Juniper Bonsai Tree - Phoenix Graft
(juniper procumbens nana)

This dwarf Juniper from Japan is the most popular evergreen in the U.S.A. When we think of a traditional bonsai and what it should look like, we think of a "Juniper Procumbens Nana." It is very hardy, long-lived and tolerates many adverse conditions. Trained as a Phoenix Graft.

A Phoenix Graft is the name commonly given to bonsai known as Tanuki. "Tanuki" is the Japanese word for "Badger." In traditional Japanese folklore, this animal is responsible for playing tricks on people, so when a Tanuki is involved, nothing is quite what it appears. A Tanuki bonsai is a living tree "grafting" to a section of deadwood, often from another species entirely. The effect can be impressive. Most Tanuki, in order to make use of a lifeless trunk, are styled in the driftwood style. Tanuki are also called "Phoenix Grafts" after the mythological Phoenix which arose from its own ashes.