I grew this tree from seed about 3 or 4 years ago now.  I had it potted in a cheap plastic 10" colander and its growth had really taken off.  It was long and lanky and I let the roots get away from me.  I hated how it looked until finally, in july of 2007 (I think) I hacked it way back.  I hacked the top and the roots and put it into a little 4" terracotta pot.  It would either live or I'd have a good reason to get rid of it.  (I don't recommend repotting/root pruning in July.)

To spite me, this tree popped tons of low buds and started developing leaves and branches.  That late fall/winter I chose which of those branches I wanted to use, and after removing the others, wired them into place.

I've been warned that amurs drop branches on a whim, so I'm a little hesitant to defoliate it again this season (after having done just that in early april).  I'll try to get naked pictures of it so that you can see the movement in the trunk.  I'd speculate this one could be classed as mame after it gets pruned back into shape.  If not, it'd probably be on the small end of shohin.  I'm shooting for a finished height of no more than about 5-6".

Here are pictures from about a month after the chop.  Sorry about the watermark.

We don't get snow/ice too often.  Since we're covered in the stuff ...and I haven't taken pictures of this one in a while, ....well, you'll see.

Wayne, I like this little one. Amur Maples are tough they will come through this cold spell and keep on ticking.

I also have one but have not heard about the dropping branches on a whim. Mine is developing slowly but no lost branches in the three years.

J

nice little tree wayne!!

Nice little amur.

I've got two forest plantings of this species. One old, one only 15 years old. They are pretty tough customers.

Both of the forests were buried completely under snow until the beginning of March--I had intentionally provided no mulch for the winter to prevent early bud break--which has begun as early as Feb. 2 in the past. Both were simply put out on the ground in the backyard. At the height of the two blizzards this winter, the plantings had accumulated 5 1/2 feet of snow on top of them. Right before the snow set it, the trees were exposed to a row of low single digit nighttime temps. The snow, as it melted, pulled thumb diameter (and a little thicker) primary trees , completely to the ground in a tight "u" shaped arc. They didn't break--at least not completely--a couple lost their apex and one or two bigger branches. Both plantings are budding out profusely right now, as if the hard winter never happened.