I have purchased a tiny Beni Otaki graft about 5-6 years ago which has since grown into a beautiful tree and growing :) ... I love Beni Otaki leaves .. just beautiful .. I think I often discover many of the leaves that are inconsistent and look more like the ones from the rootstock (Bloodgood I think). I am not talking about the growth coming below the Cion line (which has stopped long time ago and rootstock part is very small compare to the tree ..97% Beni Otaki). My question is, is this common that tree from graft often shows signs of its root? (well, I mean more like the characteristics of the rootstock of course ;-)) I have been pruning off the ones look like Bloodgood leaves from the tree to encourage Beni Otaki like growth but this year they have showed up in massive quantity. Its not that I don't like that look, I just don't want my Beni Otaki convert back to a Bloodgood tree :-)
That sounds normal for growth on the more vigorous shoots, nothing to do with the rootstock. Most of the narrow leaved types of Japanese Maples do this, and generally there is no need to prune out the wider leaves, it is not reverting. Plenty of pictures of 'Beni otake' in this thread from the photo gallery:Acer palmatum 'Beni otake'
Thank you! Makes me feel better about it (also answers a question for me about graft getting characteristics of the rootstock) .. Thanks for sharing the link!
