Itoigawa juniper source?

[Poink88]

Anyone know reasonably priced Itoigawa source? I am not after big pre-bonsai stock (but fine too if priced right), rather small ones I can use for grafting.

Between nathanbs, Juniper master series book, and Michael Hagedorn's write up about it...I want to give it a try. I might need half a dozen or so small plants or a big one.

Any leads will be much appreciated either posted here or via PM. Thank you!!!

 

[milehigh_7]

My source did not have any info on the variety of shimp they offer, but Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks sells em. However, just checking now it looks like he is sold out. Might not hurt to contact him and ask for a time frame.

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/juniperu.htm

Alternatively, if someone could help me find a reliable key I would be able to key the ones that I have access to.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks Clyde. I emailed Brent.

You lost me on this though...

Alternatively, if someone could help me find a reliable key I would be able to key the ones that I have access to.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

For grafting stock, you're on the right track with Brent. The provenance of his Itoigawas is spot-on.
Chris may have smaller ones at Telperion, and the stuff he's growing in the ground is tempting too.
Don Blackmond has them from time to time as well...Gregorybeachbonsai.com
I have a few in the ground (cuttings from Brent's stock), but nothing ready to dig yet.

You'll know you're getting Itoigawa if you're dealing with these guys. I've seen plenty of mislabeled junipers recently, so you want to be sure...

 

[berobinson82]

As an aside, I found a local nursery that shipped in a few shimps from Cali to VA. They charged me $35 a piece and they were surprisingly good sized with 2.5 inch diameter trunks. I destroyed one (charge it to the learning process) and the second one I used to pull off 5 airlayers. I'll likely pull off 3 more before starting to work on the parent tree. So. Yeah. Maybe that's an option for you if you call around to some nurseries.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks.

I will check around but as Brian mentioned, I too noticed that there are not so reliable sources out there so I am a bit careful.

I asked my friend who is more knowledgeable if he can help me source them locally.

 

[yenling83]

Evergreen Gardenworks is great, but he seems to run out of Itoigawa often.

I bought five Itoigawa 1-2 yr old cuttings from Matt at:
http://kaedebonsai.com/
I think they were maybe $10-$15/each-i forget exactly

Perfect size for grafting, very nice foliage, lots of roots-they are potted in Turface(which I was not too pumped on). I don't think he lists them for sale, you'll have to email on the site hopefully he still has some.

 

[elliott]

Try travis at california bonsai studios (californiabonsaistudio.com). There are actualy different quality itoigawa's. The best seem to originate from Chikugo-en nursery (mas and Gary Ishi), in torrance, California. travis has the kind from them, it's the tightest itoigawa foilage around. Idon't think the Ishi's will ship, but you can call them and ask.

 

[berobinson82]

Try travis at california bonsai studios (californiabonsaistudio.com). There are actualy different quality itoigawa's. The best seem to originate from Chikugo-en nursery (mas and Gary Ishi), in torrance, California. travis has the kind from them, it's the tightest itoigawa foilage around. Idon't think the Ishi's will ship, but you can call them and ask.

The link is dead.

 

[John Romano]

it's www.californiabonsai.com and they are still in business.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks Guys!

Yep when the link failed, I just did a search and their site came up. Email sent and hopefully I hear back from them.

Brent at Evergreen Garden Works already sent me 2 emails. Sadly, he won't have any until mid-summer.

 

[Poink88]

BTW, my friend offered one of his trees as scion donor for my grafting project. I am hesitant but if all else fails, I just might take him up on it.

He insists that it is not a problem since he will be pruning it anyway. What a guy!

 

[buddhamonk]

For large itoigawa stock, telperion farms in Oregon is the place to go

 

[milehigh_7]

For grafting stock, you're on the right track with Brent. The provenance of his Itoigawas is spot-on.
Chris may have smaller ones at Telperion, and the stuff he's growing in the ground is tempting too.
Don Blackmond has them from time to time as well...Gregorybeachbonsai.com
I have a few in the ground (cuttings from Brent's stock), but nothing ready to dig yet.

You'll know you're getting Itoigawa if you're dealing with these guys. I've seen plenty of mislabeled junipers recently, so you want to be sure...

That's why I suggested Brent... I was real frustrated with my source and told them that it would be really helpful if they would key their stuff. I did see a good guide once to keying them but I would never sell something as something specific if I was not sure. I would love it if someone had such a key available.

 

[Ris]

Hey Dario,
Did you ever find a source for itoigawa?

Rishi.

 

[Poink88]

Hey Dario,
Did you ever find a source for itoigawa?

Rishi.

No, I never got Itoigawa but bought some (claimed) regular Shimpaku instead. I got some from the same vendor in eBay who sold me the "Kingsville" boxwood so I am not too sure. I also bought some from another eBay vendor...that too I am not sure. They do look very compact and nice but I am not knowledgeable enough to ID them. All in all, shimpaku or not, I am happy with the ones I got--for the price I paid.

If you are interested, I can share the vendor names.

 

[GrimLore]

Might want to check this place - http://www.bonsaiforest.net/shimpaku-pre-bonsai-tree-large-shimpaku-itoigawa.html

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Might want to check this place - http://www.bonsaiforest.net/shimpaku-pre-bonsai-tree-large-shimpaku-itoigawa.html

Hard to tell from the small photo, but the juniper in that link doesn't look like my Itoigawa junipers...

This cutting is from Brent's Itoigawa stock. By contrast, in the upper-right of the photo is Kishu, which is closer in color to my "standard" shimpaku.

 

[Ris]

No, I never got Itoigawa but bought some (claimed) regular Shimpaku instead. I got some from the same vendor in eBay who sold me the "Kingsville" boxwood so I am not too sure. I also bought some from another eBay vendor...that too I am not sure. They do look very compact and nice but I am not knowledgeable enough to ID them. All in all, shimpaku or not, I am happy with the ones I got--for the price I paid.

If you are interested, I can share the vendor names.

From watching both shimpaku and itoigawa side by side I can see the difference, itoigawa has lighter green growth on its tips and very soft. I'm passing by for some wire later I will grab a couple pics and post my finds of how I identify them.

 

[amkhalid]

According to Marco Invernizzi, one of the easiest ways to identify itoigawa is how the foliage grows in flat-ish fronds as opposed to the "puffier" look of shimpaku and kishu. The flat nature of the pads is one of the things that make itoigawa so awesome.

You can kind of see what I'm talking about in Brian's pic. That is definitely itoigawa.