Japanese Juniper Species

Bonsai History

• Bonsai cultivation was not originally a Japanese tradition. The Chinese have been producing container plants since the sixth century. These miniature Chinese plants, called "penjing," influenced Japanese culture when Japanese Buddhist students studying in China brought back penjing plants as souvenirs. Although the term bonsai was not used until the end of the 19th century, the Japanese began adopting this tradition in the 12th century. Japanese horticulturalists cultivated miniature trees in shallow "bon" containers, which were suitable for growing dwarf trees.

About Japanese Bonsai

• Growers cultivate Bonsai plants to manifest the Japanese standard of beauty, which is the idea that wild, natural beauty becomes magnificent beauty when molded by man according to human standards of beauty. Bonsai trees have two purposes: to motivate the grower's energy and creativity, and to inspire rumination and peace in the viewer. Growers create bonsai trees by planting a seedling or a small tree from perennial shrub species or wood-stemmed trees in a shallow pot. They then cultivate the tree in the pot through crown and root pruning and defoliation, which is removing leaves. Bonsai plants have needles or miniature leaves.

Japanese Juniper Bonsai

• Japanese junipers are collected as wild yamadori, which means "taken from the mountain." Mountain junipers have leaf colors that range from blue-green and light green to gold or silver. Many junipers have both natural and artificial "jins," which are deadwood, and "sharis," which are bleached to a bright white color with lime-sulphur. Japanese junipers have compact foliage with branches that can be trained to grow into interesting shapes, making them the most popular for growing. Japanese junipers produce small, brown pine cones yearly and green berries once they reach maturity. Japanese junipers require watering and indirect sunlight; they grow best outdoors. If cared for sufficiently, junipers can live for more than 200 years.

Japanese Juniper Species

• The Japanese Dwarf Garden juniper is a popular juniper species for bonsai cultivation. The Dwarf Garden spreads its branches low throughout the shallow pot and has bright green foliage. It requires full sun exposure and daily watering, and should be fed with a slow-acting organic fertilizer every 20 to 30 days. Although the Dwarf Garden can stand freezing temperatures, its roots should be protected from extreme heat or cold. The Juniperus Rigida, or the Needle Juniper, has sharp, pointed needle foliage. It grows in parts of Europe, but is hard to keep alive for more than two to three years. Other species include the Juniperus Squamata, which also has needle foliage, Juniperus Sargentii, with scale foliage, and the Juniperus Sabina, which is an evergreen shrub.