Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai Care

Pftitzer Junipers are medium size evergreen coniferous shrubs with needle like foliage

In 2017 I bought a small Pftitzer Juniper from a local shop and I’ve been developing it into a bonsai ever since. You can see how its developing in my Pftitzer Juniper Progression.

What Is The Natural Habitat of A Pftitzer Juniper?

The Pftitzer Juniper is actually a man-made hybrid of J. Chinensis and J. Sabina, so it doesn’t really appear “naturally” anywhere.

Wilhelm Pfitzer from Germany made this species and it became very poplar in the 1890s and now it is a popular juniper grown in gardens around the world.

What Soil Do Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai Need?

Pftitzer Juniper bonsai prefer a moist, well draining soil. I use my standard mix of equal parts Perlite/Molar Clay/Compost and have had no problems with the tree in this mix.

(For more info on soil read – A General Guide To Bonsai Soil)

How Do You Water A Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai?

Pftitzer Juniper bonsai can be mildly drought tolerate once establish, but they should be ideally kept moist at all times. They also do not like waterlogged soil.

If you are growing them in a pot, it is best to keep them moist at all time. Do not let them dry out or get too wet. A well draining soil will make sure you have the perfect moisture levels and then you should water the tree just before it dries out.

(For more info you can read –How To Water A Bonsai)

How Much Sun Light Does A Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai Need?

Pftitzer Junipers trees can take full sun. Most junipers can take a lot of light and they usually grow in high mountainous regions. While this species is man made, it still has these traits from its ancestors and it can handle a lot of sun.

(You may find you juniper turns yellow if you keep inside, you can read more about this in – Why Is My Juniper Bonsai Turning Yellow?)

How Hardy Are Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai?

Pftitzers Junipers are hardy down to -30°C / -22°F when grown in the ground.

Most junipers are very hardy and can take extreme cold. If your tree is in a very shallow bonsai pot, it may need a little protection if you are getting close to -30°C / -22°F. I would still keep it cold, just give it some protection from temperatures this low by placing it in an unheated shed.

Usually they will be able to handle most weather, especially if you live in the UK. Junipers will not worry about the “cold” temperatures we might have here. I just leave mine outside all year round without any issues.

(For more info you can read – Working Out How To Over Winter Bonsai Trees)

How Often Do You Feed A Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai?

I feed my Pftitzer Juniper bonsai once a month during the growing season with a general all purpose fertiliser which is more than enough to keep the healthy and growing well.

(For more info you can read – Do You Need To Use “Bonsai” Fertiliser?)

How Do Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai Respond to Pruning?

Pftitzer Juniper bonsai can be pruned and respond well to this. Like most Junipers you shouldn’t remove to much at once. You should not remove more than about 30% of the foliage at one time. This can seriously stress the tree and kill it, so be cautious when pruning.

You should also try not to prune the tree and repot it in the same season. This again can be too stressful for it and cause it to suffer and maybe die.

When you prune a juniper you want to make sure there is always foliage left on the branch. A bare branch is pretty much going to die. You should also try and prune in between the needles. If you cut across the needles these will turn brown and ugly with in a few day. It doesn’t rally affect the health, it just looks bad.

When you prune a juniper you should get plenty of new shoots just behind where you pruned, which will allow you to build up the structure. You will need to come back later in the year and check there is only 2 branches growing in one spot as you can often find multiple shoots in one area, which will form a knuckle of growth if you do not remove them.

Often you will only need to prune the main growing tip, which will allow the shoots behind to start getting all the main energy.

(For more info you can read- How To Prune A Bonsai Tree)

Repotting A Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai

Pftitzer Juniper bonsai must be treated like other Juniper bonsai, It can be rooted pruned, but not too much at once.

It is very easy to stress out a juniper and kill them, so be very cautious with your root pruning, and try to only remove too once at once. It will take multiple years to get the roots under contol.

Some people avoid bare rooting the tree and basically only work on the outer edges. They may work one side of the root ball on one repot, then deal with the other side in a years time. This may seem overly cautious, but going this slow and carefully can be sensible.

(For more info you can read – How To Repot A Bonsai Tree)

Wiring A Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai

Pftitzer Juniper bonsai will require wire to be shaped in a bonsai. You will be able to build dense foliage from pruning, but to get it into a decent shape and give it an actual style, you will need to wire it into position.

(For more info read – Why Do We Wire Bonsai?)

What Is The Leaf Pattern Of A Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai?

 Pftitzer Juniper bonsai have need like foliage.

What Pests Does A Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai Suffer From?

Pftitzer Juniper bonsai are at risk from cedar rust and spider mites. If you tree is healthy shouldn’t really have any many issues .

You should still check your tree often and if you notice any problems you should act quickly before it gets out of control. If you do this you tree will usually recover with no problems.

Can You Propagate A Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai?

Pftitzer Juniper bonsai can be propagated from cuttings and air layers.

They can take a while to root and are not the easiest to propoagte, but it is possible. You can grow junipers from seed but it is a very slow process and not really recommended for bonsai.

What Is The Growth Rate Of A Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai?

Pftitzer Juniper bonsai grow slowly and will take a long time to thicken.

You should allow them to grow freely for a few years and allow them to get some good size and growth before working on them as bonsai.

This can be frustrating, but you will end up with a better tree in the long run. Little whips wired into shape can look cool, but its much better to grow your tree out first and actually have some good material to work with.

Should You Get A Pftitzer Juniper Bonsai?

Pftitzer Junipers are slow growing, but can be worth the wait.

They make excellent bonsai after many years. They are easily cared for and look cool.

For beginners, they might be a little difficult to style, but junipers are still a great tree to have and over time you can learn the skills to style them properly and gets some awesome results.

You can read more about if Pftitzer Juniper Are A Good Tree For Bonsai.