Contents of Great Mother’s Penjing:
Fernleaf Hinoki Cypress
Chamaecyparis obtusa
Dwarf Juniper ‘Nana’
Juniperus procumbens
Fernspray Gold Hinoki Cypress (deceased)
With Her two lions at her side, Great Mother sits over atop a small hill in the valley, by the great river. This penjing has gone through many changes over the course of the past couple of years. Many of the trees I have planted in here died during the heatwave we had in 2024. Currently, only the one cypress in the back is an original tree, and I’m frankly unsure about it as well. The juniper has been replaced at least twice now!
I’ve decided to leave the deceased Gold Hinoki cypress in the penjing, as a sort of testament to the past trees that have lived in this penjing.
Though it has had it’s hardships, this has remained one of my favorites. Hopefully one day I can find the right combination to really make this one work. Currently, my new juniper seems to be growing very well! If I lose the other cypress, I may just turn this into a juniper forest and fill the space with maybe two more small dwarf junipers.
Take a look at some of the pictures of when I first planted this penjing. Most of these trees are gone now. However, you can see how I dug out space for the river, which I filled with blueish gravel. The moss I used originally had died during the summer, and I find moss a hard thing to keep alive outdoors that time of year. Thankfully, I live in the Pacific Northwest where moss grows abundantly during the rainy season.fill the space with maybe two more small dwarf junipers.
