Shimpaku Juniper - 'Juniperus chinensis'

Name: Shimpaku Juniper - 'Juniperus chinensis'
Age: 45 years old
Dimensions:  10 inches tall from soil 

Notes:
This 45-year-old Kishu Shimpaku shows an exquisite twisting motion and displays weathered bark.  

The Shimpaku Juniper is native to Japan, the Kurile Island and the Sahalin Peninsula. It prefers rocky, well-drained soils. In its natural range, it is most often found growing near the sea. The foliage is needle-like on young trees and scale-like on older trees. The fruit is a small, hard, bluish berry. One of the best characteristics of Shimpaku is its hard resinous wood; ideal for advanced sculptural techniques such as jin, shari and sabamiki. 

The Shimpaku is very hardy, long-lived, and tolerates many adverse conditions. The longer prostrate branches tend to intertwine. The leaves are arranged in decussate whorls of three; all the leaves are juvenile form and needle-like with two white stomatal bands on the inner face. The Shimpaku has attractive year round foliage and its dark green needles are soft to the touch. It is dioecious, producing cones of only one sex on each plant. Its graceful canopy and impressive bark make the Shimpaku an outstanding bonsai for any collection. 

Source:
Imported From Japan