The juniper genus belongs to the cypress family and has more than 60 species of evergreen shrub forms and trees. The name comes from the Celtic word Jeneprus, meaning "prickly". These plants are distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere from the polar zones to the subtropics. These rocks have existed on the planet for 50 million years. Their peculiarity is the attachment of varieties to certain ecosystems in a rather limited space. The habitats of junipers are discontinuous.
What juniper looks like: description of the plant and its photo
The leaves (needles) of junipers are very diverse: opposite or whorled, needle-shaped, scale-like, or both. The leaves of young (juvenile) plants are always needle-shaped. Varietal forms of the same species can have needles of any type. The color of needles of different species can vary from green to bluish. In junipers of the subgenus Sabina, the needles change color in winter, acquiring a protective brown tint.
Junipers are dioecious plants, less often monoecious.
Male “flowers” are ovoid on short branches, female flowers are rounded, on short scaly branches, formed at the ends of long shoots. The fruits are in small, round semi-dry berries (cone berries), ripen in the second, less often in the first year.
The genus Juniper is divided into three subgenera, uniting closely related species.
The largest of them is the subgenus Sabina, which, in particular, includes such popular species in gardens as:
- Cossack juniper (J. sabina)
- Chinese juniper (J. chinensis)
- Rock juniper (J. scopulorum)
- Scaly juniper (J. squamata)
- Virginia juniper (J. virginiana)
The second largest subgenus is Juniper (Juniperus), which unites, in particular, such species as:
- Common juniper (J. communis)
- Coastal juniper (J. conferta)
- Juniperus rigida (J. rigida)
The smallest subgenus, Caryocedrus, includes only one species, the stone fruit juniper (J. drupacea).
Shrub forms of junipers are very characteristic of the mountains of Central and Southern Europe. At the border of the forest and alpine zones they often form extensive thickets. The most common mountain European species are undoubtedly M. cossack (J. sabina) and M. common (J. communis).
Large woody junipers are typical plants of the mountains of Central and Central Asia, where they form groves - juniper trees. This type of juniper received this name from the Turkic name of the tree - juniper. These are mainly M. Turkestan (J. turkestanica), M. Zeravshan (J. seravschanica), M. hemispherical (J. semiglobosa), and M. Turkmen (J. turcomanica). In nature, all these species are extremely hardy and can withstand temperature changes from +40 to -40 °C. Unfortunately, this endurance is not a guarantee of the well-being of junipers in northern gardens, since it directly depends on highly aerated, “breathing” rocky mountain soils.
Look at the photos of junipers of shrub and tree forms:
Creeping species of juniper conifers define the landscape of the highlands. High-mountain dwarf junipers are characterized by an unusual crown development pattern associated with the harsh climate - plant trunks are pressed to the ground, bend between scree stones, and over time completely die off, passing the baton of life to the branches rooted in the rubble. Such populations form vast carpet clumps that live for hundreds of years. Coastal elfin trees are formed in a similar way, but, unlike mountain ones, their trunks and branches are buried not in crushed stone, but in sand.
Typical dwarf species are:
- Juniperus horizontalis (J. horizontalis)
- Siberian juniper (J. sibirica)
- Dahurian juniper (J. davurica)
- Juniper (J. conferta)
Next, you will learn what different types and varieties of junipers look like.
Reproduction
How to propagate a dollar tree at home
Amateur gardeners are interested in knowing how juniper propagates at home. Growing heather from seeds is a difficult procedure, since they appear on the plant only 10 years after planting. In addition, the cones ripen within two years. Therefore, it is much easier to propagate juniper using cuttings.
Propagation by cuttings
To grow juniper, propagation by cuttings at home is the best way. The shoots of the plant exactly repeat the behavior of the branches of the adult tree from which they were cut. If the material was taken from the central part of the crown, then the young heather will grow upward, shoots from the side branches of the lower part will subsequently form a bush.
Before propagating juniper at home, you need to prepare the material. It is better to cut cuttings in the spring; they are treated with a substance to stimulate root formation. After this, they are dipped in sweetened water for a day and planted in prepared soil. The plant will root fairly quickly.
Types and popular varieties of juniper: photos, names and descriptions
Juniperus chinensis - Chinese juniper.
Grows in China. Mongolia and Japan.
In nature, it is a tree up to 20 m high or a shrub with a free-growing, broadly pin-shaped or creeping crown. Naturally, the size and type of crown depend solely on the growing conditions - the more favorable they are, the larger the plant. It is not surprising that Chinese juniper has a huge number of cultivars.
The branches of natural forms are thin, simultaneously with two types of needles on the same plant - scaly and needle-shaped. The scaly needles are tightly pressed to the branches and have a rhombic shape, while the needle-shaped needles are collected in whorls. The ends of the branches of young growth are straight and covered with scaly needles.
As you can see in the photo, the needles of “wild” juniper trees are dark bluish-green, while those of varietal trees are very diverse, including golden:
Male and female plants may vary. The fruits (cone berries) are brown with a mealy ring, round, 6-8 mm in diameter. They ripen in the second year. Natural varieties are quite frost-resistant, but in severe winters they freeze slightly. The degree of frost resistance of varieties varies, but most of them are quite resistant.
Many cultivars of the coniferous juniper plant have a controversial origin, are considered hybrids with Cossack juniper (J. sabina) and are called medium juniper (J. media). Often these varieties are classified as either one species or another, but most often to the Pfitzeriana varietal group, including such popular cultivars as Gold Coast and Old Gold.
In the conditions of the Moscow region they can actively grow. But in unfavorable snowy winters, fractures and broken branches are quite common. When growing these junipers, even well-rooted and overgrown specimens can suffer from the spring sun and drying winds. They feel more comfortable in conditions with high air humidity.
Popular varieties of Chinese juniper:
Juniperus chinensis Expansa Aureospicata
Wide, tiered growth form. The needles are needle-shaped. Grey-green. The branches are pointed, some of them ending in creamy-golden growths. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 1.5-1.8 m; height 40-60 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Parsonii
Widely spreading, tiered growth form. The needles are needle-shaped. Grey-green. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 3.0 m; height 50-70 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Pfitzeriana Aurea
Widely spreading, tiered growth form.
Look at the photo - the needles of the juniper plant are soft, needle-shaped, golden:
The vegetative shoots are bright and turn green over time. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 2.0-2.2 m; height about 1 m. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Pfitzeriana Blue and Gold
Tiered, pot-like growth form. The needles are soft, needle-like. Gray-blue, with golden spots. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width up to 1.5 m; height 1 m. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Pfitzeriana Compacta
Tiered, creeping, flattened growth form. The needles are soft, needle-shaped, gray-blue. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 1.5-2.0 m; height about 50 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Pfitzeriana Gold Star
Widely spreading, tiered growth form. The needles are soft, needle-shaped, golden. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 2.0-2.2 m; height is about 1.0 m. When describing the juniper plant of this variety, it is worth noting its complete frost resistance. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Pfitzeriana Golden Saucer
Widely spreading, tiered growth form. The needles are soft, needle-like. Light green-golden. Vegetating shoots are bright and turn green over time. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 2.0-2.5 m; height about 1.0 m. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Plumosa Aureovariegata
Dwarf form. The needles are green-blue. The branches have white-cream tips and have a somewhat vertical growth direction. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 60-80 cm; height about 50 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
These photos show varieties of Chinese juniper, the names of which are given above:
Juniperus communis - Common juniper
A highly variable species, distributed in the forests and mountains of Europe, Northern Asia to Northern China and North Africa.
A columnar or pin-shaped tree or a multi-stemmed shrub with a height of 2 to 20 m. Just like many other junipers, the type of crown depends on the growing conditions, so in mountainous areas you can find forms with an elfin crown spread on the ground. The diversity of natural types has led to the emergence of a huge number of cultivars - varieties with different strength and type of crown growth.
Pay attention to the photo - this type of juniper has green, triangular young shoots with longitudinal grooves:
The bark of adult plants is gray-brown and fibrous. The needles are needle-shaped, hard, prickly, collected in whorls of 3 pieces. The length of the needles is 10-15 mm, the color is green with a white stripe in the center.
Male and female plants do not differ in appearance. The fruits (cone berries) are dark gray, as if covered with frost, round, 6-9 mm in diameter. They ripen in the 2-3rd year. Common juniper is one of the most frost-resistant of its kind. Most varieties are also completely frost-resistant, but many columnar forms suffer greatly from the spring sun and require shading.
Recommended varieties of common juniper:
Juniperus communis Berkshire
Mini variety of common juniper. The needles are prickly, pointed, gray-blue. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus communis compressa
Mini variety of common juniper. Columnar shape. This variety of common juniper has prickly, pointed, green-blue needles. The branches fit tightly to the trunk. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. On the south side, it is desirable to shade the plant from the rays of the spring sun. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus communis Dr.U.
A narrow-columnar variety of common juniper. The needles are prickly, pointed, green. The branches fit tightly to the trunk. The crown is very dense. Annual growth is within 15-20 cm. It is desirable to shade the southern part of the plant from the rays of the spring sun. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus communis Spotty Spreader
A dwarf variety of common juniper. Widely creeping, shrubby form. The needles are soft, green, with irregular white staining. It is desirable to shade the south-facing part of the plant from the rays of the spring sun. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus communis Sterling Silver
A dwarf variety of common juniper. Creeping form. The needles are prickly, gray-blue. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus communis Suecica Aurea
Mini variety of common juniper. Columnar shape. The needles are prickly, pointed, green-golden. The branches fit tightly to the trunk. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. It is desirable to shade the southern part of the plant from the rays of the spring sun. Completely frost-resistant, covered with frost, round, 8-12 mm in diameter. They ripen in the 2nd year.
Completely frost-resistant. It has a few varietal forms.
Recommended variety of juniper crowded:
Juniperus conferta All Gold
A dwarf variety of crowded juniper. Creeping form. The needles are prickly and golden. Annual growth is within 5-8 cm. Frost-resistant.
Juniperus conferta - Crowded Juniper
It grows on the sands in Japan and on Sakhalin Island, forming dense thickets.
Creeping, strongly creeping shrub, similar to the elfin form of common juniper. When describing this type of juniper, it is worth noting its very long, red-brown branches. The ends of the branches are straight. The needles are light green, needle-shaped, hard, prickly, collected in flat whorls of 3 pieces. Male and female plants do not differ in appearance. The fruits (cones) are dark blue, exactly
Juniperus horizontalis
It grows in the mountains and along the sandy shores of large lakes in North America.
Creeping shrub with long branches tightly pressed to the ground. The branches are numerous and flat. The needles of the natural form are scaly, tightly pressed to the branches; in cultivated forms they are different: scaly, needle-shaped or combined. The color of the needles of the natural form is bluish-green, while the varietal ones are very diverse: green, bluish, golden, variegated.
The fruits (cones) are blue, as if covered with frost, round, 5-6 mm in diameter.
Recommended varieties of horizontal juniper:
Juniperus horizontalis Blue Pygmy
Micro variety of horizontal juniper. The needles are prickly, green-blue, sometimes silvery, densely located on the branches. Annual growth up to 1 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus horizontalis Golden Carpet
Creeping form of horizontal juniper. The needles are scaly, golden, light green at the base of the branches. In winter it turns brown. Annual growth within 10 cm, completely frost-resistant. The decoration of the garden will be both a juniper grown on a trunk and hanging from it, and a specimen spreading along the ground.
Juniperus horizontalis Mother Lode
Creeping form of horizontal juniper. The needles are scaly, golden, slightly light green at the base of the branches. During the summer it gradually acquires brownish tones, turning completely brown in winter. Annual growth within 10 cm. Completely frost-resistant. The decoration of the garden will be both a juniper grown on a trunk and hanging from it, and a specimen spreading along the ground. Considered one of the most golden junipers.
Juniperus horizontalis Neumann
Micro variety of horizontal juniper. The needles are prickly, blue-green, sometimes silvery, densely located on the branches. Annual growth up to 1 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Almost indistinguishable from Juniperus horizontalis Blue Pygmy.
Look at the photo - this variety of juniper is considered the smallest:
Juniperus horizontalis Prince of Wales
Creeping form of horizontal juniper. The needles are scaly, green-blue. Annual growth is more than 10 cm. Crown diameter at the age of 10 years is more than 2 m. Completely frost-resistant. The decoration of the garden will be both a juniper grown on a trunk and hanging from it, and a specimen spreading along the ground.
Below are photos, names and descriptions of other varieties of junipers.
Applications of Common Juniper
Decorative
Decorative with the shape of the crown and the color of the needle-shaped needles. Decorative durability 30-35 years.
It is recommended to be used for park plantings in one form or in groups. It requires preventive measures to combat pests and diseases.
Medicinal
Common juniper cones are used for medicinal purposes.
The plant is used for asthenia, anemia, joint diseases, as a diuretic for cardiac edema, ascites, inflammation of the bladder, and in homeopathy for salt metabolism disorders. Juniper preparations are prescribed as a disinfectant and diuretic for chronic diseases of the genitourinary system, without signs of renal failure.
Application in official and folk medicine
Juniper berries have a tonic, restorative, anti-inflammatory, phytoncidal, expectorant, laxative and strong diuretic effect. They are used as a diuretic for edema, kidney stones, inflammation of the bladder, the presence of protein in the urine, edema associated with renal failure, chronic pyelitis, cystitis, and dropsy. In European medicine, the infusion is used as an expectorant. Sometimes as a blood purifier for eczema, dermatitis, scabies, skin rashes, furunculosis. In scientific medicine, an infusion of juniper berries (1 tablespoon of crushed raw materials per 1 glass of boiling water, heated in a water bath for 15 minutes, infused for 45 minutes, filtered and taken 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day after meals) is prescribed mainly as a diuretic for edema associated with renal failure and circulatory disorders, and also as a disinfectant - for chronic pyelitis, cystitis, urolithiasis, etc. Cone berries are also used in combination with other plants - for chronic diseases of the respiratory tract (tracheitis, laryngitis, bronchitis) - to thin sputum and improve expectoration. In addition, they are recommended to stimulate appetite, enhance bile formation, improve digestion and intestinal motility, and are used for gastroenteritis, hepatopathy associated with bile stagnation, and a tendency to form gallstones. In modern traditional medicine, juniper berries are widely used; they are used for asthenia, anemia, furunculosis, joint diseases, chronic skin diseases, gallstones and kidney stones, gout. In gynecological practice, a decoction of cones is used for douching for colpitis and leucorrhoea of bacterial origin.
The essence of fresh ripe fruits is used in homeopathy.
Use at home
Recommended for diseases of the respiratory tract, liver, gastrointestinal tract, various diseases of the kidneys and bladder (chronic nephritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis, uro- and nephrolithiasis, acute and chronic urethritis).
If there is sand in the bladder, take 60 g of common juniper fruit, chop it, add 10 g of lemon peel, pour in 1 liter of white wine and leave for 10 days. Drink 100 g 2-3 times a day.
A cold infusion of berries is used as a diuretic (1 teaspoon of crushed raw materials is infused for 2 hours in 1 glass of cold boiled water and taken 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day).
For hypertension, take 10 g of juniper fruits and 5 g of oat seeds and wheatgrass rhizomes, pour in 1 liter of boiling water and simmer over low heat until 0.75 liters of liquid remains. The resulting decoction is drunk little by little throughout the day.
Fresh fruits can be used as a blood purifier: on the first day, carefully chew 6 berries (the seeds are spat out), each subsequent day, for 2 weeks, the dose is increased by 1 berry, thus reaching 20 fruits, and then reduced by 1 berry daily - until 6.
There is evidence that an infusion of juniper bark stimulates sexual activity in men. For impotence, to stimulate sexual activity, it is recommended to take a decoction of the bark of young branches of common juniper: 1 tbsp. pour 2 cups of boiled water over a spoon, leave for 10-12 hours, boil for 15 minutes in a tightly sealed container, cool, filter and then drink */2 cups 3 times a day before meals.
And in Croatia, female infertility is treated with juniper decoction. To do this, take three tops of juniper branches (4-5 cm long), growing on dry calcareous soil, and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Boil for 5-8 minutes. Drink 50 g in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before bed for 20 days of each month.
Traditional medicine recommends juniper essential oil for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (gonorrhea): 2-5 drops per dose 3 times a day. There is another recipe: pour 20 g of dry crushed thuja shoots with 1 cup of boiling water, leave in a warm place in a tightly closed container for 5 minutes, strain. Drink 1 glass 3 times a day. Before drinking, add 1-3 drops of juniper essential oil to a glass. This infusion follows "
Take for chronic gonorrhea as an addition to antibiotics. However, it should be remembered that thuja is poisonous.
Externally, a decoction of fruits and branches (at the rate of 50 g of raw material per bucket of water) is used for baths for rheumatism, gout, and eczema. The decoction is prepared in a sealed container for half an hour. Take a bath for 20 minutes a day at a temperature of 38 °C. Rub juniper oil or tincture for rheumatism on painful joints and muscles.
For scabies, it is recommended to prepare an ointment: mix 50-60 drops of juniper essential oil with 30 g of lard.
Attention! Internal use of juniper preparations is contraindicated in acute inflammatory kidney diseases (nephritis, nephroso-nephritis).
In ancient times, the berries were used to treat malaria, nervous and other diseases. Since juniper has disinfectant properties, surgical suture material was sterilized with juniper oil, and wooden barrels were evaporated with branches. The fruits have choleretic, antipyretic properties, stimulate digestion, have a tonic, restorative, anti-inflammatory, and expectorant effect.
Pine berries are an integral part of diuretic teas. Raw berries are eaten for stomach ulcers, a decoction of berries and branches is drunk in the absence of menstruation, a decoction of the roots is drunk for diathesis. Infusions and decoctions of dried berries are used to improve appetite in case of insufficient secretory and motor activity of the stomach and intestines, flatulence, cholelithiasis and cholecystitis. They are used externally for baths (a decoction of 200-300 g of berries and branches per 1 liter of water is prepared) for diseases of the joints (obliterating endarteritis), trophic ulcers of the legs, for fumigation of rooms in which there were infectious patients, for inhalations and rinsing of the oropharynx.
The essential oil has antibacterial properties, a 10 percent ointment is effective for the treatment of purulent wounds that do not heal for a long time, promotes the rejection of dead tissue and the growth of new ones; used in the treatment of psoriasis and scabies. Oil from pine needles in the form of an alcohol solution and ointment is prescribed for rubbing for rheumatism, neuralgia, as a painkiller; in the form of tampons - for trichomonas colpitis. In case of spring vitamin deficiency, juniper berries are chewed (starting with four berries, add one every day and, having reached fifteen, again reduce to the original four).
Food
In some European countries and Russia, juniper berries have long been used for food purposes, mainly as a spice to impart a characteristic aroma to kvass, beer, soft carbonated drinks, pickles, marinades, and canned fish. Juniper adds a special taste and forest aroma to poultry and game dishes (take 7-8 berries per 1 kg of meat). In addition, it fights off the unpleasant odor characteristic of wild animal meat. Hare meat with juniper berries turns out especially delicious.
Due to the high sugar content of cone berries, sweet syrup was previously obtained from them. In Russia in the 17th century. Syrup was distilled from juniper berries and the intoxicating drink “juniper wort” was prepared, which was served to the tsar and boyars on fasting days. Juniper alcohol was used to make “apoplektika” vodka, which was considered a cure for almost all diseases.
Juniper sugar is extracted from ripe dry fruits sugar syrup, beer, kvass, fruit juice, molasses, marmalade, and candies are made. In some national cuisines, berries are used as a spice: they are added for flavor to soups, soft drinks, and to meat and poultry dishes (domestic and game) - 7-8 berries per 1 kg of meat.
In Russian cuisine, berries are added to sauerkraut, pickles, and marinades. Fruits collected during the period of full ripening (September-October) and well dried are used as a coffee substitute. Shishkoyagoda is in demand in the confectionery and alcoholic beverage industries.
Contraindications : neuroses, acute and chronic inflammation of the kidneys (nephritis and nephrosonephritis), gastritis, colitis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. Large doses and prolonged use irritate the renal parenchyma, causing hematuria.
Preparing the infusion . 10 fruits (1 tablespoon of crushed cones) are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water (in a thermos) and left for 6 hours. Take 1 tablespoon 30-40 minutes before meals 3-4 times a day to thin and facilitate expectoration of mucus in diseases of the respiratory tract, as a mild choleretic agent.
Preparing the decoction . 50 g of dry cones are poured into 1 glass of water and boiled for 30 minutes, allowed to cool, and filtered. Add honey and sugar until a syrupy consistency is obtained. Take a teaspoon before meals to improve digestion, for diseases of the liver, bladder, kidney stones, inflammation of the tubal appendages, rheumatism.
In England, juniper berries are still used to make gin, a traditional, purely British alcoholic drink. Gin has not received recognition among Russians due to its strong “perfume aroma.”
Other uses
Juniper branches with needles are used in villages for steaming barrels and tubs before pickling cucumbers, mushrooms and cabbage.
Juniper brooms in the bathhouse for joint diseases can do a good job. Juniper wood is dense, with a beautiful texture and a characteristic odor. It is used for the manufacture of small carpentry and turning products, smoking fish and various meat products. With its delicate, pleasant aroma that lasts for decades, juniper wood is in no way inferior to the famous sandalwood.
Other varieties of junipers: photos, names and descriptions
Juniperus sabina - Cossack Juniper
It grows in the mountains of Southern and Central Europe, Siberia, the Caucasus and Asia Minor.
Very variable. In nature, it is a shrub that forms extensive clumps up to 4 m high. The trunks are inclined, the branches are more or less creeping with raised branches of young growth. The old bark is reddish-brown, falling off in patches. The needles of their natural shape are bluish-green, tightly pressed to the branches, combined - needle-shaped and scaly on the same plant. The needles of varietal forms are the most diverse in both shape and color. Male and female plants differ not only generatively, but also in the type of needles - in female specimens the needle type of needles is dominant, and in males the scaly type is dominant. Some varieties are naturally selected forms of either female or male plants, such as the Femina and Mascula varieties.
The fruits (cone berries) are bluish-black, as if covered with frost, round, 5-7 mm in diameter. They ripen the first year in autumn or the second year in spring. Completely frost-resistant.
Varieties of Cossack juniper ten to fifteen years ago were quite common in our gardens. The plant was unpretentious, and most importantly, almost the most affordable. But soon many owners of small plots cooled somewhat in purchasing it: firstly, it turned out that this juniper has a high growth rate and significant crown diameter, and secondly, others appeared on the market, not so aggressive and at the same time more interesting , rare species and varieties of conifers.
Recommended varieties of Cossack juniper:
Juniperus sabina Variegata
Natural form. One of the branches has a mutating, variegated color.
Juniperus sabina Blaue Donau (synonym - Blue Danube)
Dwarf variety of Cossack juniper. Shrubby, spreading, funnel-shaped form. The branches are pointed and have a vertical direction of growth. When describing this variety of juniper, it is worth noting its beautiful green-blue needles. Annual growth is 20-25 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus sabina Cupressifolia
Dwarf variety of Cossack juniper. Creeping, spreading form. The branches are pointed, have a vertical direction of growth, and subsequently fall down. The needles are green-blue. Annual growth within 20 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus sabina Blue Forest
Dwarf variety of Cossack juniper. Dense, creeping, densely apical form. This is one of the best varieties of Cossack juniper with short, pointed branches and blue-green needles. Annual growth within 10 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus scopulorum - Rock juniper
It grows in the western regions of North America, on dry spurs of rocks from Texas and Oregon to British Columbia. The species is closely related to Juniperus virginiana, which leads to constant confusion with the identification of varieties of these species.
In nature it is a tree 10-13 m high, often multi-stemmed. The crown is broadly columnar, pin-shaped or unevenly rounded. The bark is dark red-brown. The needles are scale-like, opposite, tightly pressed.
The color of the needles is dark, light or bluish green. The fruits (cone berries) are dark blue, as if covered with frost, round, 5-7 mm in diameter, sweetish. They ripen by the end of the second year.
Both natural and cultivated varieties of this juniper are completely frost-resistant.
Recommended rock juniper variety:
Juniperus scopulorum Moonglow
Columnar form of rock juniper. The branches fit tightly to the trunk. The needles are hard, prickly, gray-blue. Dimensions of the plant at 10 years of age: width within 40 cm, height 3.0 m. Frost-resistant. At a young age it can be damaged by the rays of the spring sun.
Juniperus sibirica - Siberian juniper
A typical dwarf species of the highlands and polar regions of Eurasia. Systematically close to M. vulgaris. In nature it forms extensive carpet thickets, in garden culture it is a squat shrub with a wide dense crown. Young shoots are green, triangular with longitudinal grooves. The bark of adult plants is gray-brown and fibrous.
As you can see in the photo, this variety of juniper has needle-shaped, hard, prickly needles, collected in whorls of 3 pieces:
The length of the needles is 5-8 mm, the color is green with a white stripe in the center. Male and female plants do not differ in appearance. The fruits (cone berries) are dark gray, almost covered with frost, round, 6-9 mm in diameter. They ripen in the 2-3rd year.
Rare in cultivation, but promising for securing slopes and decorating large rockeries. It has no cultivars or hybrid varieties.
Juniperus squamata - Scaly juniper
Grows in the Himalayas, Central and Western China. In nature, it is a highly branched, often creeping shrub that forms extensive but loose clumps. The trunks and branches are hard, elastic, covered with gray-brown exfoliating bark. The branches of young growths are long, raised, bluish-green. The needles are needle-shaped, gray, short, dense, prickly, collected in whorls. The fruits (cone berries) are red-brown, turning black over time, ellipsoidal, 6-8 mm long. They ripen in the second year. It is quite frost-resistant, but often suffers from the spring sun.
It has a few but varied cultivars, mainly with bluish-blue needles. The crown shape of varietal forms is very diverse: “vase-shaped” in the Meyeri variety, spherical in Blue Star, creeping in Blue Carpet. These varieties are the most common in cultivation and are “typical” for this type of juniper. Also recommended varieties: Holger, Meyeri, Tropical Blue.
Recommended varieties of scaly juniper:
Juniperus squamata Blue Carpet
Wide, creeping form of scaly juniper. The branches are dense, whip-like. The needles are sharp, hard, gray-blue. Annual growth within 10 cm. Frost-resistant. In damp winters it is often damaged by a fungal infection, which can result in damage to the needles of the branches. The spring sun makes the damage worse. Loss of both individual branches and the entire plant is possible.
Juniperus squamata Holger
It is possible that this is a hybrid of scaly juniper and Chinese Pfitzeriana Aurea. Wide, flattened shape. The needles are sharp, turning yellow in spring, later turning gray-blue. At 10 years of age, possible sizes are: 50-70 cm in height and 2.0-2.5 m in width. Frost-resistant. In damp winters it is often damaged by a fungal infection, which can result in damage to the needles of the branches. The spring sun makes the damage worse. Loss of both individual branches and the entire plant is possible.
Juniperus squamata Meyeri
Wide, creeping form of scaly juniper. The branches are dense, whip-like, and raised. The needles are sharp, hard, gray-blue, collected in whorls. Annual growth within 10 cm. Frost-resistant. In damp winters it is often damaged by a fungal infection, which can result in damage to the needles of the branches. The spring sun aggravates the damage. Loss of both individual branches and the entire plant is possible.
Juniperus squamata Tropical Blue
Dwarf form of scaly juniper. Very compact, round shape. The needles are sharp, hard, rich silver-blue color. Annual growth is within 5-7 cm. Frost-resistant. In damp winters it is often damaged by a fungal infection, which can result in damage to the needles of the branches. The spring sun makes the damage worse. Loss of both individual branches and the entire plant is possible.
Juniperus virginiana
The name of this variety of junipers is given by the name of its main distribution area. The trees grow in their natural habitat in the dry, rocky soils of Virginia. They can also be found in wet swampy places in North America - from Canada to Florida. The species is close to J. scopulorum (M. rocky), which leads to constant confusion with the definition of varieties of these species.
In nature it is very variable, but most often it is a tree up to 30 m high. The shape of the crown changes with age - at first narrowly columnar, and later pin-shaped with drooping and horizontally spaced branches. The trunk is up to 1 m thick.
The bark is peeling and varies in color from gray to reddish-brown. The needles are gray, combined - both needle-shaped and scaly on the same plant. Scale-like needles dominate, but needle-like ones are also quite noticeable, especially on old trees, where they reach a length of 10 mm. The scaly needles are opposite, lanceolate or ovate-rhombic, 1-2 mm long.
The flowers are monoecious (male and female on the same specimen). The fruits (cones) are dark blue, shiny, as if covered with frost, almost round, 6 mm in diameter.
Both natural and varietal forms are completely frost-resistant.
It has a few cultivars, but varied in growth type. The most common are the columnar Skyrocket and the spread out Gray Owl.
Recommended variety of juniper virginiana:
Juniperus virginiana Gray Owl
A medium-sized variety of Virginian juniper. In youth, it has a prostrate-raised form, which with age becomes very wide and multi-tiered. The branches are whip-shaped, raised. The needles are prickly, gray-blue. Annual growth is within 15-20 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Next, you will learn how to grow juniper in the country and how to propagate these trees.
Where does juniper grow?
Plants of this genus are distinguished by their good adaptability to different climatic conditions. Therefore, different types of junipers can be found on all continents. Tree-like representatives with large, tall trunks form entire forests in Central America, Asia, and the Mediterranean. Large specimens also grow on the African continent. Smaller, bushy plants are ubiquitous. Some species are found in the Arctic, others in the subtropics. On the territory of our country, juniper is found in forests, steppes, and mountainous regions.
How to grow juniper in the country: agricultural technology for planting and caring in open ground (with photo)
To plant and successfully care for juniper, you need to take care of loose, slightly acidic loamy soils; sandy loam soils are also quite suitable. Dwarf varieties should not be grown in overly rich soils - they may lose their typical crown shape.
When caring for junipers, adult specimens do not require feeding. Young plants can be fed in the spring after the snow melts on wet soil with complex or combined mineral fertilizer in a reduced concentration. Fresh manure and feces are strictly excluded.
These photos show the agricultural technology of planting and caring for junipers:
Junipers are replanted either in the spring before buds open, or in the fall. Deepening the root collar is possible, but undesirable. Young plants and varietal garden forms tolerate replanting easily, but taken from nature - extremely poorly. Large specimens can be replanted only after preliminary preparation of the root ball.
In order to care for junipers as proper agricultural technology suggests, you need to ensure the absence of stagnant and groundwater.
Frost resistance of species varies. Adult specimens are more resistant than young ones. It is possible to build a shelter from frost only for low-growing varietal forms.
As shown in the photo, when caring for junipers, medium-sized specimens are insulated with coniferous spruce branches; for dwarf ones, a “hut” is arranged:
To avoid breaking by heavy snow and loss of shape, lightly tightening the branches of multi-stemmed varietal specimens is necessary.
Care
Veres does not require special care. For the plant to grow and develop, it is enough to water and feed it on time.
Watering mode
Despite the fact that juniper easily tolerates drought, it needs watering. Most of all, it needs spraying of the crown. This procedure should be done every two weeks.
Top dressing
It is recommended to feed the plant once a year in the spring. To do this, add only 50 g of nitroammophoska per 1 m².
Features of care in summer
Juniper does not need additional care in summer. In autumn and spring, dry and broken branches are removed from the plant.
Features of winter care
In winter, only young seedlings that are not yet sufficiently strong and rooted should be covered. Mature shrubs are tied together a little with twine so that the branches are not damaged by the snow.
To prevent juniper branches from breaking under the weight of snow, they tie it with twine
Juniper will be an excellent decoration for the garden and plot. But before planting, you need to decide what mission the plant will perform and plant it according to the plan: singly or in groups.
The use of junipers in garden landscape design (with photo)
It is not surprising that these beautiful and diverse plants have become one of the main ones for the formation of compositions of ornamental gardens in almost all regions of the Earth. Depending on the nature and vigor of growth, the type and color of the needles, each of the types and varieties of junipers in landscape design is used in its own way. They are good as dominants and solitaires, for creating groups and borders, for planting in mixborders and rockeries. Junipers are indispensable in garden design and for maintaining the constant color of the garden - none of the coniferous genera has such a rich variety of needle colors: all honey mushrooms are green, bluish-white and golden yellow. Junipers tolerate formative pruning absolutely painlessly throughout the year. To restrain growth and make spreading and creeping varieties more compact, it is possible to cut out any branches.
Look at the photo - in garden design, bush junipers and varieties are good for forming trimmed hedges:
Compact multi-topped forms are used for natural, untrimmed hedges and borders. Dense narrow pyramidal varieties are indispensable for creating trimmed columns, arches and spirals. Tall, wide-pyramidal cultivars are convenient for forming trimmed tiered compositions in the Japanese style.
These photos show the use of junipers in landscape design:
In many species, at the end of winter - beginning of spring, the shoots of the previous year get burned. Shading with pine spruce branches or gauze can help prevent this. In spring, abundant watering is recommended to ensure uniform awakening of plants. It is especially important after severely frosty winters that freeze the soil.
Below is how to grow juniper from seeds.
Diseases
Juniper is quite often affected by diseases and pests. In this regard, the bush requires constant care and inspection of individuals. Depending on the disease, various signs can be seen on the bush, which characterize the pathology. To prevent diseases, the crop is treated several times a year.
Physiological drying of needles
As a rule, pathology can be noticed in the spring. The reason is the drying out of the needles on the sunny side, due to insufficient photosynthesis in the winter. In order to prevent drying out, some varieties of heather are covered with material for the winter.
Rust
Characterized by the appearance of yellow or brown growths on foliage and stems. To eliminate the pathology, diseased branches and needles must be cut off and burned, and the tree must be treated with a fungicidal solution.
Schutte
The cause of the lesion is a fungus that appears due to the rotting of old needles. At the same time, black spots appear on the foliage. To prevent the development of pathology, sanitary pruning is carried out in the spring and all damaged parts of the plant are removed. Twice-time treatment of the crop with a fungicidal agent is also recommended.
Drying branches
Gradual drying of the branches is detected in the spring. Pathology does not spare young and old branches, so it must be dealt with quickly enough. The cause of the pathology is a fungus that occurs due to poorly selected planting site and care of the crop. A severely damaged plant cannot be saved, so it is dug up and burned so as not to transfer the disease to other individuals. Fungicides are used as prevention.
Basic conditions for growing juniper from seeds
One of the main conditions for growing juniper from seeds is to use only freshly harvested planting material. When stored under normal conditions, germination is lost after 1-2 years.
Seeds should be collected in the fall, as soon as the pine cones ripen. To improve germination, they must be removed from the fruit and washed. The seeds have very hard shells, without breaking which they cannot germinate. In addition, the seed embryo is not ready for germination, as it is at rest. In nature, the process of breaking the integument takes place in the stomach of birds that swallow the seeds, and the awakening of the embryo occurs after a long stay in the soil.
In garden culture for growing juniper, the seeds are scarified, that is, the integument is artificially disturbed. For junipers, the best method is chemical, in which dry seeds are placed in sulfuric acid for 30 minutes and then carefully washed. After this treatment, the seeds are sown in open ground. They germinate by spring.
Another method of seed germination is also possible, based on combined stratification, creating ideal conditions for the awakening of the embryo. Immediately after collecting and cleaning the seeds, they are mixed with coarse, clean, slightly damp sand, sawdust or sphagnum moss, placed in plastic bags and stored for 2-3 months at a temperature of +20 to +30 ° C. Subsequently, the seeds are stored for 3-4 months in the refrigerator or basement at a temperature of +3...+5 °C. During the stratification period, it is necessary to maintain an even, moderate level of substrate moisture and avoid temperature fluctuations.
In spring, stratified seeds are washed and sown in boxes or bowls. The crops are placed in a warm (+18…+23 °C) place, where they germinate. The seedlings are kept in the light, but not in the bright sun, and watered moderately, if necessary they are planted. After hardening in the fresh air, they are planted in a ridge.
To simplify the process, seeds after stratification can be immediately sown in open ground ridges. The combination of chemical scarification with further stratification guarantees a higher germination percentage.
When propagated by seed, varietal varieties weakly repeat their characteristic characteristics, and it is very difficult to identify them in the first year. To propagate varietal forms, vegetative propagation is used.
Useful substances of common juniper
The fruits of common juniper contain sugars: glucose, fructose (30-40%), organic acids (3%), pectin substances, essential oil (2-5%), glycosides, resins of poorly studied composition (up to 9%), coloring matter uniperine, fatty oil, wax, phytoncides. Tannins (up to 8%) and essential oil (0.5%) were found in the bark; in stems and needles - ascorbic acid (266 mg), essential oil, phytoncides.
Active ingredients
Up to 2% essential oil was found in the fruits, the main components of which are pinene, cadinene, terpineol, borneol, sabinene, unipercamphor, ced-rol, phellandrene. In addition to essential oil, there are sugars (up to 40%), resins (up to 9%), pectins, organic acids, and the coloring matter uniperine. The needles contain up to 5% essential oil, the main components of which are a-pinene (42-91%), (3-pinene (0.3-4.2%), camphene (1.7-7.2%), sabinene ( 2.8-20.2%), myrcene (1.6-3.1%), p-phellandrene, a-terpinene (0.7-12.2%), cineole (0.4-6.5% ); quinic and shikimic acids; more than 250 mg/% vitamin C. The essential oil of wood consists of thuiarene, cuparene, humulene, cedrol, calamenene, cadinene and a number of other components. Tannins (up to 8%) and essential oils are found in the bark oil (up to 0.5%).
Is juniper a tree or a shrub? Juniper species
Common heather is a strictly vertical, evergreen dioecious shrub with an oval crown or a tree with a dense cone of foliage, 2 to 8 meters high, living up to 200 years.
Its features are slow growth, a fibrous brownish trunk and hard bluish-green triangular needles. This species is extremely photophilous. Planted in the shade, it thins out and loses the decorative effect inherent in all representatives of the cypress family. With the arrival of winter, some varieties of this hardy and frost-resistant species change the color of their needles to gray-brown. The common juniper begins to bear fruit at the age of 10-12 years.
Medicinal properties
The medicinal properties of juniper are due to its wide chemical composition, which contains substances beneficial to the human body. The chemical composition of the culture contains essential oils, tannins and carbohydrates, as well as other medicinal properties. Roots, young shoots, and heather berries are used as medicinal raw materials. Among the most active beneficial properties of heather are:
- expectorant effect;
- elimination of tooth pain, swelling of soft tissues;
- relieving inflammation;
- optimization of the heart and blood vessels, normalization of blood pressure;
- elimination of allergic reactions, skin rashes;
- needles are used as an antiseptic for treating wounds and skin;
- choleretic agent;
- diuretic effect.
In addition, juniper berries and shoots contain vitamins and minerals that improve appetite and normalize the body's immune response to pathogenic factors.
Combination of juniper with other plants
Speaking about the combination of common juniper with other plants when creating landscape compositions, it should be noted the high decorative qualities of the plant. Juniper fits perfectly into compositions with deciduous and coniferous trees, perennial and annual flowering crops. A particularly successful combination of plants can be achieved when planting different varieties of juniper with colored and green needles. Juniper looks great when creating high hedges, as well as when planted as a tapeworm on the lawn.
How to plant juniper seedlings
Juniper seedlings that have reached three to four years of age are planted in open ground . It is advisable to purchase seedlings from well-established nurseries or garden centers. It is best if the seedling is in a container with a volume of no more than 3-5 liters - such seedlings usually quickly take root and begin to grow, while planting larger specimens requires a certain skill, and they take root much more slowly. When purchasing, try to be careful, and if you find signs of any disease on the needles, it is better to refuse to purchase such a specimen. When planting a seedling, it is very important to keep the earthen lump on its roots intact, otherwise the crumbling earth can injure the tips of the roots, the plant will probably be sick for a long time and, in the end, may die. Seedlings with a root system in a container can be planted at almost any time of the growing season, except for the hottest days. Before planting, the root system of the plant is immersed in a container of water for 2 hours. It is better to plant young plants with bare roots in spring or late summer in moderately humid weather, treating their roots with rootworm or other root formation stimulant before planting.
How to take care of the garden
Growing
Growing juniper is quite simple. During the season, watering should be done only during prolonged heat, and 1-2 buckets of water are taken per 1 adult specimen. Juniper responds favorably to foliage moistening, which is recommended to be done once a week; this procedure is especially required for Chinese and common juniper. Periodically, you should loosen the surface of the soil around the tree trunk and at the same time you need to pull out the weeds. It is recommended to feed juniper in the spring; for this, 30 to 40 grams of nitroammophos should be distributed over the surface of the tree trunk circle. Fertilizer is incorporated into the soil and then watered. If the plant is planted in very poor soil, then it should be fertilized using this method throughout the entire growing season, but the break in fertilizing should be at least 4 weeks.
Trimming
Juniper pruning is usually done when you want to make a hedge from this shrub. In other cases, pruning should not be done. However, if you want to form a bush, you must be extremely careful. The fact is that if you cut off something unnecessary, it will take a very long time to recover, since this is a slow-growing plant. Experienced experts recommend sanitary and thinning pruning, and you can also trim those branches that are too long or look sloppy.
Features of transplantation
It happens that an already mature plant needs to be transplanted to another place. It should be remembered that replanting is a lot of stress for an adult plant, and even more so for juniper. Is it possible to replant a shrub in such a way as to harm it as little as possible? How exactly to prepare a planting hole for a given plant, and what size it should be, is discussed above. The bush itself must also be prepared for replanting. In spring, you need to retreat from the trunk or bush from 30 to 40 centimeters, then take a sharp shovel and use it to cut through the soil to the depth of a bayonet. This way you can separate the peripheral young roots from the juniper root system. Then you need to wait until the onset of autumn or the next spring. During this time, young roots will have time to grow inside the clod of earth that was cut off. As a result, the plant can be transplanted almost painlessly.
Harmful insects and diseases
Often this shrub is affected by a fungal disease such as rust. In an infected bush, spindle-shaped thickenings appear on the shoots, cones, needles and skeletal branches. Swellings and swellings appear at the root collar, while on their surface the bark dries, crumbles, and as a result, not very deep wounds are exposed. Infected branches dry out and die, while the needles turn brown and fall off. If the plant is not treated, it will die. In order to prevent this, as soon as the disease is noticed, it is necessary to cut off the infected branches, while the wounds and cuts are disinfected with a solution of copper sulfate (1%), and after that they must be smeared with garden varnish or Rannet paste. Those branches that have been cut must be destroyed. For preventive purposes, it is recommended to spray juniper in spring and autumn with Bordeaux mixture (1%) or a product with a similar effect. The shrub may also suffer from Alternaria, Schutte, branch bark nectriosis, Biatorella cancer and branch drying. All these diseases can be cured in the same way as rust. We must remember that if you take good care of the bush, it will not become infected with any diseases or pests.
The following harmful insects can settle on juniper:
- Mining moth. You can get rid of it using Decis solution (2.5 grams of substance per bucket of water). The treatment should be carried out 2 times with a break of half a month.
- Aphid. In this case, the treatment should be carried out the same way 2 times with a break of 2 weeks with Fitoverm solution (2 grams of substance per 1 bucket of water).
- Spider mite. The infected plant must be treated with Karate solution (50 grams of substance per 1 bucket of water).
- Scale insects. For destruction, you should use a solution of Karbofos (70 grams per 1 bucket of water).
Features of growing in Moscow
Growing juniper in Moscow and the Moscow region, where the climate is quite cool, is no different. This plant tolerates wintering well, but it is still recommended to cover young plants with spruce branches for the winter.
