# Is this maple sick or just a interesting leaf **URL:** \ **Category:** Horticulture\ **Created:** [May 26, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-maple-sick-or-just-a-interesting-leaf/12682 "2025-05-26T21:15:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chris\_anderson](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/chris_anderson/32/34005_2.png) [@chris\_anderson](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/chris_anderson)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-maple-sick-or-just-a-interesting-leaf/12682/1 "2025-05-26T21:15:06Z")
![1000006313](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/3X/8/b/8b13d5dba55dfa09d4a563570d1aaa50fe065369.jpeg) So I have this Japanese maple seedling and the leaves have a interesting pattern to them even the new ones are coming out like this . I’m not sure if it’s just a interesting genetic I’ve stumbled on or if it’s got a bug. Anyone have some insight? ---
**Author:** ![KurtP](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/kurtp/32/16188_2.png) [@KurtP](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/KurtP)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 2:26pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-maple-sick-or-just-a-interesting-leaf/12682/2 "2025-05-27T14:26:21Z")
What kind of soil do you have them in? Looks major organic. Water retaining? K ---
**Author:** ![chris\_anderson](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/chris_anderson/32/34005_2.png) [@chris\_anderson](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/chris_anderson)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 3:03pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-maple-sick-or-just-a-interesting-leaf/12682/3 "2025-05-27T15:03:25Z")
no its in 1 1 1 what you are seeing is the top dress and broken down biogold . ---
**Author:** ![Dave28227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Dave28227](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Dave28227)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-maple-sick-or-just-a-interesting-leaf/12682/4 "2025-05-27T22:06:38Z")
All those thousands of registered JA maple cultivars came from seeds. You may have hit the genetic jackpot. I have a JAM that came up in my yard (I have 20+ cultivars in my landscape) The new leaves are green variegated with pink and cream so I saved it. Then when it grew to about 3/4 of an inch in diameter it developed Arakawa bark.. I put it in a 3 gallon pot and when it got big enough made several air layers. I opted for on its own roots for better bonsai however you can opt to use your tree for scions to graft onto rootstock. Best of luck with your adventure ---
**Author:** ![chris\_anderson](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/chris_anderson/32/34005_2.png) [@chris\_anderson](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/chris_anderson)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 5:41pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-maple-sick-or-just-a-interesting-leaf/12682/5 "2025-05-28T17:41:58Z")
Well you might be right. It does not seem to be sick it’s still pushing New leaves and growing along. ---
**Author:** ![SCBonsaiGrower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@SCBonsaiGrower](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/SCBonsaiGrower)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-maple-sick-or-just-a-interesting-leaf/12682/6 "2025-05-28T20:22:04Z")
Do you know what the cultivar is of this maple? If so you can look up the normal leaf structure and colors. Otherwise the tree appears healthy, are you fertilizing? Are you treating with any other growth stimulants? Unfortunately the margins of the leaves could be telling you several things, watering issues? And it nutrient deficiency. The yellowing can mean lack of iron, which is tricky as this could be due to poor absorption even though there’s plenty in the soil. If you’re confident with your watering, and you’ve been fertilizing, it might be an imbalance like low calcium. If you have some cal-mag available you can try a 1/2 strength drench - you would see results in 3-4 weeks. If leaves green up then you found your imbalance. The other thing you can try is a spray/foliar and soil with 1/4 strength humid acid, kelp extract. (Root ruckus) this will help with nutrient uptake in soil. Just some options you can try- none will harm the tree if done at 1/2 or 1/4 strength. I’ve seen much improved results in my maples and have been able to cut back on fertilizer use! One note - don’t use these on newly repotted trees till they are re-established. ---
**Author:** ![Dave28227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Dave28227](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Dave28227)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 11:58am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-maple-sick-or-just-a-interesting-leaf/12682/7 "2025-05-29T11:58:18Z")
If the leaves hold that coloration into the summer you have a real winner. Your tree looks similar to some of the 'Ghost" series of JMs [Search: 89 results found for "ghost" — Mr Maple │ Buy Japanese Maple Trees](https://mrmaple.com/search?q=ghost) ---
**Author:** ![Twisted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@Twisted](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Twisted)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 3:09pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/is-this-maple-sick-or-just-a-interesting-leaf/12682/8 "2025-05-29T15:09:56Z")
[https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/maple-leaf-vains/5526?u=twisted](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/maple-leaf-vains/5526) Similar problem in the thread above turned out to be nutrient deficiency. I have 3 trees which were repoted this year showing similar problems