CA Juniper 1st styling

[bonsaibp]

I dug this tree in 2009 near Lancaster CA and it's just been sitting in the back of the nursery since then. Since it was growing like gang busters and I felt like doing something creative and productive on a nice warm Saturday (80f ) I decided to pull this into the workshop.
Here is the tree before I started. You can see all the long new shoots -a sure sign it's healthy and ready for styling.

Looking at it I decided that I was going to jin one of the two potential trunk lines and have a tree where the deadwood was the main feature.
After a couple of hours working on the dead wood and cutting away stuff I was considering two possible fronts. This was the first possibility -
.

And this the second-

Because I like the way the deadwood and live wood look better I went with option 1.
So after some more trimming, breaking the original apex I was going to use and some wiring this is where I ended up for now.
What do you think?

 

[Klytus]

Hmm,i would probably use traditional blackthorn for any cudgel I would need.

This shillelagh you have fashioned shows a degree of promise but it's sparse foliage hints at the heather of the heathland.

 

[sikadelic]

Hmm,i would probably use traditional blackthorn for any cudgel I would need.

This shillelagh you have fashioned shows a degree of promise but it's sparse foliage hints at the heather of the heathland.

I'm not sure as to what you mean, but I'll be damned if it didnt sound majestic!

 

[Klytus]

This page has evocative imagery of heathland and if you look carefully you can see the heather festooned with something or other.

http://isjefeil.com/tag/heath-land/

Erica Arborea as a species is the source of briar for the pipes.

One could say you have a sweet briar,but i'm not so sure until the leaves return.

 

[Smoke]

I'll retain the right to reserve judgement for a few more years.

 

[bonsaibp]

LOL no problem. It actually isn't as bare as it looks in the photos, though it was cut back severely. Next month I'll put in a pot if all goes well.

 

[JudyB]

Quite an elegant looking piece so far. Not sure about the apex, (seems too go too far) but its perhaps too early to say.

 

[JudyB]

. Next month I'll put in a pot if all goes well.

What do you see this in? I have to admit when I saw it I had a definate idea what pot I could see it in, so I'm curious...

 

[bonsaibp]

Quite an elegant looking piece so far. Not sure about the apex, (seems too go too far) but its perhaps too early to say.

Thanks.
Not sure I get what you mean by the apex seems to go to far?

 

[Beng]

Great trunk on that guy did you collect it?

 

[bonsaibp]

Yes in 2009 near Lancaster.

 

[bonsaibp]

What do you see this in? I have to admit when I saw it I had a definate idea what pot I could see it in, so I'm curious...

Maybe a Nanban style. What were you thinking of?

 

[bonhe]

LOL no problem. It actually isn't as bare as it looks in the photos, though it was cut back severely. Next month I'll put in a pot if all goes well.

If I was you, I would not transplant it in a month after I did severe pruning and wiring. It is so risky for Cali. juniper!
Bonhe

 

[sikadelic]

Is it common to remove branches and a lot of foliage during winter months? I know your climate isn't as cold as others so I assume that's why you're able to do so.

I need to remove a lot from a few overgrown junipers of my own but questioned doing so until a bit closer to Spring.

 

[bonsaibp]

If I was you, I would not transplant it in a month after I did severe pruning and wiring. It is so risky for Cali. juniper!
Bonhe

I"m not too worried about it. I've actually done all three in the same day with no problems. Not that I recommend that for everyone but we can give it excellent aftercare. If it isn't showing signs of new growth I'll wait but I know it has a great root system and it's a really strong tree. If it shows me any signs that it's not ready I'll wait.

 

[bonsaibp]

Is it common to remove branches and a lot of foliage during winter months? I know your climate isn't as cold as others so I assume that's why you're able to do so.

I need to remove a lot from a few overgrown junipers of my own but questioned doing so until a bit closer to Spring.

These things are actively growing right now. We may still ( I hope) get some winter but it's not looking like it's going to happen any time soon. The next 10 days are supposed to be in the high 70's low 80's.

 

[Smoke]

These things are actively growing right now. We may still ( I hope) get some winter but it's not looking like it's going to happen any time soon. The next 10 days are supposed to be in the high 70's low 80's.

You better hope we get some winter up here or a salad this summer is going to cost about $125.00.

Our normal rain for now is about 6 inches. We have .75 of an inch and no snow and it is January next week. No rain in the forcast either.

 

[bonsaibp]

It's crazy how dry its been this year. I hope we get some rain and snow in the mountains.

 

[sikadelic]

These things are actively growing right now. We may still ( I hope) get some winter but it's not looking like it's going to happen any time soon. The next 10 days are supposed to be in the high 70's low 80's.

I'm still getting new growth too. It's not as warm here as your zone, but 50s is the norm this time of year. We will pick back up to 60-70s within 45 days or so. I think I will experiment and remove some branches of my own.

I'll hold off on posting pics until I know it didn't die.

 

[JudyB]

Maybe a Nanban style. What were you thinking of?

Exactly my eye's image. Always trying to improve on my pot selection eye....

The apex seems to go too far off to the side, I guess I was trying to say, but I'm only looking at a photo not the tree...