Are these suitable for bonsai

[Shamino]

I live in Maine where there are few nurseries and opportunities to purchase bonsai or pre-bonsai. One local place has some Juniperus Horizontalis ("Blue Chip") and Juniper's Communis ("Gnome"). Are these Junipers satisfactory for developing into bonsai?

 

[Paradox]

I live in Maine where there are few nurseries and opportunities to purchase bonsai or pre-bonsai. One local place has some Juniperus Horizontalis ("Blue Chip") and Juniper's Communis ("Gnome"). Are these Junipers satisfactory for developing into bonsai?

If they have decent sized trunks, yes.
I have a few J. horizontalis here and I know Ive seen J. communis sold as pre bonsai but I have heard that communis can be finicky about their roots getting disturbed when repotting.

 

[Shamino]

If they have decent sized trunks, yes.
I have a few J. horizontalis here and I know Ive seen J. communis sold as pre bonsai but I have heard that communis can be finicky about their roots getting disturbed when repotting.

How are these junipers usually styled? Are the receptive to informal upright? (They look like a tall variety that would be best for a formal upright...)

 

[Paradox]

How are these junipers usually styled? Are the receptive to informal upright? (They look like a tall variety that would be best for a formal upright...)

If they are shaped for an upright plant then that is what they should be. Formal uprights are tough to do convincingly.
I would try to find one with some movement in the trunk for an informal upright or slanting tree honestly.
My J. horizontalis are more cascade or low form naturally so that is what I plan to do with them

 

[yashu]

I live in Maine where there are few nurseries and opportunities to purchase bonsai or pre-bonsai. One local place has some Juniperus Horizontalis ("Blue Chip") and Juniper's Communis ("Gnome"). Are these Junipers satisfactory for developing into bonsai?

There is a guy that runs a bonsai nursery on Verona Island, John Ramsdell, which is not far from you. He’s open if he’s at home. Website is mainebonsai.com and you can just give him a call. There’s also Mike’s Bonsai Nursery in Litchfield which is a little more of a hike for you but he does beginner seminars and you get a tree if you take his class iirc. Once you get more south ODonal’s nursery in Scarborough has a decent dedicated bonsai section with pots, some tools and wire and as a full service nursery they also carry many species hardy to Maine and good for bonsai. There is a southern Maine bonsai study group on FB that will have a good amount of resources and contacts that you might be interested in as well.

 

[Ruddigger]

I’ve heard that communis can be touchy. I’ve worked with horizontalis, it’s doable, but the growth is leggy. It takes more management than other species.

 

[PerryB]

One of my favorite bonsai subjects but little used is Schoodic pine---a jack pine native to Maine. I have 2 of them now after seeing a stunning 35 year old cascade last year in a private collection.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I have a communis, if you have to ask, you're not ready for communis. They're difficult for bonsai.
It is good that you ask though!
Horizontalis isn't great but way easier to work with, I think Ryan Neil turns one into a raft in a youtube video.

 

[Wood]

If those are your best options, you could style and work these trees for a while, and then plan on grafting it with Itoigawa, Kishu or another more manageable foliage when you can get your hands on some

Larch are supposed to thrive in that area, and make phenomenal trees

 

[pandacular]

There is a great J. horizontalis raft at the Pacific Bonsai Museum. I will let these photos answer the question of whether it can be used for bonsai.

Creeping Juniper (Raft Style)

Bonsai Artist: Mr. John Naka Species: Juniperus horizontalis Exhibited At: Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection This raft style juniper is over 40 years old, and has been a bonsai for 33 years. The photograph was taken in late afternoon on a...

www.bonsainut.com

Pacific Bonsai Museum on Instagram: "Curator Aarin Packard shows how he summer-prunes a Creeping Juniper raft-style bonsai by John Naka to make the foliage pads match the light, literati feeling of the whole composition. Watch the full video on our

596 likes, 3 comments - pacificbonsaimuseum on July 19, 2023: "Curator Aarin Packard shows how he summer-prunes a Creeping Juniper raft-style bonsai by John Nak..."

www.instagram.com

 

[Michael P]

Magic words: John Naka!

 

[Eckhoffw]

I have some Juniperus horizontalis, and I’d say I’m not thrilled by them. I think it’s the foliage. I’ve put them in the ground since growth was slow in pots.
Do they have ‘blue rug’ juniper available?