Juniper tip issue identification

[zooley]

I've noticed the tips look damaged on a few junipers. It looks like the growing tip had issues (too little water? too much water? disease?) and was shed. I'm seeing this across multiple species/varieties. For the most part, the rest of the plants look healthy. Anyone have any experience or hints as to what this may be and if it's something to worry about? My first suspicion is too little/much watering. Admittedly, this has been a harsh summer with excessive heat and some drought-like conditions and getting a handle on the watering has been a challenge for this relative newcomer. The attached images are of j. horizontalis [IMG_5032], shimpaku [IMG_5034, IMG_5035] (itoigawa? *), and a j. parsonii [IMG_5037]. It's easiest to see on the j. horizontalis but all exhibit the issue in some manner.

Just a note that they are kept outside in full sun and all, except the (supposed) shimpaku, are still in nursery pots with their original soil. No root work done on any of them this year.

Any insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks!


* This was found amongst some half-dead bonsai at a Meijer. Usually I avoid them for that very reason but this one stood out. Despite everything being labeled as procumbens nana, some were clearly not. This one, at least, didn't look like any procumbens nana I've been familiar with. So I brought it home and nursed it back to health. But, I'm not sure the exact species/variety and am taking a guess on the "itoigawa".

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Junipers were created for those who don't have any worry beads.

 

[bwaynef]

Have you pinched?

 

[zooley]

No pinching.

 

[bwaynef]

How long have you had them?

 

[zooley]

The shimpaku since around this time last year, the horizontalis since March and the parsonii since May.

 

[bwaynef]

If you've had them that long and they weren't pinched, then I'd suspect you might be seeing one of the tip blights. Good news, they're rarely deadly. Your trees should recover and push new growth. If that is the case, you've likely got an issue happening horticulturally. Limit the water you get on the foliage. Get them in good soil. (Until you're able to repot, you may want to tilt the pots somewhat.) Give them as much sun exposure as you're able.

The "itoigawa" ...isn't.

 

[zooley]

I wondered about tip blight but didn't see any of the typically associated black spots. Maybe just too early.

Any guesses as to what that one juniper is?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I wondered about tip blight but didn't see any of the typically associated black spots. Maybe just too early.

Any guesses as to what that one juniper is?

Procumbens in the US does make scale foliage sometimes. So it could be that.

I'm thinking the tip death might be spider mite related. Could in part also be pollen cones or flowers that have dropped off.
Maybe a bit of salt stress? How much are you feeding these guys?

 

[Shibui]

Any guesses as to what that one juniper is?

Hard to be certain from just one shot of foliage but looks like another J. chinensis type. There are lots of different selections from different places in Asia and some are quite different from others.
There are some many different junipers and so many different selections and hybrids now that I've stopped trying to ID them. They'll still grow good bonsai even if you don't know the name.

 

[zooley]

There are some many different junipers and so many different selections and hybrids now that I've stopped trying to ID them.

Hehe. Fair point. After searching for an hour or more last night, I'm fairly confident it's a j. chinensis of some form (Hollywood?) but change my mind on variety every time I see a new picture. I admit I have no clue how I got it in my head it may be itoigawa.

As for the fertilization question: I haven't added any to the horizontalis or parsonii. These were nursery items and already had some of those slow release pellets in the pot. That, of course, isn't to say what's in there isn't too much. When digging through plants at nurseries, it sometimes looks like half a container of fertilizer got dumped in some of them.

I did check for spider mites and didn't see anything. But, again, I am no expert and may be doing it wrong.

I'll keep an eye on them for any changes or spreading of condition. Maybe a light treatment for tip blight? I appreciate all the feedback. Thanks everyone!

 

[Crazy Diamond]

The blue one is J. horizontalis "wiltonii" the others probably J. chinesis cultivars