Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the mountains of Central America in the New World.
Considered a very hardy conifer, the Juniper is a non-flowering tree that makes a great choice for bonsai because of it is so easy to prune and train. With rapid growth patterns, you would typically see long, flowing branches that can be trained in just about any bonsai style with the exception of the broom style. Most often, the Juniper’s branches respond exceptionally well to wiring and reshaping. Just keep in mind that because some species are stiff, trying to shape into something other than its natural form can be challenging, although not impossible. The advantage to using the Juniper for bonsai is that because of the degree of hardiness, this tree can remain indoors or outdoors, even in the winter months although it should not be subjected to temperatures below 59 degrees. One of the most important aspects of growing the Juniper outdoors is that the rootball, along with newly wired or trained trees should be carefully protected from frost.
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