Is my juniper going to survive?

inkedchik_11 · White Belt Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 1 Location: missouri

My juniper tree is beginning to scare me and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. It seems that on all the branches the leaves closest to the trunk are dry, brown, and obviously dying. Farther out from the trunk, on the same branch, the leaves are still green, and there is even some new growth. What am I doing that is killing all the leaves closest to the trunk? I've only had the tree for three weeks, but I'm already in love with it. Please help me.

emorrin

Where do you keep your juniper? Junipers are sometimes sold as indoor bonsais when in fact they are not. Junipers need to be outdoors where nature intended them to be. If it is currently indoors, put it outdoors and do not fertilize it. Most people make the mistake of fertilizing a stressed tree when this actually does more harm than good. Maybe if you post a picture of it using a free posting site like photobucket, we can get a better look at it.

Here is a link with some additional details:

http://www.bonsai-bci.com/species/garden-juniper.html

kamivy

It can also be normal for foliage on junipers to brown around the trunk and closest to branches if the foliage is very thick thereby blocking sunlight to the inner foliage. If this is the case a little judicious pinching out to thin the foliage a little and rotating the tree occasionally to make sure it recieves an even exposure to the sun can help.

lance111

Yes it does sound like the sun is being blocked from to the inner foilage... try scratching the bark of the branch to see if its green under there.... But if you have got live foilage at the ends sure sounds like the sun block...
Lance.