The Lovely Juniper Bonsai Tree

The Juniper tree is another common bonsai tree. It is considered to be one of the easiest to grow and so is ideal for the beginner. In addition to its green to blue evergreen leaves, it also has pretty white flower clusters in the spring. If you're just starting out and trying to decide on your first bonsai tree, the Juniper bonsai would be a great one to add to the top of your list.

There are many different types, species and varieties of bonsai trees. One of the most beautiful varieties is the juniper bonsai tree. Juniper can be found in all corners of the world and it would surprise you to know how many times you've seen one in your neighborhood without even realizing it.

The Flaky Juniper Bonsai Tree

There are different varieties of juniper bonsai tree but two are probably the most common types out there. The first type is known as flaky juniper bonsai tree. This type is native to China and the Himalayas but can be found all the way from Afghanistan to southwest China.

The flaky juniper bonsai tree is rather small and will rarely reach over 30 feet high. As bonsai trees grow in the wild, they do tend to be much bigger than what you see at homes and private gardens, though. The leaves on the flaky plant are broad needles and take on a blue-green hue.

Eastern Juniper Bonsai Tree

Another very common variety of bonsai would be the Eastern juniper bonsai tree, which is native to North America. Found in mostly southeastern Canada to all the way down by the Gulf of Mexico, this tree is known for its dense foliage that refuses to grow when planted in poor soil. While it is certainly possible for this tree to grow in poor soil, it will end up being little more than a small bush. In good soil, you can see this tree climb all the way up to 15 feet tall.

The Eastern variety has dark red bark that will strip off in neat, narrow strips and two different types of leaves. The first types are sharp and spreading needles that are usually around half an inch long. The second type of leaves is the adult leaf, which look much more like scales and are less than half an inch long.

Once you start to make your way to the western half of the continent, the Eastern juniper bonsai tree gets replaced with the Rocky Mountain juniper bonsai tree or the Ashe juniper bonsai tree.

The Eastern juniper bonsai tree was placed on the IUCN's list of threatened species back in 1996. While it only holds the category of "Least concern (LR/lc)", it still is a species of tree that is being watched for future decrease and need for repopulation within the United States and Canada.