Most junipers have two types of foliage, a needly foliage and a non-needly. Often these two foliage types are seen on the same plant. Other times the needly-type foliage is apparent in times of stress or when young, and the cord-like foliage, or mature foliage, seen when everything is physiologically rosy and stable.
Needle Juniper is an unusual juniper in that it always has the needle-type foliage. The hypodermic needle character is only equaled (some say exceeded) by Barberry.
A common question is, how do we train the middle group? The ones that can show both foliage types depending on mood, which includes San Jose, Procumbens and Foemina. Switch-hitter junipers, we might call them.
In general, we don’t train these switch-hitters like the Needle Juniper, which is a scissor technique that removes all the new shoots (like Japanese Black pine, cutting all the spring candles off). Needle Juniper predictably regrows from such wholesale trimming, which we don’t do on Shimpaku.
One other juniper responds like Needle Juniper to the scissor technique, and that is Foemina juniper…and yet Foemina is a switch-hitter.
If you’re thoroughly confused at this point, I hope the photos will clarify.
Foemina Juniper with the needly foliage habit. Under normal cultivation, with moderate to high fertilization and lots of water, this is the form we usually see.
After trimming shoots of needle foliage on Foemina with scissors. Over time, compact and detailed foliage pads are possible. This is the same technique as used with Needle Juniper.
Same species, Foemina juniper, with “mature” foliage. If in good sun and not over-fertilized or over-watered, this foliage form may become predominant. It is looser than Shinpaku foliage, but similar. On the bottom branch is some needle-type foliage
After the strongest shoots were trimmed with scissors and the interior and dangling foliage pulled off with fingers. A softer look and feel, with the same species.
Foemina appears to be the strongest of these dual-foliage junipers. The scissor technique above shouldn’t be used with Procumbens, for instance, which like most junipers, appears to weaken over time if all growing shoots are pinched or scissored.
In my experience it is easier to get needle foliage on these “switch hitter” junipers and harder to get the soft foliage. Sometimes we just need to wait, reduce fertilizer, and don’t over-water. Mature foliage is more often featured on older juniper bonsai than on younger.