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
Why shimpaku?
- rowan
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 252
- Joined: September 29th, 2009, 6:37 am
- Favorite Species: Chinese elm
- Bonsai Age: 25
- Location: Casterton, Vic, Australia
- Contact:
Re: Why shimpaku?
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.
All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.
Lao Tzu
http://www.rowansbonsai.com Yamadori nursery.
Lao Tzu
http://www.rowansbonsai.com Yamadori nursery.
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1395
- Joined: November 27th, 2008, 12:37 pm
- Favorite Species: Pine, Maple, and Juniper
- Bonsai Age: 8
- Bonsai Club: Canberra Bonsai Society
- Location: Canberra
- Has thanked: 25 times
- Been thanked: 20 times
- Contact:
- daiviet_nguyen
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 959
- Joined: November 19th, 2008, 8:41 pm
- Favorite Species: Pines, Ficuses, Maples, Azaleas
- Bonsai Age: 15
- Bonsai Club: None
- Location: Melbourne
- Been thanked: 3 times
- Contact:
Re: Why shimpaku?
I think just like any thing else, we like varieties. I personally find shimpaku foliage very attractive.
Last edited by daiviet_nguyen on September 29th, 2011, 8:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Pup
- Knowledgeable rogue
- Posts: 6357
- Joined: November 12th, 2008, 5:19 pm
- Favorite Species: melaleucas
- Bonsai Age: 31
- Bonsai Club: Bonsai society of Western Australia
- Location: Southern Suburbs of Perth Western Australia
- Been thanked: 36 times
- Contact:
Re: Why shimpaku?
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
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

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
IN THE LIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE ATTAINED, ACHIEVEMENT IS WITHIN SIGHT
I am not a complete fool, some parts are missing
I am not a complete fool, some parts are missing
- Luke308
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1032
- Joined: May 15th, 2011, 6:29 pm
- Favorite Species: maple & pines
- Bonsai Age: 15
- Bonsai Club: S.A Bonsai Society
- Location: Adelaide
- Has thanked: 48 times
- Been thanked: 62 times
Re: Why shimpaku?
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.

WHERE THE SAP FLOWS, THE WOOD GROWS
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 503
- Joined: August 2nd, 2011, 2:29 pm
- Favorite Species: Ficus, Natives, Mosses
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Location: brisbane
- Been thanked: 1 time
Re: Why shimpaku?
cheers guys. I see what you mean in those pics bub, shimpaku does look alot softer compared to the others
- daiviet_nguyen
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 959
- Joined: November 19th, 2008, 8:41 pm
- Favorite Species: Pines, Ficuses, Maples, Azaleas
- Bonsai Age: 15
- Bonsai Club: None
- Location: Melbourne
- Been thanked: 3 times
- Contact: