Naturally, amur maples are small trees reaching a maximum height of only ten meters. They have reddish-brown twigs and a gray bark. In spring, the tree wears light to lemon green foliage which dramatically turns to a flamboyant red as autumn approaches. Belonging to the genus of maples, the amur maple is also known as flame maple, or scientifically as Acer Ginnala.
The positioning of the amur maple bonsai tree depends on whether the tree is planted in the ground or in a pot. When in the ground, the tree can tolerate full exposure to sunshine even in summer. It will, however, need shading when in a pot to avoid burning the foliage. It should be known that more exposure to the sun results in rich-colored leaves and it’s up to you to find the right balance.
Daily watering is necessary during the growing season. In summer, the frequency can be upped to three times a day. Missing even a single day may leave the plant’s leaves dry around the edges.
It is possible to hard prune amur maple due to their ability to back bud easily. This results in pleasantly small branches in relation to the trunk.
Amur maple bonsai trees need feeding once every two weeks. During the growing season, there is an increased need for nutrients. To meet this demand, increase the feeding frequency to once per week.
Repotting the maple is best done in spring or early autumn. However, plants repotted in autumn need to be protected from the winter cold. The rapid growth of young flame maples makes it necessary to repot the tree once every two years. Older and more established bonsai need only be repotted once every 5 years.
The tree goes dormant in autumn and this is the best time to wire it. As with other maples, care should be taken not to scar the bark. This is done by wrapping the branches before wring them, and not leaving the wires on for too long.