How to Make a Chinese Juniper Bonsai and Its Care Techniques

Chinese juniper, also known as juniper, Taiwan juniper, and spiny pine, is an evergreen tree of the genus Juniperus in the Cupressaceae family. Its bark is brown, with longitudinal grooves, and peels off in strips. The branches are sparse and grow upward, while the twigs droop, are three-angled, initially green, and later reddish-brown. The leaves are arranged in whorls of three, needle-shaped, with sharp tips, slightly concave surfaces, and slightly raised midribs. The leaves are green, with a white stomatal band on each side, merging into one at the leaf tip. The trunk of the Chinese juniper is rugged and ancient-looking, the foliage is emerald green and evergreen all year round, and the branches are soft and easy to shape, making it a good tree species for making bonsai.

Chinese junipers used for making bonsai can be propagated by sowing, cuttings, layering, and other methods, or old stumps that have grown for many years, are short in stature, and have gnarled, aged forms can be selected to make bonsai. Their excavation and transplanting are mostly carried out in winter or before budding in early spring. Before transplanting, first thin out the branches according to the shape of the stump, cutting off all unnecessary branches. When excavating, cut off the main root and retain more lateral roots, fine roots, and fibrous roots. It is best to transplant with a soil ball. For bare-root plants, the roots must be kept moist and fresh. First plant them in plain sandy soil to grow the stock. When there are many, they can be planted in the ground; when there are few, or for those living in apartments, they can also be grown in pots. After planting, firm the soil, water thoroughly, spray once, and then cover the plant with transparent plastic film to keep it warm and moist. In spring, as the temperature rises, the stump will gradually sprout. When the temperature inside the plastic film is too high or the humidity is too low, one corner of the plastic film can be opened for ventilation and cooling, and water should be replenished in time, but the soil must not become waterlogged, so as to avoid root rot. After the plant grows steadily, the plastic film should be gradually removed. For surviving stumps, they can be allowed to grow freely in the first year without shaping, and then in the spring of the second year they can be moved into loose, breathable, well-drained sandy soil and shaped.

For young Chinese juniper trees propagated by sowing, cuttings, or layering, wire can be used for bending and shaping. When wiring, try to make use of the original form of the trunk as much as possible, and process them into different forms of bonsai such as single-trunk style, slanting-trunk style, curved-trunk style, waterside style, cascade style, and root-over-rock style. For old stumps that have grown for many years, the shaping should vary from tree to tree. Referring to the forms of junipers in nature and ancient junipers in paintings, the method of thick wiring and fine pruning is used to express the juniper's posture of both aged simplicity and vigorous vitality. When wiring Chinese juniper, people often wind, twist, and bend the wire at the same time, which some call the "twist the sinews and turn the bones method." When wiring the main branches, press downward along the direction in which the wire is twisted to prevent the base from splitting. When the wire begins to cut into the branches and trunk, it should be removed in time. If the shape does not meet the requirements, it can be rewired to avoid causing scars. For old Chinese juniper stumps, part of the bark can also be peeled off along the fibers of the bark as needed, and lime sulfur mixture applied, to create "shari" or "jin," making them appear aged and rugged. When peeling the bark, it should be done along the twisted live vein of the stump to achieve the artistic effect of "coming from nature, yet higher than nature."

Chinese juniper likes a warm, humid environment and full sunlight, is slightly shade-tolerant, and tolerant of cold and drought. The finished bonsai can be placed outdoors in a sunny, well-ventilated place for care. Do not use too much fertilizer or water, so as to avoid excessive vegetative growth that affects the beauty of the tree shape. During the growing season, keep the pot soil moist, and water according to the principle of "do not water until dry, and water thoroughly when watering." Do not give "half watering." When the air is dry, spray water on the leaves to increase air humidity and keep the leaf color fresh, but pay attention to drainage during continuous rainy days. Apply a thin, well-rotted liquid fertilizer once each at the end of April and in early September every year. In winter, place it in a cold room or bury the whole pot outdoors in a wind-sheltered, sunny place to overwinter, and do not water too much. Pruning and shaping of Chinese juniper bonsai are best done in winter, cutting off excess branches, branches with poor angles, and other branches that affect the tree shape. For overly long branches, pinch them during the growing season to encourage new buds and make the branches and leaves dense. Small bonsai should be repotted every 2 years, and large bonsai every 4 to 5 years, generally before budding in spring. When repotting, cut off diseased roots, rotten roots, and some old roots, thin out dense roots, remove 1/2 to 1/3 of the old soil, and replace it with new fertile growing medium before replanting.