I wish I'd seen this video 2 years ago!

In this video, I show and explain the differences between junipers and tell you which ones I prefer and why. I also show you how easy they are to propagate from cuttings.
Some of the best Chinese junipers (Juniperus Chinensis)
Itoigawa
Sargent (Shimpaku)
Blauuws

[@Steves_Backyard_Bonsai]

I miss you Tony. I’m so glad I can still avail myself of your great content whenever I need some advice. Rest in peace my friend.

[@tylerjamesnewton1422]

Just found his channel, and now sad to see the comments. I wasn’t ready. What a pure soul - Rest In Peace.

[@vonsopas]

Rest In Peace Tony, I’m grateful I found your channel and had the chance to watch your videos. Great techniques and tips

[@celsovazquez7372]

As a juniper enthusiast i wish i had seen this video a couple of years ago thanks for educating the community master greetings from Spain

[@VaporMan420]

Hi Tony, thanks for the video. I bought my first itoigawa and this video is super helpful!

[@Alexander361cmongimmieahandle]

Good video, answered exactly the questions I had, thank you

[@deepanjanbanerjee3491]

Very relevant topic …. Loved the video as much as I love junipers !

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Deepanjan. I love Junipers too, and I'm really looking forward to working on these better ones in the future

[@iamshredder3587]

Gee. After seeing the few comments above this one or his reply is extra sad. :( Sorry you never got that chance mate, to see your trees and your love and appreciation of them well as your knowledge and skills working with them grow and mature over the next few decades at the lesst that you should've had! (Or rather that I'd have expected you'd have going by your estimated age and health and situation I see here. ) Guess no use commenting about the video them. (Or correcting you on some things.:)) Little that matters now. Or ever did much really. Anyway , rip in peace my friend I never met... I hope we can get to that part when I (hopefully) see you in a much better place in the new world. Where I hope there's awesome junipers and stuff to grow too. (Though would they even have deadwood? I think yes. It's not really death like we die but. Ok enough theological stuff.) Hope to see y'all there too. Remember life is but a breath, a passing wind! Even when it may not seem that way, it will be before you know it. Don't waste it on crap that dint matter but people and the eternal

[@passdasalt]

Great info for us novice enthusiasts. RIP Tony. You're a legend.

[@peterzukof7942]

Great explanation as always, really helpful to see all the different types together. Love spending my Saturday late breakfast with your videos!

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Peter. I hope it was a tasty plateful mate with lots of bacon

[@KennetDeBondt]

Interesting!

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Kennet

[@bwmalibu1]

Hi Tony Thank you for taking the time to share your experience I appreciate it Much Respect Bill W.

[@TonysBonsai]

It's a pleasure Bill, Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bobcatbonsai]

Great advice here Tony. So many options, the hardest part is picking which 1 you like.

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Matt. Yeah I'm really looking forward to hopefully developing the cuttings into trees in the future

[@chrisswales1174]

Great video Tony. I wish I’d seen it a year ago. Didn’t waste too much money on some plants that aren’t really suitable but like you they were good to practice on.

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Chris. My hope was that this video could be useful to people just starting bonsai to give them some very basic information for what to look out for and not get conned on ebay

[@mymikeysbeefarm3606]

I started with some willow cuttings and locust growing wild around the farm

[@SebTheGardener]

Another fantastic video Tony. You have become not just my favourite bonsai KZbinr but KZbinr full stop 🎉

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Sebastian. I'll take that compliment mate cheers!

[@jeremiahembs5343]

Great video! I wanted to learn about juniper varieties and making cuttings and this video had both!

[@Rae-J90]

Thanks, Tony. Some great information on the different species. Now to find somewhere that sells chinese junipers in the UK!! (Thanks for sparing me the time scouring all the garden centers in south Wales 😂)

[@TonysBonsai]

My pleasure Rae. They occasionally appear on ebay, but here's one available from a good importer It won't be big, but it will be a good start. wattstonbonsai.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1448&search=juniper&description=true

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Probably one of your best videos Tony. I feel exactly as you do and wish I had purchased the quality chinese varieties early on and taken cuttings. Everything you say is true - really enjoyed listening and learning. Thanks :)

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers mate, as you know I try not to be a teaching channel, but when I get the opportunity to possibly help people out at the beginning of their journey, then that's great

[@dorritsmedsgard5900]

Very informative video, Tony.

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Dorrit. I definitely thought that this information could be useful to people as a basic guide

[@fletcherlewis]

Tony ......I did exactly the same when starting out, I now have Blauuw,Itogawa and Sargentii cuttings rooting for later trees . Good vid Sir

[@TonysBonsai]

I reckon we are not alone. I'm hoping that this video might save people new to bonsai what we went through!

[@Tybold63]

I'd guess this video will mature well as many beginners may want to start with junipers. Great vid Tony.

[@TonysBonsai]

Thank you, yes I hope it is useful to people starting out wanting to know the differences and what perhaps to spend their money on

[@elrickinslayer5821]

Thanks for such an informative video,Tony. I've not worked on any kind of juniper and, although I have seen many videos, this is the first that's gone into detail about the differences between the different cultivars. Cracking stuff mate.

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Elric. Buying junipers can be a bit of a minefield, so I thought this video might help people to make informed decisions

[@digitaIgorilla]

I do like me a Juniper 😉 Thanks Tony, I'd never considered there are such a wide variety.

[@TonysBonsai]

Met too mate So many different varieties out there.

[@andrewbeattie5245]

Very nice presentation Tony, great info and comparisons.

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Andrew. Glad you enjoyed it mate

[@Mr10russ10]

Another great video Tony 👍

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers mate

[@phillipwaterman5721]

Nice one Tony thanks great video

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Philip. Glad you enjoyed it

[@tacobonsai]

Very good point. I have a lot of trees that I can make the leaves smaller but ultimately, a bonsai is very satisfying when the leaves or foliage is small already. I will probably end up swapping what i have for other species as time goes on.

[@TonysBonsai]

Yeah, the not quite so great material is ideal for us to learn on though mate

[@stevenclowes7770]

Nice one Tony 👍

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Steven

[@thenaturecreater8906]

Great video mate. This is very helpful for beginners.

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Chris. That's good to hear as that was the goal to help beginners to understand the differences and hopefully not get ripped off online by buying a crappy juniper thinking it's a proper juniper chinensis.

[@markweaver3497]

Thanks Tony. I use raw honey on my cuttings for clones. I find that my success rate stays the same with honey v. Rooting hormone. Cheers Tony well done.

[@TonysBonsai]

verey interesting. I prefer my honey on a nice piece of toasted granary bread

[@atroutflycrazy8057]

My very 1st juniper which i still have despite experimenting on it terribly is a procumbens , your advice is spot on tony, cheaper junipers are great to learn on but the better varieties are that for a reason in bonsai.

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers mate. Yeah as we get more experience we begin to see the differences and why certain varieties are simply superior

[@cynicalPixels]

Recommend 50/50 - Pearlite + Peat for juniper cuttings.

[@MrPirreE]

Peter Chan likes blaas junipers so I guess they are good trees.

[@TonysBonsai]

yeah like a lot of that kind of material, it seems really hard to get hold of Blauuws at the moment

[@cactusbaboon321]

It would be helpful to have the written names of each juniper inserted into the video as you describe them.

[@bonsai4fun]

A very interesting topic indeed, Tony. I really enjoyed this journey through the world of the most known juniper species. In fact I started my juniper exercises on some sort of juniper chinensis ‚Media old gold‘. Actually nice trees too, with one disadvantage: those are susceptible to pear rust (Xavier reported about this lately). This is what a proper Itoigawa is not (to my knowledge), apart from the other nice features a Itoigawa has. Meanwhile I have also afforded myself a real Chinese juniper, some sort of a medium size mature bonsai, for a small money in the low three digit number 😅. I am happy with this tree. It’s simply different. And I have started taking cuttings too. 😅. Thanks for video. Cheers Dirk

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Dirk. Sounds like you're doing the same as me, and in a few years, we'll have loads of really nice rooted cuttings to work with to create really nice future bonsai.

[@bwmalibu1]

Thanks!

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Bill. I really appreciate the support thank you!

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Spot on Tony. I always say not all junipers are made equal and although the garden centre varieties are great for practicing and learning basic bonsai skills on, they will likely always have sparse stringy foliage when compared to the itoigawa/shimpaku varieties of Chinese juniper. 👍

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers mate. The cheap ones are definitely good for practicing on, but apart from the needle junipers, I don't generally see them making great bonsai down the line.

[@Candice.BonsaiScience]

Yeah BUT you can buy a beast Procumbens trunk base for 30$ then just graft itoigowa foliage. The same trunk as an itoigowa will run 500$ And I do love my Procumbens 🤣

[@TonysBonsai]

I might end up doing that to a juniper I have with a really nice trunk Candice. This time next year I might have enough nice itoigawa shoots to graft it too which would be cool!

[@Chris-oq6kn]

Great episode tony. Shimpaku here in the US are hard to get . And that tree u have there with the nice twist would prob fetch for 3 to 500$ . Thats a nice tree. Be glad u got it that cheap. Do u read any bonsai books by any chance? Ive been reading alot and the latest one im reading is bonsai deadwood by francois jeker . Great book and how to make deadwood. Ive got a few other books to read thry are the most popular books i could find from google search. And of course i have john naka 1 and 2 and one is signed

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Chris. Yes that Itoigawa could be a nice tree in the future I agree. As for books, It sounds bad, but I just don't enjoy reading. I never have. I'm not sure why but it's just not my thing

[@Chris-oq6kn]

@@TonysBonsai hey i hear ya. I never read a book in my life till bonsai! Haha . Im just trying to soak up all the knowledge and i fig there has to be some hidden info in these books. Not only that but i forget alot and have them to fall back on if i need to remember something

[@user-sb9vw5ti9y]

💗

[@snoekhoek]

Juniperus squamata is also not too expensive and nice as a beginner bonsai.

[@TonysBonsai]

Ahh, I completely forgot to include my squamata. I agree they are a really nice option

[@snoekhoek]

@@TonysBonsai Especially the ‘Hungro’ if you can find it.

[@WanderingBobAK]

Be nice if you could list the names under the description. Would make it easier to source plants with proper spelling. Again, good info. I have certainly tried the wrong plants myself.

[@TonysBonsai]

Good idea. Thanks. I've just added them to the description.

[@joegarland4885]

Hi Tony I have just watched your video on 150 inch screen how scary was that, Tony in glorious technicolour,Anyway. Juniper best for bonsai No 1 Sabina 2 Needle juniper 3 Itoigawa 4 Chinese juniper 5 procumbens. Now I needs to go and lay down with an oily rag after watching that. All the best mate.

[@TonysBonsai]

🤣🤣How big is your house to have a tv that big Joe? I'll start calling you Lord Garland from now on! 🤣

[@joegarland4885]

@@TonysBonsai Morning Tony I never said it was a tv, I bought a laser projector to set up in my grandad pad I have had built in my sons garden just need to furnish it before moving in now, to test the projector in my sons house I set it up in his lounge and wow amazing thing it is, it has all the attributes of a tv plus android built in and is the size of a large coke can, when set up in the flat which is the opposite to a mansion, it will display at about 80 to 100 inches, so no need for a tv. I like the sound of Lord Garland very regal HaHa.😊

[@TonysBonsai]

Sounds like you've got a nice set up there Joe. Nice place to enjoy a coffee with me on the big screen. What could be better?🤣

[@joegarland4885]

@@TonysBonsai Thanks Tony, yes you’re right once I move into my new abodeI in a couple of weeks I will be able to watch all my favourite KZbin videos and I may just watch yours as well HaHa. These new projectors are something else you have all the programs a tv gives you plus android operating system without the bulky tv just from a projector the size of a large coke can plus you can take it with you as it has a battery backup of two and a half hours for movie nights in the garden on a big screen and all for the price of a top quality tv. Keep doing what your doing mate and I will keep watching.

[@oachkatzlsmum]

Me too… 🙏😘

[@danieldalton8125]

Nice coincidence Tony, I just potted up my Chinese juniper cuttings which rooted last year. Like yours they were the whips off a tree I bought from greenwood. I think he called them lockdown junipers. Why pay more for a styled juniper when you can get a whippy one to propagate and have the fun of styling. I got a couple of mature itowgowa 12 years ago when they were cheaper and less sort after. Wish I'd bought a lot more now 😂

[@TonysBonsai]

Not half. That would have been second best to investing in bitcoin mate Greenwoods does seem to be one of the only places onlinne with a good supply of proper Chinese junipers, although like everywhere, they seem to be doubling in price each year.

[@danieldalton8125]

@Tonys Bonsai if I'd invested in bitcoin I'd have been one of the clowns that lost their passwords or threw out their hard drive. Yeh I think it's getting a lot more expensive to import trees now. My greenwood one is in the ground thickening up. Hopefully harvest some more whips. You're spot on about the fluffy foliage takes much longer to get going, which is all I can take from my mature trees.

[@TonysBonsai]

I've got a couple of itoigawas, and as tempting as it is to start pruning them, I'm leaving them for at least this year to send out loads of shoots, then I think like you I will get it in the ground next spring.

[@Bonsaicrazy]

Great video Tony Still scared of them 😂

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Lol

[@TonysBonsai]

You need to get yourself a few mate!

[@Bonsaicrazy]

@@TonysBonsai can’t afford the wire 🤪😂 I’m going to herons bonsai in august for my birthday to get my first real bonsai. Not an ikea job 😂 Might have a look at them. So much to wire though Tony and small n Fiddly 🤪

[@TonysBonsai]

Exciting stuff mate. I'll look forward to seeing what you get. I hope you're saving up!

[@Bonsaicrazy]

@@TonysBonsai birthday present yippee freebie 😂

[@stevenclowes7770]

I like me a sabina 👌

[@TonysBonsai]

I tried to get hold of one for this video, but I couldn't source one at a reasonable price

[@stevenclowes7770]

@@TonysBonsai I’ll have to try some cuttings on mine this year… maybe I can send you some if I have some success?

[@TonysBonsai]

Sounds good thanks. Perhaps we could trade!

[@SirJamez0]

I have been on the hunt for an itoigawa since i saw Notion Bonsai's video on them. Unfortunately i live south of the border from him in Ireland it its near impossible to find them in this country. Im mad to just get a couple of cuttings to start my journey but they just arent available anywhere. My only option would be BonsaiPlaza but i dont fancy going into 3 figures and im not a fan of the "twisty" style anyway.

[@TonysBonsai]

Ah yes. Adam actually contacted me to ask where I got my itoigawa from, and he purchased his from the same place. (Wattstons bonsai in Scotland) Have you tried this place in Spain? xedoo.com/en/product/juniperus-chinensis-itoigawa-cuttings-for-sale/

[@SirJamez0]

​@Tonys Bonsai So I took the plunge and got one from that Spanish website. Just received, an it's is super small as you would expect. My plan is to pot it up in a pond basket and give it plenty of sun and balanced plant food over the next few years. Any advice on boosting growth over those pre-bonsai years? It would make a great video I think. I know the basics of thickening trunks with sacrificial branches etc. But even after 5 or so years of dipping in and out of bonsai I feel like I know nothing.

[@TonysBonsai]

Great to hear that you have finally got hold of one. I'm no expert on developing young junipers, but I know they love sunlight and if it is in a good soil and is given plenty of fertilization, it should grow well.

[@andrei-silviusontu9911]

when would you say is the best time to try to root cuttings, Tony?

[@johanvanrensburg5625]

HI Tony iam living in New Zealand and want to asked u what time of the heer did you take the cuttings it heer now the beginning of the winter heer thanks for great vid Tony.

[@Technocucej]

as i was seein this video the title changed :D .recently bought juniper and made it into bonsai with dead part, its very empty looking but definitely better than before and hoping to fill more space in future, do you think junipers look better with dead part or not thanks for video and ty for info as always !

[@TonysBonsai]

I do love a bit of dedwood on a juniper yes, but it has to be in scale and part of the composition as a whole. As for the title, I changed it because the original title wasn't getting clicked on so much in the browse section. This new one is doing better.

[@hmongmuas1386]

Any thoughts on Blue point juniper

[@luigiluigi2098]

Amazing video Tony, although I'm careful on eBay now. I tried getting a cheap one and was sold what looks like a Leylandi 😅.. Off topic but how is your Picea Omorika (Xmas tree) did it live??

[@TonysBonsai]

Hi Luigi. It is alive and budding out, but at least half the branches appear to have no buds, so it looks like I'll end up with a bonsai out of it, but I'm unsure about what the branch structure is going to look like.

[@luigiluigi2098]

@@TonysBonsai mines in a similar state and buds haven't yet opened. It was my first ever bash at wiring so I am just grateful it's alive (for now). Thanks for the inspiration to try it!

[@Cryptochinodotsol]

Anybody know a video you can use to figure out how old you tree is

[@TonysBonsai]

i don;t think there is an easy way to work that out mate

[@judlpd]

I have promised my partner that I’m only buying “one more tree”, an Itoigawa. Oh, and I’m short of oaks. And you can’t really have too many acers. Similar applies to azaleas. And there are the 20 airlayers I started this month. Guess I should be looking for a divorce lawyer or a good psychiatrist.

[@TonysBonsai]

🤣🤣Subconscious hypnotherapy is the answer Richard! Obviously not for you, but for the other half!

[@philipwright6065]

Hello Tony, Love your videos and I am subscribed. Please allow me to say that the plants you are showing here are trees in pots not Bonsai. They do not become Bonsai until they are in proper Bonsai containers/pots etc. like ceramic dish type. The word Bonsai means BON = tree SAI = pot. Please take the time to watch Herons Bonsai pots. You may enjoy his videos. P.S. He will explain better than I can.🙂

[@yoteslaya7296]

as someone who grows exclusively juniper bonsai i just wanted to chime in here. Please dont take what i say as insulting just giving my personal experience. 1. Itoigawa i wouldnt say is the "ferrari" of junipers its just that its hard to get in some areas. Luckily i have access to it and frankly i dont consider it better than shimpaku kishu which is almost identical to it other than the lighter green of itoigawa. 2. procumbens nana is a great all around tree especially for cascades which i feel it excels at. Plus its very tough and can tolerate many environments. 3. Many people confuse sargentii with kishu but in reality they're the same. Very little difference between the two. However kishu provides a better bonsai because its not as picky as sargentii and can tolerate being root bound longer, also its foliage can be adjusted easier without shooting juvenile needles after pruning 4. not a big fan of blaauws junipers just because they're not avaiable in my area and the split trunks make it hard to work with. Some other great varities than you didnt mention are squamata and torulosa (hollywood juniper) both are great varieties especially the squamata with its blue coloration similar to a blue atlas cedar. Torulosa is also great for cascades. If you have prostrata in your area they make good bonsai as well but so many good varieties that you left out like san jose and many more im sure i cant think of right now. Also some good replacements for juniper like cupresses macrocarpa, chamaecyparis and cryptomeria tansu come very close to being great candidates for bonsai.

[@TonysBonsai]

Lots of good information there Yote. Thanks fou sharing it mate!