I would like to find some information, preferably on the Web, hopefully useful
& understandable, about junipers. I tried a search, which was not fruitful. All
I know is that conifers in general, & especially junipers, behave differently
from broad-leafed trees when grown as bonsai. I have gotten conflicting
information. For instance, will pruning cuts ever heal over?. Is it true that
each branch is directly connected to a certain root, & if you cut off that
branch, the root will die & visa versa?
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"A tree never hits an automobile except in self defense." - Woody Allen

From: (Iris Cohen)

I would like to find some information, preferably on the Web, hopefully
useful
& understandable, about junipers. I tried a search, which was not fruitful.
All
I know is that conifers in general, & especially junipers, behave differently
from broad-leafed trees when grown as bonsai. I have gotten conflicting
information. For instance, will pruning cuts ever heal over?. Is it true that
each branch is directly connected to a certain root, & if you cut off that
branch, the root will die & visa versa?

I can give you my own observations that may be answers to your questions. There
are many junipers in number, and in species here in New Mexico.

Pruning cuts will heal over, but it may take a while, if you cut below the
green, you probably will not get any more growth on the twig you cut. It
appears that most conifers don't have dormant buds, or very much meristematic
tissue along the trunk and branches. This trait may be used to help the bonsai
gain an appearance of age, if you trim the green parts off of a large branch,
that branch will die, and after the bark peels off, you have a partially
wizened tree.

I have not seen any evidence that a certain root is connected to a certain
branch, some junipers take moderately well to B&B (ball and burlap) which
involves a lot of root trimming. Many pines can be B&B'd with no real problem.

Sean


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