Identifying wild trees

I've been on vacation in Utah and fell in love with the local desert trees and was wondering if they were identifiable as Bonsai families here are a few pictures...

It was incredible to see how the trunks and branches were so twisted and for the most part looked like dead wood but they had very healthy new growths at the tips. The roots were very exposed out of the soil yet they still thrived!!

Nice pictures. They look like Junipers. Not that i'm any expert .

I would say Junipers as well. There are many varieties and I'm sure our American friends will give you the answers. Great pics.

shy wrote:I've been on vacation in Utah and fell in love with the local desert trees and was wondering if they were identifiable as Bonsai families here are a few pictures

I see you were at natural bridges national park or close to it in Utha. The junipers are Juniperus osteosperma (Utah juniper). They are a close relative of both the California juniper (J. californica) and the single seed juniper (J. monosperma).

nice pictures and quite inspirational!!!!

Randy

Thank you for your thoughts on these trees...here are more pictures with close ups of foliage to help identification...they do look like some type of western juniper pics I've seen on the internet just a variation of colors and fullness of foliage on each branch stem.


Sorry for being in the pic again but wanted to show close up of the big tree in picture #1 The bark was very fibrous resembling the cedar family. Hope this can help confirm your previous identification...I will certainly look into the Juniper tree...I just love the contortion of the trunk and branches and knowing it was all natural and not man made was exceptional to see how perfect they can look with the help of the natural erosion of the wind and unforgiving dry and extremely hot temperatures.




Foliage similar to cedar tree just above the lizard will help you see the details.




Small patch of dusty fine sand on rock formation was enough to prosper big roots. Half of the tree looks dead yet the other half was bursting of new buds full of life.



Forget the patch of sand... for this one is embedded in the rock



Some of the pictures were taken from some roadside rest areas through the western side of the Colorado Mountains through to Kanab (Southern) Utah and through Moab where some of the pictures were taken in the Arches National Park your guess was pretty close hehe!

Shy,

I'm absolutely 100% positive that the tree is Juniperus Osteosperma. They make wonderful bonsai when you are able to collect good ones of the right size. I have not tried this particular juniper here in Kentucky but would spuspect it would do just fine. I have J. monosperma here and it's doing fine in the hot humid eastern US.

Randy Davis

Thank you so much Randy it is greatly appreciated. Have you tried any yourself? I wonder if they could do well on the Canadian East Coast