Shimpaku Juniper - Stripping bark & Transplant timing

jswise13

I just purchased my first Shimpaku from New England Bonsai Gardens in MA. Its bark is very flakey, but I like the look of the smooth, reddish bark better. Can I achive that look by just stripping the bark? I've been told by different people to use tweezers and a wire brush; which makes more sense? Is the smooth look just a matter of taste or is there more to it?

Also, the Shimpaku was grown in California and is planted in sandy California soil. I probably should wait until early next spring to transplant it. When I do so, will the tree transition well from that soil mix to a typical beginner's bonsai soil mix (pretty coarse mix, but still holds some moisture)?

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Thomas_J.

Make sure you wait until next repotting season to repot it. You shouldn't encounter any problems using a well draing bonsai soil mix, as long as it doesn't dry up between waterings. Here is a shimpaku that I recently worked on. There's about eight hours of wiring here.
Thomas J.

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jswise13

Thanks for the reply. Great looking tree! Your wiring effort shows. I'm a little gun shy about wiring. I know that I have to do it, but each time that I've tried wiring, I've managed to scar the bark, either by leaving the wire on too long, or when cutting the wire off.

TreeBay

The flaking bark of California and Shimpaku juniper is often stripped for display. Some people like the look of shaggy bark, others feel the smooth reddish color of the underbark is more desireable.

It does take some experimentation and practice to get it right. Rather than start straight in with a wire brush wheel on a power tool, it's probably a good idea to geth the feel of using hand tools and understand how deeply you can brush it before the cambium starts to come up. I would suggest you begin with a tree other than your "masterpiece" to learn with, and the tree should be very healthy.

Transplant time might not be the best time to do the bark strip as the rough outer bark does help insulate the tree and reduce moisture loss.

Soak the trunk thoroughly. You can use cloths soaked in lukewarm water or just keep spraying the trunk every couple hours until the bark starts to get saturated. It will become more soft at that point.

Next, in the direction of the grain, using a wire brush, scrub away at the rough outer bark, and it should start to come away in strips. You will know when you get to the right point, because the shiny red underbark will come up. Just beneath that is a layer of cambium, green and white beneath. If you scrub much past the green you will be damaging the tree, so work slowly and take breaks to look the tree over.

Here in California, we pot do transplant Juniper in the fall, but it is a good idea to keep the soil from freezing any time after a transplant. If, for you zone, that would suggest that spring is a better time, do it then.

Regards,

Matt

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