Hey Guys,

I was thinking of purchasing this bonsai (please see attachment) from a local specialist in my area, it's a Juniperus Chinensis
(Chinese Juniper). However, I am unsure of a price before I actually go into the shop and would like a rough price of would you would pay for this bonsai. I live in Australia if that's any help. I apologise for the lack of photos also.

Thanks,
William

William1996 wrote: Hey Guys,

I was thinking of purchasing this bonsai (please see attachment) from a local specialist in my area, it's a Juniperus Chinensis
(Chinese Juniper). However, I am unsure of a price before I actually go into the shop and would like a rough price of would you would pay for this bonsai. I live in Australia if that's any help. I apologise for the lack of photos also.

Thanks,
William

I wouldn't buy it.

William1996 wrote: Hey Guys,

I was thinking of purchasing this bonsai (please see attachment) from a local specialist in my area,

Specialist :blink:
www.bonsaipalace.net.au/page12.htm

It may not be a lot of money, but I find 15,00 AUD for this pretty expensive. I wouldn't pay anything for the cutting, so I would only be willing to pay some for the pot:


So... what would I pay for your Juniper... about 1/5 th. of what I expect they are asking for it.

Auk wrote: [I wouldn't pay anything for the cutting

Ah... from that website I just learned the term for very young, small and undeveloped cuttings: potted microbonsai!

Auk wrote: I just learned the term for very young, small and undeveloped cuttings: potted microbonsai!

They are not ashamed to call them "Young Bonsai" around here.

5$ for the pot, tree on top

What makes this tree undesirable?

Clearly I have a lot to learn

Valkyrie2271 wrote: What makes this tree undesirable?

It is not necessarily undesirable, it is the amount I expect they ask for it that makes it not interesting.
As a bonsai, this has little value. It has not been shaped like a real tree. It looks rather like a pom-pom style garden bonsai.

As pre-bonsai, it is not that interesting either. It lacks tapering, the trunk is not interesting, the foliage is far away from the trunk.
Branch placement isn't great.

This looks like a juniper from which branches were removed, and next foliage was removed, only leaving foliage at the end of the branches.
It does not look like a tree at all. You could probably make something out of it, but it would require a lot of work and a complete make-over.
You can do the same make-over with cheaper material.

Valkyrie2271 wrote: What makes this tree undesirable?

Clearly I have a lot to learn

Cover the pot with your hand, or cut the the pot on paint and look at the image. Doesn't look good anymore, does it? They tend to put moss, or rocks on soil to distract the viewer and make you think this tree is better than what it really is. The untrained eye will think this is a bonsai, and worth the money.

I went to google and looked up "tree"

www.google.com/search?q=tree&source=lnms...igB&biw=1136&bih=701

That's what tree look like; or just look out of the window. Bonsai is not only about making a miniature tree, but a beautiful tree. It is about creating natural art, in the form of trees. a "tiny tree" might be cute, or cool in the beginning. But after some work and time, you'll realize bonsai is not about "cute, cool small trees". It is about creating a beautiful tree, trying to imitate the most beautiful trees created by nature.

Like this:



Bonsai is the only way for a short lived human to imitate the beauty of nature in the form of a tree in a relatively short period of time. If we could shape normal trees into beautiful trees that would be awesome, but it would take many generations and gigantic tools.

Took me a lot to understand this... welcome to Bonsai, I hope you enjoy the art.

Thanks for all the help. What you said definitely makes sense, and covering the pot with my hand made the tree look spindly and weird. I'll be sure to remember that

I'm really enjoying bonsai so far and am looking forward to trying a lot of new things. I'm bound to need a lot of help, so expect to see me a lot around here