Chinese Juniper –

Juniperus chinensis, the Chinese juniper (圆柏, 桧) is a species of plant in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to China, Myanmar, Japan, Korea and the Russian Far East. Growing 1–20 metres (3+1265+12 feet) tall, it is a very variable coniferous evergreen tree or shrub.

Juniperus chinensis
Jun chin shoot.jpg
Chinese juniper shoot, showing juvenile (needle-like) leaves, adult scale leaves, and young male cones
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnosperms
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Cupressales
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Juniperus
Section: Juniperus sect. Sabina
Species:
J. chinensis
Binomial name
Juniperus chinensis

The Juniperus chinensis is one of the top species used in the Japanese art of bonsai, referred to as "Shimpaku." Among the multiple cultivars of Shimpaku found in Japan, the most desirable due to its tight, fine foliage and excellent growing habits, is the "Itoigawa" variety.

Juniper bonsai grafted with Itoigawa foliage. This tree is estimated to be 150-250 years old
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