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the beginner’s tree

Juniper Bonsai Trees

Every juniper we grow is an outdoor tree. Sun, weather, and a cold winter are what keep it alive.

All 29 junipers

The first year, in four moves

Full juniper care sheet →
#1

Put it outside

Somewhere with six hours of direct sun. A windowsill inside will not do.

#2

Water by finger

Touch the soil daily. Water only when the surface is dry, then water until it runs out.

#3

Pinch, don’t cut

Through spring and summer, pinch soft new tips with your fingers. Leave the shears alone.

#4

Let it sleep

Cold winters are not a risk, they are the point. Shelter the pot, not the tree.

Juniper Bonsai Trees for Sale

The juniper is the tree most people picture when they hear the word bonsai, and it's one of the best trees to learn on. Hardy, forgiving of beginner pruning, and flexible enough to wire into almost any shape you can imagine.

One thing to know before you buy: junipers are outdoor trees. They need real seasons, including a cold winter dormancy, and they slowly decline if kept as a houseplant. If you're looking for a bonsai to live indoors, start with a ficus or a Chinese elm instead. If you have a porch, patio, balcony, or yard, a juniper is close to the perfect first tree.

Grown and styled at our own nursery, hand-packed, and backed by our 100% guarantee.

Common questions

Can a juniper live indoors?

No. It needs direct sun and a cold dormant period. Indoors it holds its colour for four to six weeks, then browns from the inside out. By the time it looks unwell it is already dead. Ficus or Chinese elm for indoors.

Why has my juniper turned brown?

Almost always water or light. Brown that starts on the inner branches and spreads outward is usually drought or root rot. Brown at the tips after a hard freeze in an exposed pot is winter burn. A juniper that browns evenly all over, several weeks after coming indoors, has already died. Junipers hold their colour for a while after the roots fail.

How often should I water?

Not on a schedule. Water by touch. Check the soil surface every day. When it is dry to the first knuckle, water slowly until it runs freely from the drainage holes. In midsummer that can be daily; in winter it may be once a week.

Procumbens or shimpaku to start with?

Procumbens ‘Nana’. It is tougher, cheaper, and more forgiving of the mistakes everyone makes in the first year. Shimpaku has the finer foliage and the better trunks, but it is less patient with a missed watering. Buy one once you have kept a procumbens alive through a winter.

How are the trees shipped?

Trees ship Monday to Wednesday so nothing sits in a depot over a weekend, boxed upright with the soil secured. Every tree is covered by our arrive-alive guarantee. If it arrives damaged, photograph it and contact us within 48 hours.

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