Is my Juniper dead?

[Moosleyh]

Hello, I bought a Juniper a week ago but I didnt do a scratch test to check the cambium layer. Now, after a week I did a check and it's white inside on various places. At the trunk as wel as the branches. Is this normal during colder periods or is there no life in the tree anymore?

Since the leafs look very lifely I just didnt bother to check, but its kinda weird to me that the tree doesn't look dead at all but the inside is white...

Location is Netherlands if that helps. Thanks in advance.

 

[Firstflush]

Look healthy to me with full green top. I’m by no means a juniper expert.

 

[Moosleyh]

Look healthy to me with full green top. I’m by no means a juniper expert.

Yeah it does to me as well not considering the cambium layer. Though that;s exactly what is worrying me. It should be green inside but it's not.

 

[Firstflush]

Well, there is a chance you scratched a dead vein in the trunk.

 

[chicago1980]

It is alive, the live tissue is a bright white.

 

[AJL]

If its still got a full canopy of lush green foliage the chances are there is really not much wrong with it so why worry? Probably best to stop scratching it !

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

You cut too deep, into the live wood. And you seem to have made a cut in the dead wood.
In winter the cambium is thin and about 0.3mm thick, so easy to miss.

The tree is alive and looks healthy.

 

[Moosleyh]

If its still got a full canopy of lush green foliage the chances are there is really not much wrong with it so why worry? Probably best to stop scratching it !

I had a recent experience with my Azalea rhododendron that wasn't doing good. I posted a thread on here as well. Most of the leafs were brown and were falling off. I took some action, contacted the nursery I got it from and it turns out it's super alive, but affected and will be treated. Unfortunately my other bonsai, a Acer Deshojo, didn't make it as it was super dead inside.

This experience made me check all my bonsai's cambium layer and that's how I discovered this about my juniper. I think I've been a bit too worried, but hopefully because of this experience I'll get better at taking care of them.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I see nothing wrong with this tree. I personally have never used a scratch test to test anything, LOL.

 

[Shibui]

Scratch test just introduces more cuts for more pests and diseases. Rarely solves any problems. Just look at the trees to see if they are healthy.

 

[Firstflush]

Probably best to stop scratching it !

 

[Mikecheck123]

This is the first time I've seen someone ask the question for a juniper that was actually alive (rather than golden yellow for four months).

 

[jeremy_norbury]

Hello, I bought a Juniper a week ago but I didnt do a scratch test to check the cambium layer. Now, after a week I did a check and it's white inside on various places. At the trunk as wel as the branches. Is this normal during colder periods or is there no life in the tree anymore?

Since the leafs look very lifely I just didnt bother to check, but its kinda weird to me that the tree doesn't look dead at all but the inside is white...

Location is Netherlands if that helps. Thanks in advance.

Where are you and where did you get it?