Another Juniper ID thread

[pmalelis]

Wandering around abandoned properties and found this juniper aprox 3 ft high 6 feet across foliage seems balling up and tight. Took a ton of cuttings. Looks like Juniperus x media? Perhaps a hybrid chinensis Sabina? What's y'all's opinion?

 

[pmalelis]

The individual leaves are very soft and fine like my itoigawa. Either way I'm happy to see what I can make out of these cuttings

 

[bonsaiwood]

Definitely looks like x Chinensis, but knowing the precise cultivar is anyone’s guess. The foliage looks healthy. I’d say worry less about the cultivar and practice with getting those cuttings to strike.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Looks like regular chinensis to me, the older they get and the longer they're left untouched, the finer the foliage becomes.
Take kishu for example, it's just a little more dense than my regular older chinensis is.

 

[pmalelis]

What's interesting is it has some characteristic of both with some leaflets being flat and alternating, others like chinensis. That being said I wish I took a photo of the whole plant. Under all that foliage was a 6 to 8 inch trunk. But the branches were balled up tight tufts of foliage, and caught my eye immediately since the normal sea green types don't get so dense . Here's one such part. Either way looks like a great bonsai candidate. Made 25 cuttings

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

See how the cuttings flush out! They might provide pointers. It could be a blaauw variety of chinensis, they ball up a LOT. But they should have a blueish hue to them.

 

[pmalelis]

See how the cuttings flush out! They might provide pointers. It could be a blaauw variety of chinensis, they ball up a LOT. But they should have a blueish hue to them.

I think you are correct. As an aside Shimpaku, Blaauw, Sargentii Glauca I read in research articles are a mix of Chinensis and Tsukusiensis(Taiwanese) based on DNA tests in a research paper, no Sabina in those. Amazing it talks about mis-identification of Junipers over the years and how easily they were mistaken and labeled. Very interesting stuff. LINK https://www.phytologia.org/uploads/..._cultivars_cp_and_its_datafinal7-14-20wkr.pdf

 

[pmalelis]

Just for record I went back and took pictures of the parent. I took 50 cuttings total. I'll update the thread next year. the balling nature of the huge branches is so awesome.

 

[pmalelis]

So it's been 12 months since I took the cuttings . Many browned out and died however I have 12 still green as can be, but no roots yet. I think they may root . Also took another 20 this year plus trying the water/soda bottle method just as an experiment.

With that said, I have yet to really ID this thing, but I don't think I can or ever will with certainty. I think it's either a hybrid or mutation on a Juniperus Virginiana and/ or x chinensis. The property this is on has a ton of red cedar yet none, and I mean none, look like this. Softer foliage, way more tight, and branches that grow natural cloud like pads .

Can't wait for these to root and watch them develop to see the early stage properties.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

All I'll say is that it is NOT a Juniperus virginiana (aka Eastern Red Juniper).

You should send it out for DNA testing. I'd be curious to hear the results.

 

[PA_Penjing]

that's really interesting. Would love to know what this thing is. My guess would be hybrid or mutation of Virginiana, but its not impossible that a bird could've pooped out a seed from someones landscape juniper into the field

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

Shot in the dark here, we don't have J. virginiana this far west. Or southwest.
Could it be var. Canaertii?

 

[pmalelis]

Shot in the dark here, we don't have J. virginiana this far west. Or southwest.
Could it be var. Canaertii?

I also considered that variety as a possibility but the odd prostate branches , and how it's almost as though they don't have the tendency to want to acend . and foliage seems softer. But maybe I will have a better clue once these cuttings root to see its juvenile growth habit.

Also all the Virginiana in the vicnity are wild. Which is what make me think it's a natural mutation or hybrid with a possible chinensis Or another chinensis variant. We'll see