Alligator Juniper – A Tree Returned

Botanical Name: Juniperus deppeana

Common Name: Alligator Juniper

Story of the Tree

This Alligator Juniper once belonged to San Jose bonsai artist Seiji Shiba. Though it had never been formally styled, the tree carried a quiet presence—one that Steve Iwaki was drawn to again and again.

“Every time I went to his house, I would pay it a visit.”

After Seiji’s passing in 2018, the tree disappeared, its whereabouts unknown. Years passed. Then, in 2021, Steve was reunited with it—unexpectedly—at Peter Tea’s nursery.

It felt like more than coincidence.

Now, under Steve’s care, the tree has begun a new chapter. What was once a living memory has become a living legacy—rooted in connection, respect, and a sense of coming full circle.

“The rest is history.”

Exhibited by: Steve