AusBonsai

Today i went to a nursery looking for Sarginia & Pratia ground covers to plant in old pots and found a very cheap juniper which had a label which says it is a chinese juniper, because it was so cheap i grabbed it. I don't know if it was a good choice now because the new young buds are yellow which makes me think it maybe variegated, never owned one so i'm not to sure. The older branches are green just the new shoots are yellow which may not look to good as bonsai or is this how they are?

Hi Magzy,

There are many diffierent cultivars of chinese juniper, your find might a type where new growth is yellow. Usually they are labled, but not always. Don't be put off though, the yellow tips can add inerest to a bonsai, much like growing "seigen" japanese maples for the red growth in spring.

Paul

PS the best C. juniper have very fine growth, avoid coarse leaved varieties.

PPS Usually the cultivars used for bonsai have new growth that is green.

Thanks Paul, for the money i spent on it i cant really complain. I have already hacked into it and went for a cascade only because all the branches were growing straight up, haven't bothered with photo's but if it starts looking worth while i will. I must say i had very itchy hands after working on it.Thanks again for your info,
Mark

I have a golden form, the new shoots are vibrant yellow and look absolutely gorgious, but as they age they turn green and look like any other juniper.

chris