My prostrata juniper

SiNguyen

Hi everyone, here is one of my favorite tree. It is a Prostrata juniper that my wife bought it for me in 1997. It was from a collection of an old Japanese bonsai artist in Southern California. It was a very nice informal upright tree with a very wide nebari and shari. But after a few years, I wanted to change it to a cascade style (I was going through a cascade phase of my bonsai addiction at that time). I took it to a class with Ernie Kuo in 1999 and he agreed that would be a good change, and he made the first chop on it. Then I took it home and style it as a cascade you see now. I submitted one of the picture for the recent A.o.B. Bonsai Photo contest, so you may have seen it there too. Here is another side or possible front view of it. I include some old pictures of how it used to be from 1997 too. Any critiques or comments would be appreciated. By the way, it is sitting on my night stand which is exactly 2 feet tall. Enjoy.
Si

Attached Images

	prostrata juniper.jpg (52.2 KB, 154 views)
	prostrata juniper front.jpg (56.2 KB, 79 views)
	juniper in 97.jpg (62.4 KB, 123 views)
	juniper in 97 2.jpg (61.1 KB, 120 views)

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Ashbarns9999

Si this is a very healthy looking specimen but I would like to see less foliage and more trunk showing. It is a marvellous transformation from what it used to be of course. A thinning out of the foliage may be all that is required and I have seen jinning the lower branches (apex) adding to a dramatic impact in this type of composition. It is however a special presentation as is and these are only my thoughts.


Ash

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PeterW

Amazing tree Si. You must be very proud of this tree's transromation. It truly must be an awesome tree to see up close! I have done a few Virts on it just to see how it would look with some less foliage. Have you got any pics from the back showing the branch formation? I would love to see it if you have.

Attached Images

	JuniperVirtJuniper02.jpg (38.2 KB, 36 views)
	JuniperVirtJuniper03.jpg (37.3 KB, 22 views)
	JuniperVirtJuniper05.jpg (36.7 KB, 39 views)

anttal63

si i think its a beautiful tree and i have a vision for it, unfortunately i cant work with this image. would it be possible to send me a bigger and better quality shot of 77?

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SiNguyen

Thanks everybody, for the kind comments. Yeah, it needs some pinching and refining the foliage pads a bit more, but not too much more. I don't want it to look like a Pom-Pom style tree. I need the foliage mass to counter-balance with the visual weight of the big pot too. (I did not want to reduce the root ball by too much, because I am considering turning it into a Shimpaku graft in the future). I have reduced all of the sharp juvenile needles and kept only the finer scales on the foliage over the years, but it is still too coarse. I have seen some Prostrata junipers looking just like Shimpaku junipers by way of constant pinching, but I can't seem to do it for my tree.

Here's another side view of the tree, but it is not too nice.

Antall, I have a slightly larger picture, but in the same format, so I don't think you can work with it either. Try sketching it out by hand.
Good day!
Si

Attached Images

side view.jpg (64.3 KB, 48 views)

PatArizona

G'day all...

Great juniper Si...

However, I agree with Ash..."...less foliage and more trunk showing...".

Keep up the good work.

Pat

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rschlafer

Si, another magnificient tree!

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Specializing in Yamadori Bonsai/Pre Bonsai.

SiNguyen

Thanks Pat and Todd! I will trim it back soon. May be even jin another branch or two. The problem with this tree is the size of the pot. If I can reduce the visual weight of the pot, then I can reduce a lot more branches and foliage pads. Which view would you shoose for the "front" of the tree?
Si

rschlafer

I like 50277 The best. The branch that hangs down the furthest....I was wondering if you moved it to the left under that other foliage pad. I attached a rough virt.

Attached Images

prostrata juniper.jpg (58.8 KB, 28 views)

__________________
- Todd

coloradobonsai.com
Specializing in Yamadori Bonsai/Pre Bonsai.