Blue Star

jesseblunt

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Picked up this Blue Star Juniper from a local nursery. I cut away as much dead and weak stuff as I could manage. I will try to post better pictures against a more solid backdrop if these don't suffice. I am looking for advice on style and shaping. I suppose it's too late to think about repotting or moving to a pond basket?

Any advice or critique would be helpful.
 

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jesseblunt

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image.jpg

image.jpg

I took her out of the nursery pot and tried to get better shots of the interior.
 
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Vance Wood

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This is so much like a lot of Juniper stock we have seen lately, the top is too large for the base or the base is too small for the top, either way until thiese proportions are corrected you will not be dealing with a tree that has any future. Three to one to Six to one and somewhere in-between.
 

jesseblunt

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Am I correct in understanding that these do not back-bud well? If I cut back some of the denser growth in the most vigorous pads I can probably let more light to the interior...or am Ibarking up the wrong tree entirely?
 

Vance Wood

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Am I correct in understanding that these do not back-bud well? If I cut back some of the denser growth in the most vigorous pads I can probably let more light to the interior...or am Ibarking up the wrong tree entirely?

Most notorious non-backbudders like Hinoki Cypress will back bud as long as they are being cut back to green non lignified growth. I would assume that this would be true with Blue Star assuming it is a poor back budder.
 

Paradox

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This particular species/variety (J. squmata/Blue Star) isnt used for bonsi as much as others which is probably why you havent got many responses yet.

Most of my experience is with J. procumbens nana and J. chinensis (San Jose). Those two seem to backbud readily so if it like those it will also. Cant be sure until you try growing it though.

I know there is someone here that has tried these. Hopefully they see this thread and can chime in.
 

jesseblunt

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Thank you Marie!! I will definitely be going this route next spring
 
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