very natural root flare.
You could stake the main stock now to straighten it out. But that may take away a bit of the character. tough call
I’m not disagreeing with Otto re staking but I’d probably not bend it excessively..my approach would be to make it more upright by adjusting the root ball in the pot when you come to repot it in a years time..or when the root mass has filled out..
Thanks everyone - it's really helpful! I'll remove the upper root and give the lower one time. Not in any hurry.
