Need styling advice on a juniper

bdmatt

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Hello y'all, I recently purchased a juniper and I'm thinking of styling it in the coming months. I don't know the specific variety and neither did the seller. The trunk is about 1.5 inches in diameter, pretty straight, and uninteresting. Due to the shari, I don't think I can do any extreme bending. I thought of making the tree in literati style by cutting out or jinning the lower two branches and rewiring the leading branch. I'm open to any ideas since I'm lost at what to do with the trunk.
 

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Shibui

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I think you are correct about the trunk. Way too thick and stiff to bend so the only option is to use it.
First check the trunk shari. I know the dead wood stops halfway up the trunk but I suspect there will be some dead above that as juniper tend to have very linear sap flow. Look for bark that's not as thick/fat as on either side. I think I can see the live edge thickening under the thumb in the final photo, following the callus edge below where bark has been removed. You can make small incisions into the bark to check for green cambium too.
Even if the bark above is still alive I would consider extending that shari up to the first bend.
Informal upright as it currently is appears to be a good option for style. It is a 'safe' style but probably suits the straight trunk best.

The first left branch (outside the first bend) would look good as a mostly hanging branch so if possible bend (most of?) it down to fill the space on the left.
1st right branch is awkward growing from inside the bend. It has probably been retained to fill some lower space but if the left branch can come down the right one is no longer needed there. Bend it to the rear to give a back branch.
Next branch on the right can also bend down but not so much as to be level with the left side.
Wire and bend all apex branches out and down to give a rounded canopy.
 

Potawatomi13

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Patience grasshopper. Boringly straight trunk. Plant in yard and get tree with interesting trunk or follow

More twisted shinpaku​

thread to get really interesting trunk.

 
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sorce

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Welcome to Crazy!

Maybe layer it after while.

Sorce
 

Cypress187

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Layering sounds good, welcome to the forum!
 
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Foliage looks like itoigawa to me, but perhaps a bit leggy.
Depending on how extensive the shari is, perhaps splitting the trunk and busting out the raffia, thick copper, etc. might be an option? If you aren't emotionally invested in the tree's life, doing something more extensive could be worth the risk.
 
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