Juniper Procumbens Nana

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

Here's a recent addition to the collection. We picked it up at auction. We don't have any other mature procumbens in the collection, so any thoughts on how best to develop the pads would be great.

It's a fairly good size tree, the table it's on is about 12 inches wide. Do the math from there. We've only had it a couple of weeks, so we haven't tweeked it at all yet. Seeing it up at height tells me it needs some things moved around, and or, developed in general. Thoughts welcomed...

 

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

I have to admit, for being a pretty common species, I'm pretty enthused about this tree.

Kindly,

Victrinia

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

It has great bones, nice score!

 

[A Random User]

The worse part when working with these is just the juvenile foliage...
The full sun and a bit drier conditions I find seems to help, I only
cut foliage back to the next node, pinching for me seems to send more
juvenile foliage out.

I think the key is to trim a little amount, then next week trim a little amount,
and so on...

Then there is the well it might never have as good of foliage as a shimp,
so just roll with what the tree's features are.
Awesome material... I think you are going to end up with a very nice tree.

 

[fourteener]

With the bottom picture of your second post (I think) my ideas are...

1. The heart of the tree is the cool trunk with the strong movement back to the right. Anything to reveal that more and let it be the focus.
2. The cascade is cluttered. One of the side shots makes it look like there is one branch that forks into two. I would remove one and develop pads with the other.
3. The mass of foliage at the back is too heavy for it's purpose.
4. A very nice apex is already in the works. I don't like the extra visual mass to the right.

To me it's those little extra things that take your eye away from the cool trunk, just to look at foliage.

5. the show stopper on that trunk would be creating a scar that follows the line of the trunk. The stark white really draws the eye to the flowing lines.

Based on your other work, I doubt you'll have a problem making this look great in time. Or I should say even better!!

Are you the kind of person who looks at things for awhile or dive-on-in? I'm a little of both, the better the material, the more I like to think it over!!

 

[october]

This is beautiful! Just an incredible specimen of a procumbens cascade.

As far as a styling plan. I think a more micro or smaller, multiple pads though out the tree is the way to go. I notice that it is already structured like that so I would go with it. I think it would make for an older looking tree and also, more of a cascading, almost waterfall like, look.

In general, I don't think it needs much work. These trees don't like a lot of reduction in one area. If you pinch or cut too much, they tend to get really weak in that area. Also, sections will seem to pale for no reason. I suppose you could reduce the right side. However, for the apex, might be better to wire things down instead of reduce. I have a feeling this tree will not respond well to reducing that area further.

This is a procumbens from Michael Hagedorn. It beautifully demonstrates the look of smaller pads throughout the tree. Maybe it can provide some inspiration.

Rob

 

[fourteener]

This is beautiful! Just an incredible specimen of a procumbens cascade.

As far as a styling plan. I think a more micro or smaller, multiple pads though out the tree is the way to go. I notice that it is already structured like that so I would go with it. I think it would make for an older looking tree and also, more of a cascading, almost waterfall like, look.

In general, I don't think it needs much work. These trees don't like a lot of reduction in one area. If you pinch or cut too much, they tend to get really weak in that area. Also, sections will seem to pale for no reason. I suppose you could reduce the right side. However, for the apex, might be better to wire things down instead of reduce. I have a feeling this tree will not respond well to reducing that area further.

This is a procumbens from Michael Hagedorn. It beautifully demonstrates the look of smaller pads throughout the tree. Maybe it can provide some inspiration.



Rob

It's branch structure is simple and airy. I'm always asking how can I keep a good level of foliage with less branches cluttering it up. This example has done that very well!!

 

[october]

It's branch structure is simple and airy. I'm always asking how can I keep a good level of foliage with less branches cluttering it up. This example has done that very well!!

This pic of the tree is after it was styled from rough material. You can see the beautiful structure is now in place. Which makes the future pruning and care much easier. In time it will fill in. If you want to read the article this is from. Here is the link.

Rob

http://bonsaibark.com/2010/07/03/juniper-before-and-after/

 

[tmmason10]

I think some Shari is necessary for the full effect of the trunk. With your handiwork, this tree will look really nice in a short amount of time.

 

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

Thanks so much for the comments and the suggestions! It was nice to get it up and look at it even closer than I had. Photography has a nice side effect that way.

It'll get a nice compliment of deadwood to be sure.

I love that photo of Micheal's work Rob... thanks for that!

As Brian said... she has good bones. Wait until you get a load of her older cousin, the RMJ that was acquired at the same auction. Good stuff all around.

Kindly,

Victrinia

 

[Poink88]

Very nice score!!!

I like the tree and the pot too.

 

[Dav4]

Wait until you get a load of her older cousin, the RMJ that was acquired at the same auction. Good stuff all around.

Kindly,

Victrinia

I'm looking forward to meeting the older cuz!! If she's (?) better looking then the younger one, that'll be a good lookin' lady.

 

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

She is venerable and wonderful... has a lot of growing out to do, but the deadwood is worthy... I'll snag some photos tonight. Some of the live veins are so fine they are only a few millimeters thick. You'll like it...

I picked it up for a song, relatively speaking... I think most people were intimidated by the idea of developing this very large piece of deadwood into a tree. Which totally worked for me.

V

 

[october]

There is currently a chuhin size rmj at the nursery. It, pretty much, has no deadwood and a bunch of thin foliage. It is a decent price for the material. I almost bought it twice, but changed my mind. For me, it does not have that "have to have it" quality. Who knows, if it is still there, I might change my mind. They do make incredible bonsai.

Rob

 

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

What do they want for Chuhin with no DW? I've got a couple shohin ones to style up also. Eric has a rather lovely old one which is totally ready to get worked over. It's going to be a bummer to pot up, but when it gets there it should be fantastic.

V

 

[october]

What do they want for Chuhin with no DW? I've got a couple shohin ones to style up also. Eric has a rather lovely old one which is totally ready to get worked over. It's going to be a bummer to pot up, but when it gets there it should be fantastic.

V

If you are a member, they are asking $312. There really isn't any deadwood. It is a bit strange. There is one stub that is about to fall off and what looks like a small shari on the trunk. However, even that is not really dead wood. It looke like it has some age to it as well. It is planted in a semi cascade like postion.

Rob

 

[coh]

I have to admit, for being a pretty common species, I'm pretty enthused about this tree.

You should be! It's already beautiful and I think a number of those photos could make good fronts.

I've seen a lot of so-so procumbens out there, and many of them have a somewhat sickly grayish coloration (including mine, I haven't figured out how to keep them happy yet). But when done well, they make fabulous bonsai (in my opinion).

Looking forward to seeing what you do with it...

Chris

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Picture 4is my favorite. Looks long and winding. It will be lovely.