Juniperus virginiana, The long and winding road to bonsai

[Crazy Diamond]

Hello from the Canary islands, here we have two species of native junipers: the J. phoenicea var canariensis and the J. cedrus who is similar to J. rigida. Both of them make very good bonsai, but a few weeks ago in my local nursery they were pruning some garden junipers so I ask to take a few cuttings, they were Juniperus virginiana a.k.a Eastern red cedars. I didnt know much about the species so I dive in the internet and forums searching information, and yes I was a bit dissapointed about what I found, but althoug many people hate them for many good reasons (they are invasive, make crappy bonsai, juvenile foliage, rust, etc) I will give the species a try: they look pretty much indestructible and fast growers and I dont mind the juvenile foliage, I would like all of you share your Eastern red cedars bonsais or prebonsais and tricks for keeping them as bonsai. I think its possitive to work with this tricky species with filosophy and patience instead of frustrating and going against their natural behavior.

Sorry if something its not redacted well english its not my mother language

 

[sorce]

The base on mine just keeps flaring!


Going thru a period of neglect.


Sorce

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I found rust on wild phoenicea too on Mallorca, so that shouldn't be an issue in virginiana.

I have virginiana seedlings, and the Grey Owl cultivar seems to have less issues with juvenile foliage.

 

[Silentrunning]

Hello from the Canary islands, here we have two species of native junipers: the J. phoenicea var canariensis and the J. cedrus who is similar to J. rigida. Both of them make very good bonsai, but a few weeks ago in my local nursery they were pruning some garden junipers so I ask to take a few cuttings, they were Juniperus virginiana a.k.a Eastern red cedars. I didnt know much about the species so I dive in the internet and forums searching information, and yes I was a bit dissapointed about what I found, but althoug many people hate them for many good reasons (they are invasive, make crappy bonsai, juvenile foliage, rust, etc) I will give the species a try: they look pretty much indestructible and fast growers and I dont mind the juvenile foliage, I would like all of you share your Eastern red cedars bonsais or prebonsais and tricks for keeping them as bonsai. I think its possitive to work with this tricky species with filosophy and patience instead of frustrating and going against their natural behavior.

Sorry if something its not redacted well english its not my mother language

Know one thing - if you do make a great bonsai out of that material, you will be famous.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

The base on mine just keeps flaring!
View attachment 264826

Good nebari for sure, very nice base for a formal upright or literati

Know one thing - if you do make a great bonsai out of that material, you will be famous.

Even if the ERC were the best juniper in the world I probably wont do anything special haha, but if they were local to me sure I will try a yamadori

 

[Crazy Diamond]

This ERC looks very nice assuming it will never be as good as a shimpaku, from the cleveland bonsai club:

 

[Forsoothe!]

Here's a 14-year-old picture of Vance Hanna's ERC. People's Choice in 2005 Four Seasons Bonsai Club show. I could do better, but at 76, I don't have the 25-odd years left, so...

 

[Dragon60]

Here's mine after removing much of the wire to create a windswept look. Still very much a work in progress.

 

[vancehanna]

Forsoothe! I do recall that time in the Washington Square on the roof. Wow much time is downstream. Here's the same tree as of the other day under fall clean up and trmming.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Still spectacular after all this time. I'm sure everyone here would like to hear a brief history. Hmmmm?

 

[Silentrunning]

Yes we would!

 

[Joe Dupre']

I had this one in our club show this weekend.

 

[vancehanna]

Looking good keep going!

 

[vancehanna]

In 1974 this tree was collected in Waterford, Michigan from an vacant urban lot tat was filled with similar in different size ranges. When dug, It was approximately 16~18' in height. I gathered and placed it in the open ground for approximately 15 yrs. It's height was cut on site. Every three to four the top was recut and side branch upturned to achieve some degree of taper. The sabamiki right down the center was created in the initial few years after it was stabilized. In those 15 yrs I had dug and cut large roots and added 'rough' bonsai mix' right in the ground to encourage finer root growth as I knew it would not yet survive the pot. The tree as most that are gathered, was in poor color and nearly all juvenile foliage. In the interim years the color came out with proper feeding along with complete mature foliage in deep robust green. I think most people have not seen a Jpr. Vrgnnia as bonsai consequently those few that are out there are not mature enough and styled well enough to catch the attention of the aficionados of fine bonsai. Of course it is subject to Apple/Cedar Juniper rust and this was easily controlled each year with ferbam. None is visibly present on this specimen now. The tree still needs the lower No1 branch pulled down and shortened. The crown is developing and probably a shallower pot will be the future. The dimensions of the tree are: 43" [109cm] x base of trunk 4-1/2"[11.5cm] The first photo I can find (all others are waiting to be transformed from 35mm slides...) is the '88 and even at that, it was awarded a ribbon by Dan Robinson at the Midwest Show in Chicago that year. He commented to me saying it was the best formal upright and would become a spectacular tree some day.....

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Very impressive evolution! thank you for the background history and developement over the years, I really like that classic chokan style it suits perfectly with the cedars

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Incredible tree. Can you take a close up photo of one of the foliage pads? Id love to see how you laid out the pads.

 

[vancehanna]

Glad you like the tree as he’s been a challenge from day one. Here’s two of a few upper pads. They still need a lot of wire to continue to flatten.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Vance, have you considered NOT trying to flatten the foliage pads? I know that's crazy talk, but personally, I like a bit of the natural look of the fuller foliage. I do normally trim the obvious upward and downward growing shoots, but leave a bit of the chaos of the natural growing pattern.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

I had this one in our club show this weekend.
View attachment 270814

I like the tree but dont the two first branches developing in the same point... If the tree were mine I keep one of them and make a jin with the other, for my eye looks better with the right one and making a jin with the thicker left one

 

[vancehanna]

I have toyed with that idea for years. Jinning and thinning the left one (which according to the Naka principle is too low anyhow....
Good thoughts and confirmation.
Thanks