Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum)
Price range: $29.95 through $54.95
Eastern States dispatch. TAS, WA & NT routes available, including local network supply for advanced and bare-root stock.
- Premier Bonsai Canvas
- Two Distinct Forms
- Clean-Origin Dispatch
- Cold-Hardy Deciduous
We added you to this product's waitlist and we'll send you an email when the product is available.
Leave WaitlistThis product is currently sold out.
No worries! Enter your email, and we'll let you know as soon as it's back in stock.
Secure Payments
The Master of the Nebari (根張)
The Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum / 唐楓) is undisputed royalty in the bonsai world and a fiercely resilient, flaky-barked specimen for the temperate garden. Whether you are seeking a straight-leader tree for an elegant courtyard canopy or a purpose-grown multi-stemmed starter to develop a powerful nebari (surface root) and dense ramification, our 200mm batches deliver. We dispatch from Mittagong in the NSW Southern Highlands, a region free of key plant pests, allowing direct delivery to the Eastern States and ACT without additional treatment.
At a Glance
Pot Size: 200mm (Advanced sizes to 200Ltr+ available via network)
Est. Plant Height: Approx. 1.2–1.6m (Straight Form) or ~50cm (Bonsai Form) tall, measured base of pot to tip
Growth Habit: Flaring root base, dense branching; rounded 8-12m canopy in the landscape
Style: Premium Bonsai Subject / Courtyard Specimen
APPROXIMATE ACTUAL PLANT SIZE: 1.2–1.6M (STRAIGHT) OR 50CM (BONSAI) IN A 200MM POT*
*Heights are measured from the base of the pot to the tip of the leader. As a deciduous species, stock ordered during winter will be dispatched in a bare-stem, dormant state, ready to push vigorous new growth in early spring.
For the dedicated bonsai practitioner, the Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum / 唐楓) offers an unmatched canvas. Originating from China, Korea, and Japan, it is prized above almost all other broadleaf species for its anatomical response to cultivation. It back-buds with incredible vigour, reduces its internode length rapidly under training, and possesses a unique physiological capacity to fuse its roots over time. This muscular, flaring nebari (根張) makes it the premier choice for dramatic sekijoju (石上樹 – root-over-rock) compositions.
To support your specific goals, we offer 200mm starters in two distinct profiles: a purpose-grown multi-stemmed form designed specifically for immediate bonsai styling, and a straight-leader form cultivated for the landscape designer.
Beyond the bonsai bench, the Trident Maple is an exceptionally adaptable, tough urban tree. Tolerant of heavy pruning and challenging soil profiles, it naturally forms a modest, rounded canopy peaking around 8 to 12 metres. With maturity, its bark flakes beautifully in shades of grey and orange, while the transition to autumn triggers a fiery display of warm orange, crimson, and red across its distinctive three-lobed leaves.
- Powerful Nebari (根張): Readily fuses its roots to develop a muscular, flaring surface root system, making it the classic choice for root-over-rock styling.
- Dense Ramification: Responds brilliantly to defoliation and structural pruning, rapidly reducing leaf size and building complex, tight branching.
- Form Versatility: Available as a multi-stemmed canvas optimised for bonsai, or a straight-leader tree for an elegant courtyard canopy.
- Flaky Bark & Autumn Fire: Mature trunks develop attractive grey-orange flaking bark, followed by striking autumn foliage in warm oranges and deep reds.
Complete Your Bonsai Bench
Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum)
Price range: $28.45 through $52.20
Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii)
Original price was: $49.95.$47.45Current price is: $47.45.
Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba)
Original price was: $54.95.$52.20Current price is: $52.20.
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)
Original price was: $49.95.$47.45Current price is: $47.45.Trusted by Gardeners Like You
What is the difference between the Straight Leader and Bonsai forms?
Can you source advanced, mature Trident Maples?
Will this tree arrive with leaves during winter?
How is shipping handled for WA and TAS biosecurity zones?
Detailed Description and Specs
Endemic to eastern China, Korea, and Japan, the Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum) earns its name from its distinctive, three-lobed leaves that resemble a trident. In the wild, it is a tough, adaptable survivor. In the hands of a bonsai artist, it is one of the most rewarding broadleaf species in existence. It is revered for its ability to develop a massive, muscular trunk base (nebari) and its tolerance for aggressive root pruning, which has cemented its status as the quintessential tree for rock plantings.
Our 200mm stock is carefully sourced to serve both the artist and the landscaper, while advanced sizes (up to 200Ltr) are available via our specialist network. We dispatch from Mittagong in the NSW Southern Highlands, a region free of key plant pests, allowing direct delivery to the Eastern States and ACT without additional treatment. You are acquiring a tree that merges rugged urban hardiness with exquisite, refined seasonal beauty.
Here’s why we think you’ll love the Trident Maple:
- Species: Acer buergerianum (Trident Maple / 唐楓)
- Provenance: Sourced through our specialist sourcing network, available in straight-leader or multi-stemmed profiles
- Growth Rate: Moderate to vigorous; responds exceptionally well to cultivation pressure
- Foliage: Three-lobed leaves that flush fresh green before turning vibrant orange and red in autumn
- Best For: Serious bonsai cultivation (especially root-over-rock), small garden canopies, and urban courtyards
Care and Planting Guide
The Trident Maple is inherently tough, but requires specific management depending on your end goal.
- Sunlight & Location: Thrives in full sun to partial shade. In bonsai culture, full sun encourages smaller leaves and tighter internodes, but pots must be protected from extreme afternoon heat to prevent leaf scorch.
- Soil & Drainage: Highly adaptable in the landscape. For bonsai, a well-draining aggregate mix (such as equal parts akadama, pumice, and premium potting bark) is essential for developing fine feeder roots.
- Watering: Requires consistent moisture during the growing season. Maples are thirsty trees; do not allow the root ball to dry out completely during summer.
- Pruning & Maintenance: For bonsai, perform major structural pruning during winter dormancy. Summer defoliation (leaf-stripping) techniques can be used on healthy trees to force a second flush of smaller leaves and increase ramification.
Shipping and Delivery
Eastern States (NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD, SA)
Eligible for standard shipping via our secure specialist plant freight network. We dispatch from Mittagong in the NSW Southern Highlands, a region free of key plant pests, allowing direct delivery to the Eastern States and the ACT without additional treatment.
Tasmania (TAS)
Because this stock is supplied by a Tasmanian-certified grower, eligible orders can travel the direct certified pathway into Tasmania — the grower’s certification covers the consignment, avoiding the full Concierge treatment process. However, Bass Strait freight carries a baseline cost. To ensure the shipping cost per plant is economically viable for you, this direct route requires a minimum volume—typically a mixed order of 6 to 8 x 200mm pots, a few 300mm pots, or larger advanced stock (45 L to 75 L). We cannot ship single 200mm starters via this method, but by building a combined order, the direct freight becomes highly worthwhile. Orders below this volume are handled through our Plant Concierge. Note for advanced stock: We also maintain a premium on-island Tasmanian supplier network, allowing us to source and supply mature specimens (up to 100Ltr) directly to you within TAS. Start your enquiry at Plant Concierge.
Western Australia & Northern Territory (WA & NT)
Shipping to WA and NT is handled through our Plant Concierge — a hand-guided pathway across the quarantine border. We prepare and correctly identify your plants, and a licensed quarantine specialist then carries out all mandatory treatments and inspections under your state’s protocol before they’re forwarded to you. WA Winter Note: Between July and September, we can also supply bare-rooted dormant stock directly via our specialist Western Australian network. Start your enquiry at Plant Concierge — we’ll check what can cross before anything else happens.
Secure Your Foundation for the Bonsai Bench
Shop More TreesRelated products
