Blue Pacific Shore Juniper Styling advice

[palafr01]

After years of lurking I've finally decided to create a post here on Bonsainut! I have this Blue Pacific Juniper (J. Conferta) that I recently acquired and I was hoping to get some styling advice. I was thinking of creating an informal upright with it but I'm open to suggestions. I didn't find many posts on the site concerning this species specifically so I was curious what everyone here thinks. The plan for the rest of the year was to finish opening it up where it is still congested, and fertilize it until next spring when it can be wired and/or re-potted.

 

[Vance Wood]

You can go on the Internet sites by Bonsai Mirai and Ese En bonsai and watch all the demos you can get your hands on by Bjorn Bjorholm and Ryan Neil, both individuals have extensive videos about how to creat a bonsai and how to start the process. You have only offered fragmentary details of your tree making it impossible to give you any type of styling suggestions. That doesn't change the fact that you most likely need advise on what to keep and what to lose in the cleaning process.

 

[Japonicus]

I like the bones. The forwards crook in the trunk looks good. At what height...
does that 1/2" looking stub that is pointing to 11 o'clock come in at?

While there's plenty of bones pictures, a few pictures of the entire project would also be good.

When doing this as you are, reduction while still in nursery soil, get the tree super strong and happy
next year prior to potting up. Don't just assume you're going to pot it up next year.
Let the tree tell you, that it has sufficient foliage to repot whenever that happens.

Shore conferta share your pics and experiences...

I picked this Shore Juniper up yesterday $7 Not sure what's blue about it other than the name. I set it back down, and got half way to the register with a Japanese Holly, and turned back around and traded back to this little guy. The holly looked pretty good actually, but haven't made all my...

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I started this thread March of 2018 and it still is in the same can/soil. I don't like the subject in front of me
when I look at the one I have. More of the foliage than anything. Must need more perpetual time/care developing than other junipers I have.
Yours however has a much better trunk about it.

 

[sorce]

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Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[palafr01]

1 month in and its doing great. Lots of new growth all around. Did remove some stuff weeks ago that didn't have a place in the design and in order to increase light exposure into the interior. There are some branches that I think will need to go/ be replaced. But for the most part I feel it is at a good place for the rest of the year. Sorry for the delayed response been kinda busy.

@Vance Wood thank you so much for the resources they have helped tremendously. By following Ryan's tutorial I dug a bit further and found the real nebari and it is fairly decent. Sorry about the pics they weren't the best ill try to better in the future.

@Japonicus thanks for the advice and I read your thread. It gives me high hopes for this tree. Currently it stands at about 7 inches tall. I not too sure what stub you were referring to. Is it on the apex or was it the sub I removed on the first branch?

@sorce thanks for the warm welcome

 

[palafr01]

here's some current pics

 

[Vance Wood]

This tree has great potential.

 

[Japonicus]

It gives me high hopes for this tree.

Ha...it should because it looks like crap next to yours

what stub you were referring to

Sure, the one here pointing to 11 O'clock. What height does it come in at from the soil?
I would guess 4"+ no more than 5" from the soil?

 

[Vance Wood]

I would like to point out that as this tree has potential for good; it has almost equal potential for disaster. Shore Junipers have a reputation of not being to dependable and do not follow the rules as applied to other species of Junipers. I don't mean to diminish all of the good feelings amassed for this tree presently, but to point out that the tree may be a bonsai prodigy today that fact does not guaratntte it will float through life without a htich. Look in the galleries on all websites you may have access to, for evidence of the species in the bonsai liturgy. Short story: this is a tree that there is scant information and success is going to be dependent on your personal effort and observation.

 

[palafr01]

Here's an update on this tree over 1 year later. In the spring (around April) I half barerooted the tree and placed it into a large terracotta pot using Espoma's premade bonsai mix (sifted). Pics 1 and 2 show how the rootball had mostly become broken down soil and rotted roots. I was initially worried by the lack of young red fleshy roots, but I choose this section to bareroot since it was further away from the core of the plant. With some sphagnum moss to cover the transition zone (pic 3) the repot was otherwise complete. Overall the repot was successful and the tree grew well for me over the summer.

When I have more time I'll post more current pics as well as my plans for this tree going foward.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

I really like the conferta juniper!! (or should I say J. Rigida subs. conferta) I dont know why they are not very popular

 

[palafr01]

Unfortunately I'm sorry to say that this tree did not survive the winter and therefore this will be the last post for this tree. After waiting a good month and half and noticing new growth on all my other junipers while this tree turned crispy, I felt it was time to make the official call. I believe inadequate protection is ultimately what killed the tree since the winter here in SE PA was quite cold in February. Whether I had thought of it or not, I didn't realize or fully appreciate that j. conferta when container grown is only just hardy to my area and with the exposure I gave it (I treated it like it was as hardy as procumbens or chinensis) it stood little chance in the cold. My other junipers were in similar soil mixes and survived so I am reasonably confident that it wasn't drainage that killed the tree.

@Arnold I'm glad you liked the tree. As for their popularity I think the species coarse growth relative to other species puts them at a disadvantage when compared to the more popular species. After doing some research it seems this species is tends to be thirstier than others and this could also cause problems as well especially during times of extreme heat and cold like I found out. Overall the greatest strength of the species in my eyes is its ability to form powerful trunks with very clearly defined live veins which could be exploited to its best effect by grafting foliage from another species onto it.

Although this isn't how I hoped things would turn out, I wanted to thank everyone who gave advice and I hope this post gives closure to those who were following the tree's thread.

 

[Esolin]

Sorry to hear this one didn't make it. I'd certainly like to see more of them out there as bonsai. I've got a couple small ones in early development I'm trying hard not to kill. Just repotted the biggest one now that temps are warm since Ryan Neil says needle junipers like tosho (and I assume conferta as well) need warm weather to tolerate and recover from root work. Fingers crossed mine doesn't turn crispy too.

 

[Pjm]

Here is a little more on juniperus conferta. Here is gold pacific as well. Seeing more and more at local nurseries