Page 34 - BCI Bonsai & Stone Appreciation Q1 2025

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Our nursery stock that my father began with a cutting
about 40 years ago.
The wood has developed a reddish hue and is extremely
hard, resembling Yamadori Juniper. The main trunk has
only a slight curve, and although the lifelines have been
treated for many years, the trunk remains cylindrical.
The branches are also very short and clustered, lacking
the grandeur typical of Juniper. If no significant changes
are made, having such an old Juniper without its unique
characteristics would be a pity!
After a simple restyle, I am preparing to adopt a more
proactive cultivation method. In other words, I will treat
the old Juniper as a raw material to be restructured and
nurtured anew. Personally, I believe this new attempt
and change may gradually bridge the gap between a
cutting and a Yamadori Juniper. Although it is just a
small step, it serves as a foundational stone for progress!
Approximately 20 years later, the cylindrical trunk
has begun to exhibit flattening.
Flattening Concept Origins:
1. Natural Formation
After enduring harsh environmental conditions
for centuries, the Juniper in the wild often exhibits a
flattened, horizontal growth pattern. Growing slowly
and resiliently in difficult terrain, they eventually take
on a flat, curved form over the course of hundreds of
years. This rare flattening phenomenon is regarded as
a unique aesthetic of the Juniper, celebrated by bonsai
enthusiasts as the pinnacle of beauty!
Junipers growing on ridges or rocky surfaces are
more likely to display this characteristic due to their
challenging environments. Two of the most iconic and
accessible examples of flattened Juniper are as follows:
1.  Taiwan Hight Mountain Juniper survives at over
3400m in the Taiwan mountains.
2.  California Juniper can be found on the rocky
hillsides on the left side of the road from White
Mountain to Yosemite in California, where
numerous ancient Junipers bear witness to the
passage of time. Both are pilgrimages every bonsai
enthusiast must undertake in their lifetimes!
2. Flying Celestials
In Buddhist legend, celestial beings overseeing music
and dancing soar through the sky during grand religious
ceremonies. Their forms are as fluid as water, especially
the colorful ribbons of their garments twist and spiral,
dancing gracefully with the wind! The imagery of these
flying celestials represents the lifelong dream of Juniper
bonsai creators.
3. Japan Juniper Art
With its intricate and twisted flattening, the extraor-
dinary Japanese Juniper evokes admiration and longing!
In recent years, the small and middle sizes of Itoigawa
Juniper have exemplified the artistry of this flattening
technique to perfection.
Bark Carving and Silk Carving:
The carving and shaping of the Juniper wood are col-
lectively referred to as silk carving. If we delve deeper
into classification, the design of the lifelines, excluding
the wood itself, can be termed bark carving.
Bark carving can yield astonishing effects in Juniper
materials. The combination of both techniques often
results in unexpectedly superior quality materials!
 A Brief Overview of the Flattening
Process of Juniper:
Generally, the branches of young Junipers are cylindri-
cal. Over the years, as the trunk thickens, the connection
between the roots and the trunk causes the transport
of moisture and nutrients to concentrate along the line
where the branches and trunk meet. As the branches
and trunk grow, this connected line’s surface becomes
noticeably thicker and raised, forming distinct lines.
In contrast, the unconnected surface tends to shrink
and even dry out. This ongoing interplay of raising and
shrinking leads to the formation of pronounced lifelines.
32 | BCI | January/February/March 2025