The Juniper Bonsai has multiple varieties like Juniperus chinensis and Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ that can be used to make a great bonsai. Native to Japan, Juniperus chinesis, also called shimpaku, is the easiest of all the species to work with.
Because the Juniper bonsai tree is a hardy plant tolerant to severe pruning and wide varieties of soils, it is one of the most popular bonsai plants among bonsai growers.
It is an evergreen with a shredding reddish brown trunk and bluish-green leaves that look like miniature branches.
The Juniper Bonsai tree is a very tough plant with flexible branches that respond very well to training and wiring. You can create any style with it except for broom. “Driftwood” is the most popular style used for Juniper trees.
Juniper Bonsai Watering
Water daily during the growing season from spring to fall. Keep the soil moist during winter. Although Juniper bonsai is drought tolerant it does better in moist well-drained soil during winter.
Juniper Bonsai Pruning
Branches should be pruned during spring and summer. Removing new shoots regularly will prevent the inner foliage from dying off. Sometimes one of the branches would die without any apparent reason.
This is a natural process that happens once in a while, so there is nothing to worry about. To keep the branches clean, you need to cut all the shoots that are growing down from the undersides of the branches.
Juniper Bonsai Hardiness
The Juniper Bonsai tree likes cold temperatures but needs to be protected in the winter from severe freezing. It does well in the temperatures from 20F – 90F. The ideal location is USDA Zone 4.
Juniper Bonsai Fertilizing
The Juniper Bonsai tree needs to be fertilized every two weeks during the growing season with general bonsai fertilizer. No need for fertilizing during winter.
Juniper Bonsai Pets and Diseases
The Juniper Bonsai tree might experience problems with scale and spider mites. Fungal infections can develop on congested foliage. It can be controlled by pruning out affected branches and applying anti-fungal treatment.
Juniper Bonsai Repotting
The Juniper Bonsai tree should be repotted every two years during spring when younger. Older specimens don’t need to be repotted that often. For Juniper bonsai older than 10 years, repot every four or five years.
Buying Juniper Bonsai
There are a lot of different places where you can get a Juniper bonsai. My friends and I buy all of our bonsai trees online from “Bonsai Boy” Nursery located in New York.
I tried buying bonsai trees from other sites, but they had much higher prices and the trees were not always properly trained.
“Bonsai Boy” has the lowest prices and highest quality bonsai trees you can find. This family-operated company has been in business since 1993. It has been a really great experience for me.
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