Juniper is one of the most popular species among enthusiasts worldwide. In Japan and China, the undisputed centers of the bonsai universe, it even constitutes a separate group in exhibitions and collections, both for the number of specimens on display and for their distinctive beauty. High-quality specimens are also becoming increasingly common in our country.
Due to its ease of cultivation and good response to training techniques, juniper is an ideal material and particularly suitable for creating high-quality bonsai.
A detailed description of the techniques for growing, training, and maintaining juniper bonsai would require an encyclopedic space, so this guide analyzes and describes all the essential points to consider, omitting those of a general nature covered in the basic guide of this series.
An important tip: anyone wishing to enter the fascinating world of bonsai should carefully observe and study the specimens they have the opportunity to see, perhaps at exhibitions or published in exhibition catalogs and magazines. By observing the work of experts and applying the most suitable techniques at the right time, it is possible to obtain high-quality, beautiful juniper bonsai in a relatively short period of time.
Junipers belong to the Cupressaceae family and include about sixty species distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, especially in areas that tend to be arid.
They are resinous trees or shrubs with needle-like or scale-like leaves, male and female flowers separated on the same base (monoecious plants) or on separate bases (dioecious plants).
The fruit, fleshy and berry-shaped, is called a coccola. Junipers are divided into two large groups, clearly distinguished by the shape of the leaves of adult specimens: needle junipers with whorled, needle-like, prickly leaves and sabine or scale junipers with opposite, scale-like, non-prickly leaves. It should be noted that, in both groups, young plants generally have needle-like leaves; in some members of the Sabina group, these acicular juvenile leaves may persist in adult plants, mainly on the lower branches.
Junipers, especially those of the Sabina group, are often used as ornamental plants, and their cultivation has given rise to a wide range of subspecies that differ in habit, leaf color, and resistance, thanks to their ability to adapt to different soils and climatic conditions.
In Italy, only five species are found in the wild, but there are many cultivated varieties. However, it should be noted that not all species or varieties respond in the same way to the cultivation and training techniques used in bonsai.
INTRODUCTION
The Romans used the term Juniperus to refer to the juniper tree. The name is believed to derive from the Celtic word jeneprus, meaning rough or harsh, probably alluding to the characteristics of these species and their prickly leaves.
The alcohol obtained from the fermentation of corn, rye, or other cereals, distilled with juniper berries and other aromatic plants, forms the basis for the manufacture of gin. The cedar or juniper wines described by Pliny, prepared by boiling must with juniper berries, probably gave rise to this famous alcoholic beverage.
The diuretic and laxative medicinal properties of juniper berries have been known since ancient times, but they are also excellent for promoting digestion and for treating dropsy. Juniper essence was used as an antiseptic, and during times of plague, berries were burned to purify the air. Macerated in vinegar, they were used to clean the clothes and objects of infected people. The origin of the name Sabina, used by the Romans, is attributed to the widespread distribution of these plants in the country of the Sabines, a region in central Italy.
Juniperus sabina, especially the creeping varieties, have been used as medicinal plants.
The wood, which is quite resistant, is highly prized in both carpentry and cabinetmaking, but has also often been used as firewood and for producing charcoal.
Due to the intense exploitation it has suffered and its slow growth, Juniperus sabina is in decline and there are few well-developed specimens in our fields and mountains. Due to its ease of cultivation, resistance, and good adaptation to different environments, juniper is also widely used as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens.
JUNIPER Juniper trees occupy an important place in the world of bonsai, and although there are numerous species and varieties available, only a few can be used as bonsai. The most common junipers in Japan and China are Juniperus rigida and Juniperus chinensis and sargentii, in their various cultivated varieties. In our country, there are three species of juniper that respond satisfactorily to bonsai techniques (Juniperus communis, Juniperus oxycedrus, and Juniperus sabina) and, among other things, can be easily purchased in nurseries.
Although these are strong plants that are well suited to living in bonsai pots, it is essential to provide them with all the necessary care to ensure they grow healthily and vigorously. They are an “outdoor species,” so junipers should be placed outside in a ventilated, sunny location, protecting them only from excessive heat and intense frost. It should be noted, however, that these plants are unlikely to suffer from weather conditions, as in nature they also grow in particularly inhospitable areas, subjected to the most adverse climatic conditions, which, rather than damaging them, enhance their particular strong and mature character.
During the growing season, from spring to fall (except in summer), they need to be fertilized abundantly, especially young and fully developing specimens. The most suitable fertilizer is a slow-release organic fertilizer (such as Hanagokoro from the Bonsan line), which maintains a constant level of nutrients in the substrate throughout the plant's active period.
As for watering, the soil must always remain slightly moist, avoiding excess or lack of water: the general rule for watering is to water abundantly whenever the soil is almost completely dry.
It is a good idea to spray the needles and branches often, preferably in the early morning or around midday on cold days: although they live in almost arid soils, junipers always need a certain amount of moisture to grow satisfactorily.
For pot cultivation, use a substrate that guarantees excellent drainage, does not retain moisture, promotes air renewal and ion exchange of nutrients, and maintains the appropriate pH level. The best soil that meets
all these conditions is akadama (a specific soil for bonsai of Japanese origin) with medium grain size. The ideal time for transplanting is around mid-spring. It is advisable to cover most of the surface of the substrate with moss.
For specimens in formation, long-fiber moss cut into small pieces can be used; for those already formed, short-fiber moss pads are more suitable. As is well known, moss promotes the growth of the fine roots that are essential for the life of the plant.
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