The juniper genus is made up of about 50 to 70 different species within the cypress family. They are evergreen coniferous trees or shrubs, which are very popular for Bonsai. Junipers can have two types of foliage, needle-like, and scale-like foliage.General information Juniper Bonsai
being that includes three American species Juniperus californica the Rocky Mountain Juniper above all the Juniperus occidentalis. All of which have very similar care guidelines. If you need help identifying your tree, take a look at our Bonsai tree identification guide.
What’s that Juniper bonsai
The berry-like cones are round or oval and are filled with round or edged seeds. Depending on the species they can measure from 1/8″ to 1″ (0,3 – 2cm), and it usually takes a year or two to ripen. The cones are often eaten by birds who spread the germinable seeds through the bird’s droppings.
Junipers are also great for jin and shari, or deadwood. It grows live veins below broken or dying branches that dry out and die to make deadwood. The deadwood is then naturally peeled, polished, and bleached by climatic conditions that make it very durable. The triad of green foliage, reddish-brown or yellowish-brown bark, and silvery-white deadwood is very appealing. For photos of a few spectacular Junipers, check the Juniper Bonsai top 10.
Watering
Be careful not to overwater, as the juniper’s roots don’t like soil wetness. as an illustration you water, the soil should slightly dry. Misting the tree can be done regularly, especially after the tree has been repotted because it benefits from air humidity. Continue reading about watering Bonsai trees.
There are two groups of Junipers, one with scale-like foliage and the other one with needle-like foliage.
The two most popular juniper species for bonsai with scale-like foliage are the Chinese Juniper and the Japanese Shimpaku. The Japanese Shimpaku is actually a variety of Chinese Juniper which was originally found in the mountains of Japan. Both have scale-like foliage with color ranging from yellowish-green to bluish-green or silver-green. Another very popular juniper for bonsai is the Itoigawa Shimpaku due to its delicate emerald-green foliage. another key point numerous varieties of Chinese Juniper, many of which difficult to distinguish with certainty, but the care guidelines for these varieties are very similar. Check this article for the styling of a Juniper. The Savin is a juniper from southern Europe, North-Africa, and some parts of Asia with
Identify your Juniper species
There are two groups of Junipers, one with scale-like foliage and the other one with needle-like foliage.
There are also popular juniper species with needle-like foliage. The Japanese Needle Juniper has sharp, dark green, stinging needles with a narrow white line along their length. The Green Mound Juniper Bonsai is also from Japan with needle-like foliage, but the needles are shorter, more compact, and the coloring us bluish-green, similar to some scale-like foliage. This plant grows as a ground covering shrub if it is not shaped. The Common Juniper is native to Europe, North-America, Asia, and North-Africa. Its needles are sharp but smaller and more delicate than those of the Japanese Needle Juniper. In nature, it grows columnar or as a depressed shrub.
The leaves are like scales that can be finer or rougher and have different shades of green depending on their origin. All parts of Savin are poisonous. California Juniper originates from California and has bluish-gray scale-like foliage. In nature, it grows as a small tree or shrub. Rocky Mountain Juniper grows in western North America and can be a tall tree. The leaves are scaly, leathery, and dark green or bluish green. Sierra Juniper is a shrub or tree native to the western United States. It grows in mountainous areas at elevations of 2500 to 10,000 feet (800–3000 meters). The foliage is scaly with a grayish or dark green color and tends to grow quite densely.
There are also popular juniper species with needle-like foliage. The Japanese Needle Juniper has sharp, dark green, stinging needles with a narrow white line along their length. The Green Mound Juniper Bonsai is also from Japan with needle-like foliage. but the needles are shorter, more compact, and the coloring us bluish-green, similar to some scale-like foliage. above all are sharp but smaller and more delicate than those of the Japanese Needle Juniper. In nature, it grows columnar or as a depressed shrub.
Care guidelines
Place the tree outside, year-round, in a bright location with lots of sunlight. The Juniper cannot live indoors. During the winter protect the tree once temperatures drop below 15 °F (-10 °C), above all by placing it in a coldframe. another species change their foliage color during frosty as long as to a purplish brown which is a part of their internal at last protection mechanism. Don’t worry they will turn green again in spring.
