If you speak to a Japanese maple enthusiast, most will say the terms "good supplier" and "bareroot Japanese maples" are contradictory. Japanese maples have very sensitive and fragile root systems and most reputable suppliers do not ship them bare root. Even small seedlings are typically shipped with some sort of rudimentary protection around the root systems. The larger and older the plant, the less likely it will be shipped bare root. Check the archives on the Maples forum - there was a thread that addressed this very topic not too long ago.

Check lawyernursery.com in Plains Montana. I have seen them in their catalog, I think.

Mountain Maples is my favorite source of Japanese Maples. They have a website. I agree they probably won't have bare root maples, but they have great plants. They're also very knowledgeable about their trees.

B&B Nursery in Kentucky.

B&B Nursery in Kentucky is tough to do a google search on, could you give a litle more

Try Stanley and Sons Nursery for a good selection of maples available to the trade

Here is a link that might be useful: Stanley and Sons

Very kind thanks to all of you for these suggestions...Victoria

Stanley and Sons is excellent, as are any number of other leading west coast maple growers, but they don't ship bare root. And having previous experience with Lawyer Nursery, it is not one I'd recommend. If the option is open to you, I'd avoid pursuing purchasing Japanese maples bare root. If you check that thread I mentioned earlier, the consensus is that bare root J. maples have questionable survivability and when they do make it, they are set back several seasons compared to the growth and vigor evidenced by containerized stock. May not be worth it just to save on shipping expense when dealing with what are generally not inexpensive items anyway.

I know this is an old posting but perhaps there is still some interest. I am the lead horticulturist at Munn's Nursery in Oregon. We grow many varieties of grafted Japanese maples well known to rare ones. We bareroot uprights from 3/4' to 6/7' and laceleaf 24-30" to 30-36".
Contrary to the perception that they don't do well after barerooting, with proper aftercare our customers recieve and pot up their plants in February and have them out for sale as early as June that same year. If you are interested let me know. We are wholesale only.

palmatumman.......... i am interested but there is no way to email you. maybe if you read this you can email me. thanks.