wow,excellent thread with amazing pictures,i was glued to the screen and can't wait now for the updates,wish i was on your side of the pond.



regards john.

great topic. it makes me homesick (im originally from cali). out in japan, i grew some monterey cypress, redwoods, and sequoia (sp?) from seed. im always amazed the diversity of life everywhere, in general, but especially out in cali and especially in some of the mediterranean and desert areas of the state.

if anyone here (besides those living there already) has a chance to see the mountains in cali during the spring or watch a sunset next to one of those junipers out in the mountains, take it! in fact, if anyone ever gets to santa barbara, let me know and ill send you out into some of the good mountains in the coastal range with lots of junipers...

jeff

I was a military contractor for just under 10 years and I made two trips to Edwards AFB. We would drive through the areas you described in your article and I used to think how barren and desolate it looked. I hadn't gotten interested in bonsai at that point in my life and I could kick myself in the butt for it after reading your article. What an opportunity I missed if not for collecting, then just for going out and getting inspiration.

back to the original post . . . Al said:



Is this some sort of cold fusion? I was under the impression plants convert sunlight to usuable energy.

- bob

Time to bring this one back from the archives.

Great article and the responses show the broad diversity of opinions.

I have had California Junipers for up to 5 years here in NW Arkansas (I sold them they were doing great) and have had RMJ for about 10, Utah for 5, and have a One Seed Juniper that was colelcted in Western New Mexico and it seems to be thriving.....

I think Walter had the key for those of us in the moist humid climes, rapidly draining soil.

John

I wonder if all the desert junipers need about the same care. I live in an area of southern New Mexico / west Texas that is surrounded by one seed and alligator junipers. Many of the older homes here have one or both as landscape trees. I've never really tried to collect them and place them in a pot but as a kid I built a hedge behind the ranch house one winter simply by digging up a bunch of oneseeds and transplanting them . Tough buggers. I'm sure Cal junies and RMJs would do well here as it's a typical high desert climate with little rain so water intake is easy to controll.

I was born and raised in the Palmdale/Lancaster area...moved in 1998 to Oregon. Too bad I didn't get into bonsai when I was a teenager!

Good write up Al, and thanks for bringing it back John...

Now I am off to schedule a trip to visit the family in the Antelope Valley, lol!

Jason

Dwight Floyd,
One seed Junipers I have a little experience with- we collected a number out in Western New Mexico and I have one that has survived for 3 years (actually flourished). It seems to be a lot like RMJ, not so much Like California that roots back on old like wood well. Mike Hagedorn has had one as a Bonsai for a number of years.

I would try the local varieties, I don't think many use them because there isn't really a big bonsai community in your neck of the woods (or if they do, we just don't hear about them as much. Could be a real treasure. John