My Trees > Japanese Maple 5

About Japanese Maple 5

This forest planting isn’t just a composition, it’s a remembrance. Collected from the estate of bonsai practitioner Janet Payne and stewarded by the Portland Bonsai Association, this maple grove holds more than its roots in soil. It holds a story. A transition. A quiet continuity of care.

Estimated to have begun its journey in 1994, this 'Katsura' cultivar forest shows the beginnings of mature cohesion: trunks of varying height and girth echoing the feel of a natural glade. The structure is informal and human-scale—neither grand nor miniature, but inviting. The foliage is light, airy, and responsive to seasonal shifts, particularly luminous in spring and early fall.

New caretaking has already brought visible recovery: healing over old cuts, stronger canopy shape, and subtle adjustments to balance and flow. There’s still work ahead, but that’s part of its voice now—a living forest in transition, passed from one hand to the next with care.

This maple asks for time. And rewards presence.

10-Year Vision for Japanese Maple 5

This forest is entering its prime - not yet ancient, but no longer young. It holds the kind of age that invites presence, where the trees know each other. A forest like this - it doesn’t need to be styled quickly.

So here’s how I plan to shape the next decade - not in steps, but in seasons of intention.

Years 1–2: Strength and Soft Refinement

• Let the forest grow out more freely during spring and summer—prioritize root strength, branch extension, and photosynthetic energy.
• Gently define the apex leaders and begin to refine secondary structure - wire if needed, but prefer clip & grow or guy wires to avoid scars.
• Begin to thin canopy in late summer to encourage light into the interior—especially around younger, weaker trunks.
• Let moss and ground cover soften the soil line naturally. A forest begins at its feet.
• Plan for forest expansion - propagate stronger clippings to plant on the sides and rear of the tree to give the forest more depth, dimension and varied age with older and younger trees. Need the same genetic stock to keep seasonal coloring consistent.

Years 3–5: Cohesion and Depth

• Start working on cohesive silhouette and rhythm - not symmetry, but flow.
• Encourage trunk differentiation: allow some to thicken, others to stay light. A real forest isn’t uniform. Strategic fertilization here.
• Reduce or remove any trunks that never found their role. Silence is part of music.
• Incorporate new younger trunks on the periphery where needed.
• Build ramification and form canopy pads with clip-and-grow, while always allowing a bit of natural looseness—forest light should dance, not sit still.

Years 6–8: Refinement and Quiet Aging

• Let deadwood develop naturally on low or shaded branches - will not force it.
• Begin annual photo journaling to track progression - not just how it looks, but how it feels.
• Introduce fine seasonal pruning and intentional leaf reduction to improve ramification, only if the forest is strong.
• Find a high quality pot that supports the forest - providing a coherent and harmonious foundation. A handmade oval or soft-edged rectangle might elevate its character.
• Develop the ground plane with moss, texture, or small stones—give it the feeling of place.

Years 9–10: Preservation and Presentation

• Evaluate readiness for informal show or gallery - not to display perfection, but to share presence.