California Juniper, Baby steps.

[Smoke]

Dug in 2006 with Harry, This juniper gave me high expectations as a semi cascade.





Thoughts of turning it upright did occur, but were abandon.


Repotted into a different pot.

 

[Smoke]

Last year I resurrected the idea of working the tree as an upright. The tree had lots of die back and lots of browning on the inside due to neglect.





Beginning to wire.


Mid summer, many of the smaller branches near the top burnt up during the heat wave.

 

[Smoke]

Today I spent a good portion of the morning and afternoon working over the tree. Lots of branches removed and lots of pinching. wire taken off and new wire back on.

Before





This is the front and the views at the quarters.

 

[parhamr]

I'd like to know the dimensions of the pot and tree, please!

 

[thomas22]

Great tree. It really doesn't have a bad side and I like it upright. I'm glad you mentioned the burn because I had a lot of brown foliage on a California Juniper just days after the heat wave a few weeks ago. I couldn't pin point the problem but it may just have been burn like yours. The lower shaded branches were fine but the upper branches were brown. I live near the beach where it rarely gets over 90 but with the Santa Ana Winds a it got to 105.

 

[Smoke]

Pot is 15 x 12 and 5 inches tall. The tree is 18 inches tall with a 5 inch trunk.

 

[jriddell88]

Beautiful trunk, nice pictures too!

 

[SlayingCondors]

So much character on that trunk. Looks really great upright.

I'm looking forward to seeing it grow back some healthy foliage to compliment all that wood.

 

[the1only]

The tree had lots of die back and lots of browning on the inside due to neglect.

How did you rectified it? Thanks.

 

[LanceMac10]

Wow! Way to keep churnin'.....great looking tree! Love it!

 

[Smoke]

How did you rectified it? Thanks.

I removed it!

 

[Smoke]

Been working about an hour a night on this, from 7PM to 8PM. It's the only time I can stand it outside.

 

[mcpesq817]

I think I liked it better as a cascade, but upright looks nice too. I'd think about leaning it a little more to the left and move the apex left. Tree would look a little better with white space between the live trunk and the big dead jin on the right to accentuate the deadwood more.

 

[Smoke]

I think I liked it better as a cascade, but upright looks nice too. I'd think about leaning it a little more to the left and move the apex left. Tree would look a little better with white space between the live trunk and the big dead jin on the right to accentuate the deadwood more.

What is it that defines Chokkan and Moyogi from every other Japanese Form?

Yes this is a pop quiz!

 

[Adair M]

The apex is directly above the roots, as viewed from the front.

Some California Junipers have denser foliage than others. This one appears to be the thin kind. I humbly suggest you try to leave more foliage on as you style.

The direction you've taken with this tree is very nice.

 

[herzausstahl]

@Adair M , @Smoke or @Bonsai Nut have any of you considered adding to the resources section a piece on styles, the origins & rules regarding each one?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

@Adair M , @Smoke or @Bonsai Nut have any of you considered adding to the resources section a piece on styles, the origins & rules regarding each one?

I haven't - not because I don't think it is important to know, but because there are so many sites out there that have sections on bonsai styles.

Also I have mixed emotions about styles. When I first started in bonsai I spent a lot of time using styles and styling so my tree would "fit a style". I got better at making bonsai, but not better at making my bonsai look like trees. Now I think of styles as a design framework or set of rules to understand - but not hard and fast commandments. They certainly help when you are thinking about your apex location, or potting angle, for example.

 

[Adair M]

@Adair M , @Smoke or @Bonsai Nut have any of you considered adding to the resources section a piece on styles, the origins & rules regarding each one?

The styles are well documented in the traditional books on bonsai. John Naka's books are often used as "bibles" of style.

 

[mattspinniken]

A great tree either upright or semi cascade. For what its worth I prefer the semi cascade and I think the tree fits that style perfectly. Who knows after a few years growing into its new position I may change my mind. That trees a beauty.

 

[drew33998]

Today I spent a good portion of the morning and afternoon working over the tree. Lots of branches removed and lots of pinching. wire taken off and new wire back on.

Before

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This is the front and the views at the quarters.

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I really like the last photo of the tree from the side but i presume that in person the dead wood sticks out too far from that side.