Juniper ID help please

[Poink88]

Can anyone help ID this juni? Here is the tree in a 3(?) gallon pot.

View attachment 36274 View attachment 36275 View attachment 36278 View attachment 36276

The juvenile leaves. Seems like hexagonal when viewed from top (not sure if this info helps).
View attachment 36277

Thanks!!!

 

[Beng]

San Jose maybe.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I'm inclined to guess prostrata...San Jose often has more juvenile foliage and wartier bark.

 

[Dav4]

I'm thinking a Parsons Juniper, J. parsonii...the foliage and bark are similar to mine.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks guys!

I've read the online descriptions & pics for all your input but they seem to not match. This is not ground hugging as far as I can tell from the branch formation.

 

[october]

My first guess is probably san jose, second would be prostrata.

Also, is this your new tree? Seems like it might be tough to formulate a style for this material, perhaps windswept.

No matter what you chose, I would try to keep as much foliage as possible. This tree definitely needs it for it's survival.

Interesting tree.

Rob

 

[NewWorldBonsai]

I'm thinking a Parsons Juniper, J. parsonii...the foliage and bark are similar to mine.

That is the one. Good species for bonsai, can always be grafted with shimpaku too.

 

[Beng]

I think Brian could be right my ponderosa has darker flakier bark. More brown colored.

 

[Dav4]

That is the one. Good species for bonsai, can always be grafted with shimpaku too.

That's what I'm doing with mine.

 

[Tona]

Hey Dario,
I think it is Parsoni also. These pics show mature parsons juniper foliage as well as juvinile. The branching also looks like parsons to me.
Just my guess,
Tona

 

[Poink88]

Thanks guys!

It is challenging and I know I need to keep as much foliage as I can for it to stay healthy. This is a long term project (unlike my broad leaf) and just bought it (for practice) because it is cheap LOL. I intend to graft it once I figured a design, so far nothing.

 

[Poink88]

This baby was reduced and shot lots of new growth.

Last month, I had some free time and got bored so I approach grafted 4 shimpaku whips on it. I also chopped it further (limbs saved as cuttings) and bent the (will be) only remaining trunk for the experience. Looked okay so I might save/use it eventually. If so, I will need to refine the bends and graft more shimpaku to the (3-5) terminal branches.

This is the same tree I got an airlayer root in a month. I learned about the roots when I decided to abort it and graft instead. To my surprise the air layer have several healthy roots already. Planted it and we'll see if it survives. Took several cuttings from it also and just stuck bunch of them in a (communal) pot.

Brutal as it might sound, I am using this tree as my learning tree and while I want it to survive, I won't feel too bad if it doesn't. For me, the tree paid for itself already by the accidental discovery that juni airlayer can root in a month.

Pics of the tree to follow this weekend.

 

[bonsaibp]

Even though it's more upright in the pot I'm betting its a Tam Juniper they are by far the most common Juniper sold in the southwest. Not the best for bonsai but can be grafted and with lots of time can form decent foliage pads.
The ease of airlayering also suggests Tam they self ground layer all the time. Most junipers take longer to put out roots.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks Bob! Good to know.

 

[nathanbs]

when doing an approach graft with kishu shimpaku it is usually not necessary to do more than one graft as long as it is strategically placed down lower and it is not going to be a multi-trunk design. it grows so fast that all of your upper trunk and branches will come from this one whip

 

[fore]

when doing an approach graft with kishu shimpaku it is usually not necessary to do more than one graft as long as it is strategically placed down lower and it is not going to be a multi-trunk design. it grows so fast that all of your upper trunk and branches will come from this one whip

Really? I've never heard that before. Can you explain why this would happen Nathan?

thx
chris

 

[Poink88]

when doing an approach graft with kishu shimpaku it is usually not necessary to do more than one graft as long as it is strategically placed down lower and it is not going to be a multi-trunk design. it grows so fast that all of your upper trunk and branches will come from this one whip

Thanks but while that is an option, it may not work for what I have in mind (design goal) unless I opt to eliminate the rest or jin them. Also, I used a regular shimpaku (not kishu) which I honestly do not know yet how fast it will grow.

 

[Si Nguyen]

I have no idea what kind of juniper this is. It does not look like a good candidate for grafting shimpaku on, unless you are willing to put in 20-30 years into it, and even then it will still be a mediocre tree, because of the poor trunk line. This kind of nursery material is best for a quick wiring and styling exercise, then afterward, if it is still alive, give it away or sell it off. Let some other youngster deal with it .

I like the idea of a windswept design for this tree. It has a pleasant bunjin feel about it already. Here's a quick thumbnail sketch for it.
Good luck!

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

I like the windswept sketch. I also got a juniper this size to practice on. The bark is different and it said assorted junipers on the tag. I guess they don't even have to know what there selling anymore. I think I'm going to design one trunk and spiral the rest in to Jin around it. It will be good practice.



It was on sale last week for $4

 

[prestontolbert]

Dario-
I have some junipers that are almost identical to yours. I'm not convinced they are parsons juniper. The main difference is the type of growth. Parsons is more prostrate and grows more coarsely, with thicker new branches. Also these have more rope like foliage. The nurseryman I bought them from thought they might be just species chinensis. BTW they are in 10 gallon pots and I paid $10 dollars apiece for 4.