Tag Archives: Juniper

The Juniper Bonsai Tree

As you know, there are many different types, varieties and species of bonsai trees. One of the most beautiful bonsai varieties is the juniper bonsai tree. Juniper can be found in all corners of the world. It would surprise you to realise how many times you’ve actually seen one in your neighbourhood without even realizing it.

There are different varieties of juniper trees but two are probably the most popular types.

The first type is known as flaky. The flaky bonsai tree is small and will rarely reach over 30 feet high. As bonsai trees grow in the wild, they do tend to be much bigger than what you see at homes and private gardens. The leaves on the flaky plant are broad needles and take on a blue-green hue. This type is native to China and the Himalayas but can be found all the way from Afghanistan to southwest China.

Another very popular variety of bonsai would be the Eastern. This bonsai tree is known for it’s dense foliage that refuses to grow when planted in poor soil. While it is possible for this tree to grow in poor soil, it will end up being little more than a small bush. When grown in good soil, this tree climb all the way up to 15 feet tall. Soil is one of the most important considerations when growing a bonsai tree, especially with watering (above). The soil needs to be well drained, and suitable for your area; in any case, it should be coarse. There are many different mediums relating to soil and content, and bonsai experts (or seasoned veterans) can provide information about using the different types of material together. Because of the different types of material, your “soil” might be anything but soil. This is why fertilizer knowledge is important. This bonsai type is native to North America, and can be found in mostly south-eastern Canada to all the way down by the Gulf of Mexico.

The Eastern variety has dark red bark that will strip off in neat, narrow strips and two different types of leaves. The first types is adult leaf, which look much more like scales and are less than half an inch long. The second type of leaves are the sharp and spreading needles that are usually around half an inch long.

Once you start to make your way to the western half of the continent, the Eastern juniper bonsai tree gets replaced with the Rocky Mountain juniper bonsai tree or the Ashe juniper bonsai tree. The Eastern juniper bonsai tree were actually placed on the IUCN’s list of threatened species back in 1996. While it only holds the category of Least concern (LR/lc), it still is a species of tree that is being watched for future decrease and need for repopulation within the United States and Canada.

Related Blogs

Important Tips for Beginners to Keep Juniper Bonsai

A juniper bonsai is one type of bonsai trees that is suitable for beginners because it is quite easy to be taken care of. The are many types of juniper that can be turned into bonsai, such as Shimpaku, Japanese Garden, Green Mound, Chinese Juniper, Sargents, and Needle. These trees are also adaptive as they can be placed indoors or outdoors. As long as you follow some basic rules in growing juniper bonsai, the plant will flourish without giving too many problems.

One of important characteristics of juniper bonsai is that it needs dormancy period. This period can be considered as hibernation or resting, which is required by the tree to revitalize during spring and summer. If you want to encourage the bonsai to reach dormancy in winter months, then you can expose it to moderately cold weather about 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Like other bonsai, proper watering is important for juniper bonsai. Although it prefers a dry period between each watering, you should never leave the plant dry for a long period of time as it will stress and kill it. The proper way to water the bonsai is to soak it in a tray full of water up to its trunk for five to ten minutes. Then you should allow the plant to drain properly because waterlogged soil can rot the roots of the bonsai.

On the other hand, if you use a tap water, you should repeat the process several times. You can water the juniper bonsai, wait for several minutes, and then start watering again. This repetition is to make sure that the soil and the bonsai has stored enough water to grow.

Maintain the right humidity is important for your juniper bonsai. To create the preferable environment, you can place the plant on top of tray filled with small stones and water. The stones prevent the pot to be soaked with water, while the water will evaporate and create humid environment around the plant. Another good strategy in this regard is to use moss on the trunk of the juniper bonsai. Moss will improve moisture retention and additionally it also gives a more natural look.

Sufficient amount of sunlight is another factor that you should pay attention at to take care of your juniper bonsai. Low intensity sunlight, such as in the early morning and late afternoon, is enough for the plant. If you put the juniper indoors, you can place it near a window to get the essential sunlight. Fluorescent lamps can be used as an alternative if there is no enough sunlight available. You need to expose the plant around twelve hours a day if you use this artificial light.

Every two weeks, you should fertilize the juniper bonsai so it will receive important nutrients. Organic fertilizer is the most suitable type for this purpose. Repotting the plant should be done once every year or two years. During this repotting, you should also prune the roots to keep the plant small and to reduce the pressure experienced by the roots as it is contained in a small pot.

Related Blogs