AusBonsai

I have seen alot about shimpaku junipers and seems they are the prefered juni for bonsai. Why is that? What do they have over other juni's?

John

I'm not an expert, I don't know the reason either. I guess it is just tradition or something. I have a lot of different young junis and can't really see that any are better than the others to work with.

It doesn't hurt your hands!

Beautiful smooth bark that can be cleaned and polished with oil . showing the live vain

I think just like any thing else, we like varieties. I personally find shimpaku foliage very attractive.

Hi John this is my 4th attempt. This is not an easy question to answer, per se, we already have one answer where they do not like the Prickly ones.
My take is that Shimpaku ticks all the boxes for Bonsai, nice tight foliage soft to touch for those wimps, aged looking early.
It is ideal for mame up to large trees.

I have a number of junipers other than Shimpaku they are good for Bonsai, but my wife prefers the shimpaku for her Saikei for reason of nice small foliage pads soft to touch.

As has been said they tick all the boxes, having said that I am still not sure if this is the answer.

Here's a couple for comparison. The late John Naka was quoted as saying a Shimpaku without jin was like a dog without fleas, rare
Enjoy and lets hope we can get an answer which I doubt.
Cheers Pup

Some nice trees there Pup I think shimpaku are fantastic if they are of an old age, but then again so are procumbins and squamata. If you mention Bonsai to non-bonsai enthusiasts, I'd say most would envision a Shimpaku (even though they wouldn't know the name shimpaku). Out of the photos Pup has posted I have to say the Procumbins do it for me over the Shimpaku. But i think rowan got the answer........... tradition.

cheers guys. I see what you mean in those pics bub, shimpaku does look alot softer compared to the others

Hi Pup,

Very nice junipers you have. I like the first one best

Best regards.