Clearance Juniperus virginiana 'Grey Owl'

[Eckhoffw]

I should look into the ones you mention just because I really enjoy the junipers despite only having started on them a couple or three years ago. But what to do when the only available locally Parsonii , procumbens, and sea green?
For now, I need to look into this associating grey owl to virginiana because they are nothing the same to me but I will post photos if it's okay with eckhoff or start a new trhread.

Totally fine. Have at it!

I wanted to note that My reasons for trying other junipers for bonsai comes -in part- from my relative inexperience in bonsai and plants.

That said, I’ve already become a little tired of the shimpaku standard. Yes, they are ideal, but require more protection, and to be honest, don’t excite me much.

For nursery stock, I steer away from ‘sea of green’ junipers. I have 3 that I’m about ready to ditch. Super leggy and long loose foliage.
In my experience, Adult scale foliage will have 2-3” or longer shoots that immediately revert to juvenile when pruned.
I currently enjoy Sabina, and ‘old gold’ if I can find nice trunks. Parsonii seems like an alright subject. Very cold tolerant. I’ve yet to find one in my local nurseries on clearance.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Totally fine. Have at it!

I wanted to note that My reasons for trying other junipers for bonsai comes -in part- from my relative inexperience in bonsai and plants.

That said, I’ve already become a little tired of the shimpaku standard. Yes, they are ideal, but require more protection, and to be honest, don’t excite me much.

For nursery stock, I steer away from ‘sea of green’ junipers. I have 3 that I’m about ready to ditch. Super leggy and long loose foliage.
In my experience, Adult scale foliage will have 2-3” or longer shoots that immediately revert to juvenile when pruned.
I currently enjoy Sabina, and ‘old gold’ if I can find nice trunks. Parsonii seems like an alright subject. Very cold tolerant. I’ve yet to find one in my local nurseries on clearance.

Re: Parsoni juniper. I have a couple and they grow great, but they have a gray cast to them and not a vivid green as maybe a procumbens.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Totally fine. Have at it!

I wanted to note that My reasons for trying other junipers for bonsai comes -in part- from my relative inexperience in bonsai and plants.

That said, I’ve already become a little tired of the shimpaku standard. Yes, they are ideal, but require more protection, and to be honest, don’t excite me much.

For nursery stock, I steer away from ‘sea of green’ junipers. I have 3 that I’m about ready to ditch. Super leggy and long loose foliage.
In my experience, Adult scale foliage will have 2-3” or longer shoots that immediately revert to juvenile when pruned.
I currently enjoy Sabina, and ‘old gold’ if I can find nice trunks. Parsonii seems like an alright subject. Very cold tolerant. I’ve yet to find one in my local nurseries on clearance.

If you are tired of Shimpaku, and want something different and cold hardy for Minnesota, try the different cultivars of Juniperus horizontalis. Nick Lenz had a few he trained trunks upright, and once set they looked great. Though he did mention they were like politicians, no backbone and no memory. You had to prop them up every year for years on end to get them to lignify as upright trees.

Browse your local nurseries, see what other junipers are hardy in your area. And to consider the J. horizontalis.

 

[nuttiest]

How long to 'set' either a horizontalis or procumbens propped up? Does hardened wood ever slump back?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Don't know personally, I only have shimpaku in my yard. Nick seemed to indicate it was a multi-year process, longer than with a shimpaku.

 

[Eckhoffw]

How long to 'set' either a horizontalis or procumbens propped up? Does hardened wood ever slump back?

I do have a couple small horizontalis that I’ve been messing with for a few years. I think they may be longer as far as set times for smaller branches. Longer than procumbens.
This horizantalis I put it in the ground, as it was slow to bulk up and going nowhere.
Foliage has more of a habit of forming ponytail or paint brush like groups.
I also enjoy ‘blue rug,’ or juniperus horizontalis'Wiltonii') which is widely available. They are super pliable and tend to respond great to wiring. Foliage is still pretty loose and floppy, but seem pretty tough.

 

[James W.]

How long to 'set' either a horizontalis or procumbens propped up? Does hardened wood ever slump back?

I have three 'Blue Rug' growing in pots and staked vertical. Five years in I have trunks about 3/8" (9.5mm) in diameter on trees 3 ft (1 m) tall. I am probably growing them in too small of pots but they have never really filled their pots with roots.

 

[nuttiest]

I have three 'Blue Rug' growing in pots and staked vertical. Five years in I have trunks about 3/8" (9.5mm) in diameter on trees 3 ft (1 m) tall. I am probably growing them in too small of pots but they have never really filled their pots with roots.

Where is the new growth mostly wanting to sprout - at the blue rug normal height or from the tips you staked?

 

[Eckhoffw]

I have three 'Blue Rug' growing in pots and staked vertical. Five years in I have trunks about 3/8" (9.5mm) in diameter on trees 3 ft (1 m) tall. I am probably growing them in too small of pots but they have never really filled their pots with roots.

Yeah, it’s harder to find bigger single trunks.
I’m thinking it may be because of their crawling habit in that they don’t usually need to bulk up to hold a bunch of weight. My 2, lack much taper as bigger branches bulk up without adding much to the base.

This one I’ve had for about 4 yrs but has always been in a small pot.

I’m sure they would bulk up in the ground, but working on these things (or keeping them in check) would also prove to be difficult with their low spreading habit.
The low branches also ground layer themselves often which is something that has to be dealt with when ground growing.

In other words, up-potting incrementally might be the key.


Are your trees holding up on their own when un-staked?

 

[James W.]

Are your trees holding up on their own when un-staked?

Not even close

 

[Eckhoffw]

Not even close

Huh, got any photos?

 

[James W.]

Huh, got any photos?

 

[rustygarden]

I have one , at least it looks the same . Unmarked when I picked it up . Growing it as a slightly unconventional cascade . Needs to be wired again . I just trimmed a ton of it off about 4 weeks ago . Wired up the apex and it holds fine . I am going to make a metal semi cascade pot for it and repot in the spring . Pretty easy to take care of .

 

[nuttiest]

Please excuse my crappy looking shelf they are all getting fungicide of various types now I had a bad outbreak of something, that looked like it came from a leyland cypress I bought this year.
On top is three grey owl in a row, and the fourth was supposedly same. I thought it had somewhat weeping growth pattern.. didn't realize it was sick and had floppy branches problem. Now that it is on rotation it is regaining strength I think the end of November all should have their true color and growth habit so it will be easy to rule out if it is not.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Fall cleanup. Removing wires where I can. View attachment 512960
I’m going to do root work in the spring. I’m debating on whether I want to put it in the ground or in a training pot.
Any thoughts?

I would recommend an Anderson flat, with some aggregate, and then let it escape into the ground for a couple or ten years for development. Looks like great material.

 

[Eckhoffw]

The grey owl came out of the can today!
Repotted at a Minnesota Bonsai Society event.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take pics while I was there. I was to busy working the very dense root mass.
Reduced over an inch off the top before Finding some thicker roots actually coming off of the trunk.. unfortunately zero root flair.

Possible front. If I pull the apex forward

 

[Eckhoffw]

This one seems to be happy enough.
Some runners ripping, and no die off since repot.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Removed wire today. Definitely some scarring as I haven’t paid close enough attention.

I’ve let this one be -for the most part- since it was repotted this year. Next year I would like to further decide on styling and refining the floppy pads.
Advice and suggestions are very welcome!

 

[Joe Dupre']

Removed wire today. Definitely some scarring as I haven’t paid close enough attention.View attachment 566139

I’ve let this one be -for the most part- since it was repotted this year. Next year I would like to further decide on styling and refining the floppy pads. View attachment 566140
Advice and suggestions are very welcome!

Great start! My go-to technique in styling is to start by wiring the branches down so that each branch has its own space ( as viewed from the top) That usually gives me a start on a possible design. Look for a possible front and a possible apex. Be patient. This process might take an hour or a day or a month. Live with the tree for a while.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Great start! My go-to technique in styling is to start by wiring the branches down so that each branch has its own space ( as viewed from the top) That usually gives me a start on a possible design. Look for a possible front and a possible apex. Be patient. This process might take an hour or a day or a month. Live with the tree for a while.

Yes. Great advice. Thank you.