Craigslist Juniper

[mwar15]

This is one of the trees I picked up from Craigslist I will post as I go. The former owner dug it as a landscape tree and has had it for about 10 years. He did some training to it and styled it but hasn't done much to it in a while. The soil is pretty compacted.
My plan is to thin it out, get some sun to the branches. Mainly cut some of the small "pompoms" and cut all the down pointed growth. I will give it a break and then wire it out and throw it in a large Bonsai pot I have as a first "training pot" in the spring.
The pictures aren't the best. here is as I got it. as I received it for scale it is a 3 gallon pot I think

I spent a while this afternoon trimming it up, Not quite done but I think I will leave it for not Until I throw some wire on it.

The right top will be the top point of my triangle, the left side of the left trunk will be tightened up over time. The lower right branches I will bring down a little more when I wire it.
I am open to suggestions or advice.

 

[Random User]

If it were mine, I'd throw out the bonsai books and rules and go with my gut... but that would produce a tree that would have limited appeal... but in my case, as long as "I" like it, I don't care what anyone else thinks... nice project.

 

[jriddell88]

This seems to be a very nice piece of material , take your time with it and be sure to make a plan with it. Not sure of your experience , but don't start hacking at it without a good plan !

 

[mwar15]

If it were mine, I'd throw out the bonsai books and rules and go with my gut... but that would produce a tree that would have limited appeal... but in my case, as long as "I" like it, I don't care what anyone else thinks... nice project.

I understand what your saying

 

[Jeremy]

This is a really nice find. I think once you establish one of the trunks as the most dominant it will gain more flow. I like the movement in the trunks, its gnarly yet graceful or feminine. I think after you're done wiring the branches down you may be able to ditch the lowest branches on both trunks, minimalist approach.
I think there is a range of possibilities, great project!

 

[just.wing.it]

Wow! I love the movement!
I'd pick a trunk to work with, jin the other and have fun!
Great piece of material!

 

[Dav4]

Wow! I love the movement!
I'd pick a trunk to work with, jin the other and have fun!
Great piece of material!

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! This could make an OUTSTANDING double trunk/Mother-Daughter/Father-Son style tree!! Only jin a trunk if it's completely unusable. If this were mine, I'd be viewing it from different sides and with the trunks tipped at different angles...picture a 2 trunked tree on the side of a cliff with one fairly upright trunk and another, slightly smaller trunk the moves away and out over the edge of the cliff....that's what I'd be looking for. Good luck.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! This could make an OUTSTANDING double trunk/Mother-Daughter/Father-Son style tree!! Only jin a trunk if it's completely unusable. If this were mine, I'd be viewing it from different sides and with the trunks tipped at different angles...picture a 2 trunked tree on the side of a cliff with one fairly upright trunk and another, slightly smaller trunk the moves away and out over the edge of the cliff....that's what I'd be looking for. Good luck.

I am on the same page as you... Wishing the poster good luck. Maybe...look into a class where he can take it. But...make sure you follow your vision and not let one take in a different direction than you see it going. Wise advice given me from a friend. Advice is great...chew on it...and decide what you see. Never let one remove anything that maybe part of your own vision. Or you lose a piece of yourself when you look at it.

 

[Random User]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! This could make an OUTSTANDING double trunk/Mother-Daughter/Father-Son style tree!! Only jin a trunk if it's completely unusable. If this were mine, I'd be viewing it from different sides and with the trunks tipped at different angles...picture a 2 trunked tree on the side of a cliff with one fairly upright trunk and another, slightly smaller trunk the moves away and out over the edge of the cliff....that's what I'd be looking for. Good luck.

I disagree with you BOTH... lol... but of course we can't really tell what there is there for material from the pictures provided... but to me, it looks like two people dancing... maybe two "old" people dancing.

Although I think this is a terrific problem to have... when people disagree on what direction a tree can possibly take, it just goes to show what the possibilities might be... it's hard to believe that you got this off of craigslist.

 

[Dav4]

These are a few images I pulled from the web...they aren't necessarily junipers but they show how magical a well done twin trunk can be. The inspiration for the image I described above was from a false cypress literati twin trunk Kimura styled back in the 80's...there's an article on this tree somewhere in the older Bonsai Today magazines. Take your time studying all the possibilities with complicated material like this before committing. I've studied material for months or even years before making that first major cut...

 

[thumblessprimate1]

@mwar15 Tree looks nice and healthy! I'm agreement with the idea of a twin trunk. What do you think of the foliage? I've become a fan of Shimpaku. Not only is it easier on the skin, it's so compact and delightful to my eyes. I think Shimpaku foliage would look on those thin, curvy trunks. What's your plan for the roots when you repot if I may ask?

 

[mwar15]

I'd pick a trunk to work with, jin the other and have fun!

I think if I did that it would be the easy way out. I think this tree can become much more than just a single trunk tree, at least for right now.

What do you think of the foliage?

I think I will leave it as a nana, I love Shimpaku foliage also but No plans to change it.

@Dav4 Thanks for the pictures

I need to look at the tree some more and play with angles and different fronts. I am terrible at sketching but I may have to try and come up with a game plan.

 

[M. Frary]

I think I will leave it as a nana,

Not for sure but it may be a San Jose juniper.

 

[mwar15]

Not for sure but it may be a San Jose juniper.

Ill try and get a close up of the Foliage, I haven't seen a San Jose up close so it could be one I don't know I was just told it was a nana.

 

[mwar15]

I decided on this as my angle, or maybe a little more to the right.
some of the branches may be taken off or shortened over time but for now I probably won't mess with it anymore.
I had some time today after work to throw some copper wire on the main branches. For the most part, the branches had a good downward angle already I was just placing them more where I wanted them to go.
If I have time I will try and wire out some of the secondary branches.

@M. Frary here is a close up of the foliage

 

[Paradox]

I vote J. Pro nana

And I agree with Dav4. This should stay as twin trunk.

I agree with tilting to the right. Like the angle of your pic, but tad more right might be nicer, not sure.

 

[M. Frary]

Looks like procumbens nana to me too now.

 

[chicago1980]

I decided on this as my angle, or maybe a little more to the right.
some of the branches may be taken off or shortened over time but for now I probably won't mess with it anymore.
I had some time today after work to throw some copper wire on the main branches. For the most part, the branches had a good downward angle already I was just placing them more where I wanted them to go.
If I have time I will try and wire out some of the secondary branches.

@M. Frary here is a close up of the foliage

Looks great!

 

[justBonsai]

Cool tree, I dig the curves.

 

[j evans]

Nice, good find.