California and it's junipers

Bonsai Barry

As one Californian to another, thanks for your efforts in documenting these indigenous species.

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Bonsai Barry

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Mcspeed

Thanks Al lends some credence to the Sierra Juni lable on the one I bought a couple of years ago. Do you think the sierra would appreciate a straight sand/lava mix as I remember the california juni likes.

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chansen

Al -

Great information, thanks for sharing what you know. It's this type of information that keeps me coming back to the interent for bonsai information.

greerhw

Hey Al,
Thanks for the heads up on California Junipers. Looks like a young mans game. How many more years are you gonna climb around up there. Anybody using a walker and draging a tree behind them.
Harry

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kingkong

Good job, always wanted to understand this further. Who was the pioneer in using Cal juniper?

BarbaraM

Al,

That is an amazing amount of information! Thanks for all the time you put into it. It is too bad that the junipers in the development areas are not desirable. I agree they lack the character that is great bonsai. Are Utah juniper less desirable then Cali or Sierra or are they similar in habit and structure? Some day I would like a stately knarly juniper in my collection but I would still rather avoid removing another cali or sierra. As a life long California desert explorer I have seen the impact of all the combined users. I would have a hard time taking a 300 year old tree from the foothills of the Sierra. It is just my opinion and my personal conviction not a flailing of those who do so with care.

With Utah Juniper significantly more prevalent I am considering seeking a tree in Nevada some day. Do you have any advice on great places to go in Nevada? Does anybody collect there? All I have collected in Nevada are some really amazing opals and agates.

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Joanie

Barbara, I totally understand your hesitation in the thought of removing an old California or Sierra juniper, but the sheer numbers of them is incredible. They cover vast acreage and are sometimes very closely spaced. I have a couple of them that others have collected, and work on some that are quite old and large. They are tenacious once they have established roots in bonsai culture. This is the time of year that we have to pick all of the juniper berries off of the trees so that they don't use energy in ripening them. That's when an Ipod comes in handy.

As far as collecting well into old age, Harry Hirao is... 90? 91? and he still goes out weekly, sometimes daily, in the collecting season.

He's really a character, is Harry.

Joanie

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CScott

Thanks Al,

I've had multiple opportunities to dig California Junipers but never made the effort. It's a long drive from the north state, and keeping the tree in good shape for the trip home worried me.

Recently I bought a nice California Juniper from a bonsai nursery and couldn't be happier, especially now that I know just how much effort it took!

We do have a few pockets of California Junipers up here in the foothills east of the Red Bluff & Redding area. A forester in our club showed them to me. There are no subjects suitable for collecting, they are ridiculously huge and healthy.

Thanks for the information.

Carmen

kingkong

As far as collecting well into old age, Harry Hirao is... 90? 91? and he still goes out weekly, sometimes daily, in the collecting season.

He's really a character, is Harry.

Joanie[/QUOTE]

Cool...I would love to go stump kicking with Harry. Daily...I can understand that. It is like panning for gold. Very habit forming.