Can anyone help identify this tree?

Hi can anyone help put a name to this tree? It was a gift, collected in Tobermory Ontario Canada about 12- 15 yrs ago. It lies at the end of a spit of land between Lake Huron & Georgian Bay. Also if you could tell me anything you know about it as a tree and as a Bonsai. I can tell you it's very hardy and backbuds well.
Thanks

Your tree looks a lot like Juniperus virginiana, the Eastern Red Cedar. Do a search on this site with those words as search terms, and you'll find out a lot about this species and it's suitability as Bonsai. These are a course, rangy species and it doesn't help that they grow and develop slowly.
On the plus side however, they're pretty hard to kill.
I currently have one I have been working with since 2009. I estimate that in 7 to probably 10 more years of development, it may turn out to be a fairly decent tree.   

Thanks a lot, that explains why I couldn't find any info I never would have clicked on cedar but was thinking of juniper as I found nothing else in Ontario tree guides and atlases. I have just red Jim Lewis's post on identifying trees and took some more pictures so I will post them anyway.  Funny it's call a red cedar because it turns a strong rust colour in wet years (over watered) but as you said it doesn't hurt it any.  Very sharp needles and grey flakey bark very much a juniper.  I like the rangy quality. Thanks again Auballagh.


         

I was writing to say J. virginina last night when my I-net suddenly vanished. Glad someone else did.

They are, generally speaking, OK as bonsai, but very slow to develop -- especially at such a stage of youthfulness as this one seems to be. I have a few under development and 1 or 2 actually seem to be showing a bit of promise.

i would also like to toss out a serendipitous thanks !!!
i won a bucket full of these last year at a show, but couldnt quite nail down what they were.

i say serendipity because today's plan was to get them out of the nursery pot and start a forest planting...
and now i can put a name to them   

Please do not grow J. virginiana in the ground. It is the alternate host of Cedar-apple rust, a scourge of apples & crabapples.
Iris

Thank you Iris! I lost one juniper to apple rust two years ago and another one of the same type (Chinese I think) has it now. It is isolated and in the house, I have taken off the galls with a toothbrush sprayed it and got rid of the remaining lesions with my fingernail, as I understand it I have to wait out this season and it will pass is that right? I have sprayed a cedar and 2 San Jose junipers with Monterey Fungi Fighter as a preventative step but didn't think to do the same with this one, which I will now. The 2 San Jose Junipers didn't get it either time though and I have a large Juniper in the back yard with scale but no rust.