Juniper - Tanuki/phoenix Graft
Posted: April 2nd, 2020, 5:00 pm
Hi All,
When I first started my bonsai journey and not really understanding the basics the Phoenix Graft appeal to me.
I found a piece of deadwood that looked interesting and I purchased a Juniper that worked for what I had in mind. After a few Youtube clips i took to this tree and went about creating the groove in the deadwood. Treated it with Lime Sulphur. Trimmed the trunk to work into the dead wood with a wood screw and wired it into the base shape i had in mind.
Feb 2018
March 2018
March 2018
June 2019
I've now started to learn the basics and while this tree doesn't follow a number of rules I still like to revisit it and after a quick trim and development of the pads I still find it catches my eye between my more traditional trees.
April 2020 - Before Trim
April 2020 - After Trim
When I first started my bonsai journey and not really understanding the basics the Phoenix Graft appeal to me.
I found a piece of deadwood that looked interesting and I purchased a Juniper that worked for what I had in mind. After a few Youtube clips i took to this tree and went about creating the groove in the deadwood. Treated it with Lime Sulphur. Trimmed the trunk to work into the dead wood with a wood screw and wired it into the base shape i had in mind.
Feb 2018
March 2018
March 2018
June 2019
I've now started to learn the basics and while this tree doesn't follow a number of rules I still like to revisit it and after a quick trim and development of the pads I still find it catches my eye between my more traditional trees.
April 2020 - Before Trim
April 2020 - After Trim
Well done tangent .... and you’ve used one of the secret weapons of bonsai - a zip tie! Also - I really like the pot/tree combo - different from the norm and really quite lovely. 
I've done several of them and although it's early days yet they are starting to look good. For us newbies it's a good way to make an older looking tree in a much shorter time.