Let’s Develop this Sharp’s Pygmy

[JonW]

I'd go with B and air layer some of the branches.

B is best because it positions the 2nd trunk nicely, while also keeping a nice back branch. The opposite views, such as E, F and G would lead most people to remove the low branch pointing at the viewer ("eye pocker") as it is too low to be on the front of the trunk from a traditional bonsai design perspective. Although, maybe you will remove it anyway to avoid a bulge / reverse taper in that area anyway? However it is a really nice back branch from position B. B is slightly better than A because the two trunks are on slightly different planes and you get a better first side branch on the left.

 

[Taiko-Earth]

Lovely tree progression!
Now as the choosing the front, I must say this is premature. I would let this grow on for at least three years to get some decent nebari. Then choosing the front will be much more relevant.
Thanks for sharing
Rob

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Mmm, in front A the central trunk has a lot of competition and all the trunks seem straight.

I prefer F or G whichever one doesn't put he three primary trunks in line front to back.

Those views show much better movement, and give the impression of a large park grown tree to me.

Also, pot should be considerably wider, and eventually shallower.

Very nice tree BTW, well done!

 

[butlern]

Did it leaf out last summer? Now I am confused by the timeline…

hope it’s doing well! But looks like last update was a year ago

An initially impressive layering for sure.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Ooops didn't realize this was a year old, not sure how it popped up on my new threads.

 

[John P.]

Hi All,

Thanks for checking in on the tree. I could’ve sworn I updated this thread a month or two ago, but it looks like I didn’t.

It did great all year, luckily. I had it in an area that wasn’t super accessible, and I don’t think I took any pictures in-leaf. I took the photo below in late November:

The roots have filled out the pot well enough, so I have removed the supports (as seen above in November) that I placed early last year during the initial potting-up.

It’ll be time soon to start bringing the canopy “in” and to open it up a bit. I may try to take cuttings and maybe air layer a branch or two in the process. Right now this is my only Sharp’s Pygmy.

It has me a bit perplexed. The species and other cultivars without such tight internodes are easier for me to conceptualize refining—cutting down to two branches from three, for example. With this guy, the close internodes make it more of a judgment call since you can have 3 branches coming from close to the same place, but actually separated by a couple or more nodes:

 

[Hack Yeah!]

How's it growing @John P.

 

[John P.]

It’s doing okay, which is more than I can say for many of my maples right now. I’m still building my bonsai garden and shade fencing, such as it is, and this one’s currently situated to get more midday sun than I’d like. Tips are brown on much of it, but it’s okay nevertheless. Nothing spectacular to report other than “there’s always next year.” Kind of typical for a Japanese maple here in SoCal.

 

[TN_Jim]

It’s doing okay, which is more than I can say for many of my maples right now. I’m still building my bonsai garden and shade fencing, such as it is, and this one’s currently situated to get more midday sun than I’d like. Tips are brown on much of it, but it’s okay nevertheless. Nothing spectacular to report other than “there’s always next year.” Kind of typical for a Japanese maple here in SoCal.

Brown tips are usually a water issue rather than sun.