Advice wanted: Which bonsai style suits this young sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) pre-bonsai?

[BlazingInverno]

Hi everyone,
I’m currently developing a young Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore maple) that I eventually want to train into a proper bonsai. The tree is about one year old and is growing in a large, airy container with an organic substrate and mulch on top (see photo below).

It’s growing vigorously—especially at the top—and is now developing a fairly dense canopy in the middle, which is starting to shade the lower trunk and branches. The branches are quite vertical for now and haven’t developed much ramification yet. Up to this point, I’ve mostly let it grow freely to thicken the trunk.

Here are my questions:
1. Which bonsai style would you recommend based on its current growth?
I was thinking about broom style (hokidachi), but I’m unsure whether its current structure really supports that, especially since the apex is dominant and the branches are quite upright.
2. What steps should I take now to guide it toward a suitable style?
Should I be pruning, pinching, wiring, or just letting it grow more for now?
3. Is it a good idea to thin out some leaves in the middle to allow more light to reach the lower branches?
I’ve already removed a few large leaves, but I want to avoid stressing the tree too much at this stage.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I’d love to hear how others would approach this tree in terms of shaping and development.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Colorado]

What style for sycamore? I’d say a very, very large style given the leaf size.

You have pretty much a blank canvas, so you can make it whatever you want. I’d probably just let it grow for a few years and aim for an upright design of some sort. You might want to add some movement to the trunk with wire while it’s still flexible enough to do so.

 

[rockm]

Sycamore is a hugely difficult bonsai subject. It has extremely long internodes (spacing between leaves) which gives it a gawky appearance as bonsai. Leaves do reduce but they’re huge to begin with so reduction is relative

LARGE is the correct design approach. That means starting off with larger stock. A starter tree would have to be at least four to five inches diameter at the base minimum. Any trunk less than a couple of inches diameter may not be able to support physically and visually the huge leaves and awkward branching

Sorry- hope you have a lot of patience

 

[Shibui]

Way too early to be worrying about what style IMHO.
The large tub and grow to thicken would be my approach then chop back and work with what's there at that stage however if you are not worried about large leaves, sparse branching and skinny trunk you can start trimming whenever you like.

 

[Attmos]

Sycamore is a hugely difficult bonsai subject. It has extremely long internodes (spacing between leaves) which gives it a gawky appearance as bonsai. Leaves do reduce but they’re huge to begin with so reduction is relative

LARGE is the correct design approach. That means starting off with larger stock. A starter tree would have to be at least four to five inches diameter at the base minimum. Any trunk less than a couple of inches diameter may not be able to support physically and visually the huge leaves and awkward branching

Sorry- hope you have a lot of patience

Bummer, I love them. But I guess it's good to know before wasting a bunch of time.

 

[Michael P]

Wait everybody! Blazinginverno is not growing Platanus occidentalis the sycamore, but a species of maple Acer pseudoplatanus. I know nothing about the species, let's make sure we are discussing the correct one.

 

[rockm]

Wait everybody! Blazinginverno is not growing Platanus occidentalis the sycamore, but a species of maple Acer pseudoplatanus. I know nothing about the species, let's make sure we are discussing the correct one.

They are very closely related. Acer pseudoplanatus is a hybrid of planatus occidentalis and planatus orientalist. Acer pseudoplanatus is the London Plane Tree

Difference Between Sycamore And London Plane Tree

The London plane tree and American sycamore are difficult to tell apart. Click to learn about their differences.

www.gardeningknowhow.com

 

[Michael P]

Rockm, I must respectfully disagree. As your link points out, London plane tree is a hybrid between two members of the same genus Platanus. Sycamore maple Acer pseudoplantanus is not a hybrid but a different species in a different genus, the same genus as all other maples. Blazinginverno carefully gave us the scientific name of the tree to avoid this kind of confusion.

Acer pseudoplatanus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[R0b]

Rockm, I must respectfully disagree. As your link points out, London plane tree is a hybrid between two members of the same genus Platanus. Sycamore maple Acer pseudoplantanus is not a hybrid but a different species in a different genus, the same genus as all other maples. Blazinginverno carefully gave us the scientific name of the tree to avoid this kind of confusion.

Acer pseudoplatanus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Correct, I blame the common name sycamore as it is used for different tree species and genera.

I would agree that Acer platanoides is not the easiest Acer to turn into a bonsai though.

 

[rockm]

you’re right. I jumped the gun. This can be confusing as to what tree is called what in which country

Boils down to either or all three are not great for bonsai because of long internodes large leaves and gangly growth habits

 

[Michael P]

This can be confusing as to what tree is called what in which country

Or even which state or county! In my 40+ years as a landscape architect, common names are a bane of my existence.