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I am finding it hard to find pictures or articles on how to shape or design this upright tree , with branches and needles all pointing upwards. Any ideas or help. ( or did I purchase wrong type juniper) It read blue point juniper. . Thanks in advance Stuart

This is what I would do:

Remove soil from the top of the pot to find a good base for the tree. These kind of nurcery plants are often burried deap in the soil. Remove single roots and keep digging until you find a decent nebari. Once it is found, it defines the start of the tree.

Look for a good trunk line. I can see three options in this tree but it is impossible for me to tell which one of them I would prefere. Look for the trunk line that give you the best taper and movement combination. Remove all other options. This will define the final hight of the tree.

Decide which is the front by turning it around and find where taper and mowement looks best.

Then look for a possible first branch, it would be at around 1/3-1/4 of the total hight of the tree and if there are just a slight mowement there on the outcurve of the bend. Also the first defining branch is approx 1/2 the thickness of the trunk where it is placed and straight to the right or left or just slightly towards the viewer from those points. Put a piece of wire on it to make it come out of the trunk on an angle slightly below 90degrees from the trunk. Anchor it to the trunk but leave quite a bit for the second branch. Remove all branches below it.

Above three steps are the most important steps in the design process and will pretty much define everything done after it and the final result. Experienced bonsai hobbyists shose nurcery specimens by looking for these options already in the nurcery. So this is really where the design process starts.

Now I look for a branch that is slightly thinner than the first branch, above and oposite to the first one. That is your second branch. Use the piece of wire left from first branch to wire them together.

Now continue with the next branch in the back. And continue up. Right, left back, smaller and smaller branches and smaller and smaller distance between them and wire them together 2 by 2.

At approx 2/3 to 3/4 of the final hight it is time to look for a first front branch. Continuing from there the pattern would be right, back, left front. At the top leave three branches for the apex.

Now cut back all branches to an apropriate leangth for the width and shape you want.

Now, the first branch define everything. Depending on that one you may need to read my left as right and right as left.

Young trees may not alow more than three branches facing the viewer. But the logic is the same.

Most trees do not have branches where you need or want them. This is the artistry involved. Doing the best with what you have. So take your time and think about your options in every step. Most of us has as beginners looked on the final result for quite a while and discovered that there was better options already removed. But obviously then it is too late.

Here is a video about me doing it on a nurcery stock pine:


As said in the video I stoped half way and decided to let the tree recover for a year before continuing:



My very first attempt on a conifer tree was so dissapointing for years until I got a second chanse to redo it and now it is a very pleasing tree in my optinion:



If it is still possible to bend the trunk, I suggest you do that on your tree. Totally upright is a harder style than informal upright. The logic is the same but adding curves so all branches is on outcurve or on a straight section.

Good luck.

Thank you very much,I appreciate your help. your response was very detailed and helpful, hopefully my old arthritic hands can do everything correctly Thanks again Stuart (ramman).

Thanks again. I repoted from original 3gal to cutdown 2gal nursery pot. I pruned the tree and sending you attachments before and after. Your instruction was great, just don’t know about the student. Could you please give me a critique no matter how harsh. I have stopped and watered. I am way to impatient. Thanks Stuart

Impatient is normal for beginners.

It is not possible to coment if there were any better options. The before picture just does not show the structure.

From the after picture I see a posibility to build a great taper in the long run, using two of the trunks as sacrificial branches.

Just let it grow for a year now and come back next spring. By then you have more knowledge and experience. Read my post again then and you will understand it was not really according to the recomendation.

This tree needs very different styling decitions now. My last post is no longer valid. But as said, come back in a year on this tree and someone can recomend on next step. For now, no more work on this tree. Get more trees to practice on.