Juniper horizontal chip. Juniper Horizontal Blue Chip

Evergreens have always attracted the attention of man with their durability and beauty. Juniper (Juniperus) ranks among coniferous trees a special place, not only for its beauty, but also for its unique properties. The abundance of species and varieties of juniper allows you to choose a tree suitable for any purpose. BUT proper care, protection from diseases, pests, will allow you to enjoy its aroma and beauty for many years.

Variety of junipers

Weeping form of juniper

To date, there are about a hundred varieties of juniper, united by common species features. Some of them arose as a result of natural mutations, some were created in the process of targeted selection.

In nature, there are approximately 70 species of juniper (juniperus), of which only 15 have been cultivated so far. The following are considered the most common in landscape design:

• common juniper;
• rocky;
• Virginia;
• Cossack;
• Chinese;
• middle;
• scaly;
• horizontal.

Most types of juniper are frost-resistant, undemanding to living conditions, care, as well as a pleasant aroma of wood and needles, the severity of which, however, varies depending on the species. Trees with scaly needles smell stronger than those with needle needles.

Crown shape varies, although most species lend themselves to crown shaping by pruning. Cone-shaped and pyramidal crown shapes are good in group plantings. Initially, four forms are distinguished:

• conical;
• pyramidal;
• weeping;
• creeping.

Also, juniper species are grouped according to several other principles, for example, winter hardiness, toxicity, unpretentiousness.

Representatives of the Cossack juniper are poisonous, virgin and rock ones are unpretentious. Winter hardiness is characteristic of almost all species, with the exception of some less common, including:

• leaning;
• Turkestan;
• Red;
• Zeravshan.

Due to their external beauty, some species can be attributed to a special group of ornamental junipers, this applies to:

• ordinary;
• horizontal;
• average;
• scaly junipers.

When choosing the type and variety of juniper for growing on your site, it is important to decide in advance on the purpose that it will fulfill. This will help you choose the most suitable type of tree, starting from its specific features.

common juniper

Representatives of the common juniper species are highly resistant to adverse weather conditions - cold, frost, lack of water or light. Juniperus communis cultivars are extremely ornamental, and their slow growth makes them suitable for growing bonsai trees.

Popular varieties belonging to this species are the following:

Gold Horse

Juniper Gold Cone

Tall tree (up to 4 m tall) with a dense cone-shaped crown. Annual growth - about 10 cm in height, 5 cm in girth. It grows most actively in summer. With the onset of autumn, the bright golden needles turn yellow-green, and by winter the color turns to bronze. Not picky about the composition of the soil, but does not tolerate its compaction, excess moisture. Prefers to grow in sunny places, with a lack of light, the needles turn green. The first few years it needs extra care: watering, shelter from direct sun, tying branches in winter.

Hibernika

Representatives of this variety of juniper can reach 3.5 m in height, 1 m in girth.

Juniperus ordinary Nibernica

The shape of the crown is narrow-columnar, the annual increase in indicators is about 10 and 5 cm. The needles of the needles are rather soft, not prickly, the color is green with a bluish tinge. It is frost-resistant, prefers solar places. The composition of the soil is not picky. In the spring, this juniper is recommended to be sheltered from the bright sun, and for the winter - to tie the branches to protect against snow.

green carpet

Unlike its counterparts, the common juniper of this variety is rather low - only 0.5 m in height, but it can reach one and a half meters in width. The annual growth is about 5/15 cm, respectively.

common juniper Green Carpet

The eye is pleased with the unusual shape of the crown - thick, ground cover. This variety is well suited for decorating slopes, growing in rocky gardens.

Suecica

Another variety with a columnar crown shape. In height and width it can reach 4/1 m. The approximate annual growth is 15 and 5 cm for each indicator. This is a fairly dense shrub with vertically growing shoots. The needles on the branches are painted in a beautiful bluish-green hue.

common juniper Suecica

The variety is frost-resistant, characterized by slow growth, unpretentiousness to growing conditions. Like other varieties, it prefers sunny places; with a lack of light, the crown loses its shape and becomes sprawling. This shrub lends itself well to shaping and pruning, which allows it to be used for decorative purposes to create various landscape compositions.

rocky

comes from mountainous regions. Very hardy, easily copes with drought, frost-resistant. Looks great in rocky gardens and alpine slides. The most decorative varieties of rocky juniper:

Rock Juniper Skayroket

Very tall trees, up to 7-8 meters in height. The shape of the crown is columnar, the width of an adult plant is 1 m. The annual increase in indicators is 15 and 5 cm, respectively. The shoots grow densely, the needles are soft, pleasant green. In general, it is not picky about conditions and care, but it does not grow well on too saline or waterlogged soils. Branches for the winter must be tied up to avoid damage.

blue arrow

High juniper, up to 5 m in height, has a narrow columnar crown (up to 0.7 m in girth).

Juniper Blue Arrow

Annual growth - 10 and 5 cm. The crown is made up of densely growing, vertical, hard branches, decorated with scales of soft blue needles. It prefers sunny places, loose soil, unpretentious to conditions, resistant to cold.

virgin

Virginian varieties of juniper are considered one of the least capricious and demanding care or conditions of detention. These trees grow safely on any soil, in any weather conditions. For its crown shape and wood quality, the Virginian juniper is often referred to as the "pencil tree".

Varieties are especially decorative:

Gray Owl

Spreading low (up to 1.5 m in height) shrub. Dense wide crown of gray, silver-green needles. The variety lends itself well to pruning, so the shape of the crown can be changed if necessary. The width of an adult plant is approximately 2 m. The annual growth in height and width is about 10 and 15 cm, respectively. Categorically does not accept excess water in the soil, photophilous.

Burkii

Tall tree with soft greenish needles. The shape of the crown is pyramidal, it can reach a height of 3 m.

Glauca

One of the most famous varieties of virgin juniper.

Attracts attention with silver-green needles covering numerous shoots that form a cone-shaped crown.

Canaertii

A fast growing juniper variety with a columnar crown and soft, dark green needles.

With the onset of autumn, the tree is decorated with small but numerous blue fruits.

Cossack

Along with numerous advantages, which include undemanding to growing conditions, resistance to adverse weather conditions, Cossack juniper has a serious drawback. Its shoots are extremely poisonous, as they contain sabinol - toxic substance, which can increase bleeding and have an abortive effect. Look good in group plantings, rocky gardens.

This species includes the following varieties:

Variegata

M. cossack variegata

Very beautiful shrub surprises with a combination of green and cream shade of scaly needles on the branches. This variety of Cossack juniper does not tolerate excessive soil moisture, grows slowly, is frost-resistant, photophilous.

Blue Danube

Representatives of this variety are dense shrubs with creeping branches.

M. cossack Blu Danube

The color of the scaly needles is green, by autumn it is replaced by a silvery-bluish tint.

Glauca

M. cossack Glauca

Low, up to 1 meter in height, a plant that surprises with an unexpected bronze tint that its gray-blue needles acquire in winter. The width of an adult plant is up to 2 m, and the annual growth is 3 and 5 cm. It is photophilous, prefers sunny places, and is not picky about other conditions.

Arcadia

An unusual variety of Cossack juniper, growing like a carpet on the surface of the earth. The height and width of an adult plant reach 0.5 and 2.5 m, respectively, for a year the growth is about 3/5 cm. The creeping shape of the crown makes it look like a fluffy green pillow of soft needles.

Chinese juniper

Most often, Chinese juniper is used to create bonsai trees, as they are distinguished by a slow growth rate. Habitat - Japan, China, Korea.

Varieties of this species include:

Arcadia

Dwarf frost-resistant variety of Chinese juniper. It can reach a height of 2 m, the width of an adult plant is about 80 cm. The shape of the crown is cone-shaped. The needles are colored green with a blue tint. Used in landscape design bright accent for compositions, for single plantings or hedge formation.

Blaauw

Low (up to 1.5 m in height) shrub with an asymmetric crown shape and bright coloring of needles with a slight blue tint.

Juniper Chinese Blaauw

This variety of Chinese juniper has a slow growth rate.

Kuriwao Gold

A decorative variety of Chinese juniper, it attracts attention with an asymmetric crown shape, a combination of dark and light areas of needles.

Juniper Chinese Kuriwao Gold

Prefers sunny places, as in the shade the needles lose their brightness. In landscape design it is used in different ways, as it looks great in single, group plantings or rocky gardens.

Juniper medium

This species is a hybrid of common and Cossack junipers. It was named Pfitzeriana. He inherited from them extreme resistance to adverse climatic conditions and improper care. The juniper average Pfitzeriana differs in a wide variety variety. Its most popular varieties:

old gold

M. medium Old Gold

Very beautiful decorative Dutch variety, attracting attention with soft golden needles. This is a fairly compact shrub, reaching 2 m in width and only 1.5 m in height. In landscape design, it is used to decorate wells, create hedges.

gold star

This variety of juniper Pfitzeriana is rightly called the golden star of the garden.

Juniper average Gold Star

Its bright golden-yellow needles immediately attract attention. This is a low sprawling shrub, reaching 1 and 2 m in height and width. It prefers to grow in a sunny place, as growth slows down in the shade. It tolerates frost well, can grow on any soil.

Mint Julep

Attractive low shrub with graceful arcuate branches forming a spreading crown. The scaly needles of bright green color effectively set off the gray berries, which gives this variety of juniper a special decorative effect. Photophilous, used in group plantings, to create alpine slides.

Also, this species includes the varieties Pfitzeriana Aurey, Pfitzeriana Glauka, etc.

scaly junipers

The homeland of junipers of this species is the Himalayas and China. It, like other species, is extremely unpretentious to growing conditions, grows well on any type of soil, easily tolerates drought and severe frosts. The most decorative varieties of this species are the following:

Blue Carpet and Blue Swede

Enough similar varieties, united by a beautiful silver-blue shade of needles. These are sprawling low shrubs, characterized by rapid growth and are used to strengthen the slopes.

Prefer sunny places, easy to form a crown, frost-resistant.

Holger

The variety is highly decorative due to the spectacular combination of green old needles and bright golden young ones. The bush is spreading, wide.

Horizontal

Juniperus horizontalis a ground cover plant, most often used to decorate slopes and retaining walls. His homeland is North America. The following varieties belong to the type of horizontal juniper:

Blue Star

Low-growing shrub, characterized by blue needles with a slight steel sheen. It prefers acidic soils, tolerates the effects of emissions and air pollution well, and is frost-resistant.

golden flame

Shrubs of this variety of horizontal juniper change their color with age. Adult needles are bright green in color, the needles on young shoots are distinguished by a golden hue.

M. horizontal Golden Flame

He needs additional care - in the spring, dead needles are removed from the shoots of the bush, since he himself does not shed them.

Juniper planting rules

Despite the fact that the juniper is quite unpretentious, when planting it, you must follow some rules in order to get good results. As a rule, juniper is planted closer to the middle of spring or in September. If a seedling with a closed root ball was purchased, its planting on permanent place spend the entire warm season.

When choosing a suitable landing site, several conditions should be considered:

• juniper prefers to grow in well-lit places, it does not tolerate shading;
• this plant should not be planted on waterlogged soils, near ground water;
• some species need protection from wind and drafts;
• it is important to give the plant space, it does not tolerate tightness.

The first step in planting a seedling is preparing a planting hole. Its dimensions should be significantly larger than the root ball of the plant. It is also important to observe the optimal distance between seedlings (from 0.5 m for dwarf species to 2-3 meters for tall ones). In this case, in group plantings or hedges, the distance may be less than recommended.

Large species of junipers are best planted in light fertile soils, but dwarf varieties more suitable soil containing not much nutrients otherwise they lose their decorative effect.

At the bottom of the hole, a layer of drainage must be laid out using expanded clay or broken brick. Then add the substrate and place the seedling. It is important to ensure that the root neck is not deepened. This will slow down growth and can cause plant disease. Ideally, the seedling is transplanted along with an earthen ball to minimize possible root damage.

After landing, the pit is covered with earth and watered abundantly with settled warm water. Then the near-stem circle is mulched using any suitable materials.

Care, fertilizer, wintering

Preparing for winter

As already mentioned many times, junipers are completely undemanding to care for and grow well without outside interference. They need watering only during a long drought and in the first year after planting. Also, all types of juniper do not need to be fertilized, and for some it is even contraindicated.

Almost all types of juniper are frost-resistant, so they do not need special shelter from the cold for the wintering period, except for the very first winter after planting, when the seedling is not yet strong enough. For young plants, spruce branches or any nonwoven fabric. At the end of winter and in early spring juniper should be protected from bright sunlight, otherwise the needles on the shoots turn brown.

Trees with a cone-shaped and columnar crown shape need to be tied up with branches, as they can break under the weight of snow.

Diseases and pests

Like most other plants, juniper is susceptible to disease and pest attacks. The most common disease of this plant is rust.

Rust (Mildew)

Its symptoms are orange growths on the branches and main trunk. As a rule, they appear at the very beginning of summer. This disease also affects fruit and ornamental plants, from which it can spread to juniper, so it is better not to plant them nearby.

To eliminate the disease, it is necessary to remove the affected parts of the plant, and then treat them with a fungicide. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to use various immunostimulants.

If the juniper grows in conditions of high humidity and has been exposed to low temperatures, it becomes possible to develop another fungal disease - schütte. Its symptoms are yellowing and browning of the needles, the appearance of black growths on needles at the end of summer. Most often, this disease affects plants growing in the shade. Control measures are similar to the previous ones.

Juniper can be attacked by several insects:

• Spider mite. It appears in the web that entangles the shoots of the plant, and small yellow specks on the needles.
• Aphid. If these insects are found on the plant, it is necessary to process not only the juniper itself, but also the colony of ants that breed it.
• Shchitovki. Their presence is noticeable to the naked eye - these are round or oval shields up to 2 mm in length. Symptoms of their appearance are the drying and falling of needles, the death of the bark of a tree.

Juniper (Juniperus) is one of the most attractive coniferous plants, not only due to its unpretentiousness and beauty, but also due to the wonderful aroma of wood and needles. If you follow the simple rules of planting and caring for it, you can decorate the site for many years.

Video

Juniper is a beautiful, drought-resistant, photophilous, long-lived plant. More than seventy species are known. Many interesting varieties were bred - juniper is grown both in the middle lane and in cold regions.

Juniper: types and varieties

juniper varieties

The most famous are the following types and varieties of juniper.

Juniper ordinary - this species is characterized by high frost resistance. It is not picky about the composition of the soil. Ripening of berries takes 2 years.

Juniper medium stands out against the background of other shrubs with an outstretched crown shape. The plant is relatively winter-hardy - it needs shelter only in the first years of life.

Virginian juniper can reach a height of 30 m. The plant prefers a dry steppe climate.

Juniper horizontalis is characterized by excellent adaptability - it feels good in both hot and cold climate zones.

Daurian juniper is extremely unpretentious - it grows equally well both in the southeast of Siberia and in warm regions.

Juniper Cossack - prostrate or creeping bush. The plant is characterized by excellent winter hardiness. It is not afraid of drought either.

Chinese juniper is interesting for its decorative effect - even in nature, plants of the same species differ from each other external characteristics. This allowed breeders to develop many interesting varieties.

Lying juniper is grown as a ground cover plant - a creeping shrub reaches a height of half a meter.

Siberian juniper prefers mountainous landscapes. It grows slowly, but pleases with its beauty, is not afraid of frost and drought.

Rocky juniper is very decorative - even in natural conditions the plant has a beautiful crown. The color of the needles is also interesting - it has a bluish tint. The plant grows slowly, but has a long lifespan.

Scaly juniper attracts attention with its beautiful needles - it is painted in a gray-steel color.

Junipers rocky: varieties

Juniper of this species is represented by the following varieties: Blue Arrow, Globe, Repens, Pathfinder, Skyrocket, Silver King, Wichita.

Juniper Blue Haven

Blue Heaven Juniper is a slow growing plant. Its maximum height is 2.5 m. The plant has a conical dense crown. The needles are painted light blue. The variety does not impose increased requirements on the soil.

Common juniper: varieties

Common juniper is represented by the following varieties: B 2, Columnaris, Compressa, Echiniformis, Gold beach, Gold Cone, Green Carpet, Hibernica, Nornibrookii, Meyer, Oblonga pendula, Repanda.

Juniper Green Carpet

The Green Carpet variety is a low juniper (even at the age of ten, the plant reaches only 10 cm in height). This variety is ideal for lawns - the plants do not need any cutting or special care.

Varieties of Chinese juniper

This plant species is represented by varieties: Blue Alps, Сolumnaris, Сolumnaris glauca, Еchiniformis, Expansa, Globosa, Netzii, Mint Julep, Old Gold, Рfitzeriana.

Kurovavo Gold is a variety famous for its beauty. The plant forms a spherical crown. Its maximum height is 2 m. The needles differ in color - the young one has an emerald hue, and the old one is dark green.

Juniper horizontal: varieties

Creeping juniper (horizontal) is represented by the following varieties: Adpressa, Alpina, Andorra compact, Argentea, Glacier, Glenmore, Retraea, Prostrata, Wiltonii.

Juniper Andorra Compact

Andorra Compact - this variety is interesting in the shape of the crown (it resembles a lush pillow). In winter, the needles change color and become purple-violet.

Tall junipers: varieties

Tall junipers are presented different types. Accordingly, you can choose a lot of varieties with optimal visual characteristics. The most interesting varieties are: Skyrocket, Glauka, Gray Oul (virgian juniper), Hibernika, Columnaris (common juniper).

Fast-growing junipers: varieties

Good growth rates are inherent in the following varieties: Blue carpet (scaly juniper), Tamariscifolia and Mas (Cossack juniper), Pfitzeriana Aurea, Mordigan Gold, Pfitzeriana compacta (medium juniper). The virgin juniper is also growing rapidly.

Juniper Mordigan Gold

Mordigan Gold is an elegant, compact, frost and drought tolerant variety. The needles have a golden hue. The height of the plant reaches a meter, the diameter of the crown does not exceed two meters. This juniper tolerates urban conditions well.

Juniper edible: varieties

Juniper fruits are not eaten like ordinary berries, but they are used in the preparation of tinctures, marmalades, kvass, jelly, kissels, and beer. The aroma of juniper makes smoked meat especially tasty. Juniper Cossack is poisonous. Fruits of other species can be used. The fruits of the Caucasian juniper find the greatest application.

Juniper Cossack: varieties

Cossack juniper is represented by Arcaida, Blue danube, Buffalo, Сupressifolia, Еrecta, Fastigiata, Мas, Rockery Gem, Tamariscifolia varieties.

Juniper Variegata

Variegata - a variety with bright motley needles (it is painted in a green-white or yellowish tint). This juniper grows slowly and forms a creeping crown. The highest height is 1 m. The plant is quite demanding on the composition of the soil. It does not tolerate frost and drought.

Juniper: varieties for the Moscow region

In the Moscow region and central Russia, many types of juniper are grown. The most widespread junipers are ordinary, horizontal, rocky, Cossack.

Juniper Skyrocket

Skyrocket plants look very nice. They have a columnar shape. Scaly or needle-shaped needles are colored gray-blue. Plant height reaches 6-8 m. Unlike many other types of juniper, this variety grows very quickly - the annual growth is about 20 cm.

Juniper varieties for Siberia

Many junipers are characterized by good frost resistance, which allows them to be grown in harsh climatic conditions. The greatest distribution in Siberia and the Urals was found by Siberian, Cossack, hard, Chinese, virgin, common, and scaly junipers.

Juniper Blue Alps

Blue Alps (Chinese juniper) has excellent recommendations. The plant tolerates frost well, has a compact shape. Its average height is 2.5-4 m. The needle-shaped needles are silvery below, light green above.

Varieties of juniper are diverse. Plants are actively used for landscaping areas - they are very decorative, so they are in great demand.

When copying site materials, keep an active link to the source.

Recently, it has become very fashionable to create healthy beauty in their homes. Beauty that not only pleases the eye all year round, but also has a positive effect on the health of the human body.

And since the essential oils that juniper exudes into the air have bactericidal properties, this gives it great advantages among other plant options for interior design and decoration.

Most often, horizontal juniper is used in landscape design. (By the way, read this article about the features of using junipers in landscape design).

Varieties

Horizontal juniper has a large number of varieties, the most popular of them:

• Blue chip;
• Wiltoni;
• lime glow;
• Prince of Wales;
• Akari;
• Sargent.

Juniper Blue chip. For those who decide to leave a long memory of themselves, then this is a good choice for the type of undersized junipers. The life span of this species is two hundred years. Therefore, when planting a Blue chip, everything should be thought through.

Like any long-liver, it grows for a long time, but surely. In a year it increases in length by five to ten centimeters.

The maximum length of its crown is up to two meters. Since its root system is equal to the length of its crown, this distance should be taken into account when planting surrounding trees or shrubs.

Blue Chip - bluish in color, very often used for border planting, due to its natural beauty. mature plant takes the form of a star. It tolerates frost very well.

You might be interested in an article about

how to plant juniper

Read the article about the horizontal junipers Andorra Variegata and Andorra Compact here.

Juniper Wiltoni. The low-growing juniper Wiltoni is low and has the properties of "like crawling in different directions." Its branches can grow up to one meter long.

The height of the shrub reaches twenty centimeters, and if you cut the length of its branches, then the branches acquire a certain “curlyness”.

Ground cover juniper Wiltoni will look good on cascades or alpine slides, it perfectly follows the curves of the surface. In winter, under the influence of winter cold, it acquires a lilac hue.

Juniper Lime Glow. The low-growing Limeglow juniper is a slow-growing shrub with incredible coloration that will delight the eye all year round.

Its maximum height can be twenty-five centimeters, and the length of the spreading crown can be up to 1.5 meters in diameter.

It grows five to eight centimeters a year. Juniper Lime Glow is a completely poisonous plant. His palette never ceases to amaze. During the year, the crown of the Limeglow variety changes from yellow color to orange-bronze.

Specialist's note: pruning Lime Glow juniper is not recommended, so as not to cause unwanted diseases.

Juniper Prince of Wales. The horizontal juniper Prince of Wales fully justifies its name, it looks majestic and noble in the garden.

The shrub has a green color with a barely noticeable bluish tint. Compared to other varieties of juniper, it grows very quickly.

The length of the branches can reach 1.5 meters. On alpine slides, rockeries or other cascading landings, he will look like a real "prince surrounded by retinue."

Juniper Akari. Juniper Akari is not inferior in its beauty to other varieties of horizontal juniper.

The color of its leaves in summer is golden, in winter it is bronze. Its bright palette will please the eye both in warm summers and cold winters.

A ground cover, slow growing shrub that will be a real highlight of any garden.

Juniper Sargent. No less unique in its kind is the juniper of the Sargent variety. This species was listed in the Red Book of Russia.

The height of the shrub can reach one meter, and the diameter of its crown - up to three meters.

Due to the fact that the native element of its habitat is a rocky area or coast, it perfectly tolerates Russian frosts. And the hot rays of the sun do not care for him. In this case, do not forget to water the juniper.

You may also be interested in the article on varieties

rocky juniper

Read an interesting article about varieties of common juniper here.

Horizontal juniper is a rather unpretentious plant. But, like any other plant, it has certain requirements: it loves moderate moisture and light.

At the same time, in a semi-shaded place, he can also feel very good. In dry periods of the year, the juniper needs sprinkling of its crown - this helps the shrub retain its color and thereby protects the branches from drying out.

In winter, of course, it is advisable to cover it with an awning so that the discharged winter sun does not burn the leaves, and the frost does not completely destroy the shrub. When planting a juniper, it is necessary to take into account its origin and the requirements of each species. Also, do not forget, like any shrub, juniper, needs to be treated from any pests.

Watch the video in which the specialist explains the features of growing Blue Chip horizontal juniper:

ratings, average:

Juniper is known for its rich variety of species. Some plants are so different from each other that doubt creeps in that they belong to the same genus. We offer to pay attention to the most popular varieties of juniper.

Juniper is the most winter-hardy representative of coniferous plants, therefore it is ideal for growing in regions with an unstable climate. Most often on summer cottages you can find common, virgin and Cossack junipers. They grow well without special care and easy to take root, so they are popular among beginner gardeners. Let's take a closer look at these junipers and their best varieties.

Common juniper (Juniperus communis)

This coniferous plant grows well both in the sun and in the shade. It is resistant to drought and frost, easily adapts to any type of soil, although it prefers sand and limestone.

Common juniper looks great both in single and in group plantings. It is often grown alongside roses, heathers, erica, and flowering shrubs.

Juniperus virginiana (Juniperus virginiana)

This tree, up to 2.5 m high, tolerates formative pruning, although many junipers are not recommended for cutting, as they may slow down the growth of shoots. Therefore, it is juniper virginiana that is ideal for growing as a hedge and topiary. In group plantings, it looks good in the vicinity of acacia, birch and other coniferous plants: larch, pine, cypress, thuja.

The plant tolerates drought and shade well, is undemanding to the composition of the soil, and is not afraid of frost.

Juniper Cossack (Juniperus sabina)

This juniper is found in our gardens more often than others. The height of the shrub is up to 1.5 m. When rubbed in the palms of its needles, its needles exude a pungent odor.

The cone berries of the Cossack juniper are inedible.

Juniper Cossack branches are often spread over the ground. They quickly take root in the soil, so the plant quickly spreads to the sides and forms dense thickets (up to 20 m long).

This juniper is also undemanding to the composition of the soil, tolerates drought, gusty wind and frost well, can grow in the shade, but looks more beautiful in the sun. Recommended for growing in small backyard gardens and rock gardens.

We told you about the most popular types and varieties of juniper, which are most often used in landscape design. But this does not mean that other forms take root badly in our latitudes. With minimal care, the garden can decorate junipers of any variety.

Juniper horizontal, or prostrate- Juniperus horizontalis Moench.

Description: grows naturally in the Atlantic region of North America. It grows in the USA and Canada (from Newfoundland to British Columbia and south to Massachusetts and Montana), where it is found along the sandy banks of rivers and lakes, hillsides and mountains.

Juniper horizontal
Photo Popova Annette

Close to the Cossack juniper, creeping shrub up to 1 m high pressed to the ground. with long branches, densely covered with bluish-green tetrahedral shoots. The needles are green or gray, turning brown for the winter. On reproductive shoots, the leaves are often needle-shaped, oblong-lanceolate, sharp, prickly, somewhat spaced from the shoot, 3-5 mm long, 0.8-1 mm wide, saber-curved, rounded on the back. Scale-like leaves 1.5-2.2 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, oblong-ovate, shortly acuminate at the apex and pressed against the shoots, with a small resin gland. Shish-koyagoda 5-8 (-9) mm in diameter, bluish-black, with a bluish bloom, with 3-4 ovoid seeds.

Introduced into cultivation in 1840, it is now common in botanical gardens and arboretums, rare among amateur gardeners, but deserves wider distribution.

In GBS since 1960, 3 samples (22 copies) were grown from seeds sent from Toronto, Morden (Canada), there are samples of reproduction of GBS. Shrub, at the age of 15, height 0.5 m, crown diameter 160 cm. Vegetation from 12.V ± 7. Grows very slowly. Annual growth of 0.5 cm at a young age, after 10 years the growth of the main shoots up to 20 cm. Does not dust. Winter hardiness is high. 72% of winter cuttings take root without treatment.

Agricultural technology: suffers from dry air, undemanding to the richness of the soil. Slowly growing, especially in the first years of life. Transplantation is better in the spring with the obligatory preservation of an earthen coma. Well developed in the conditions of the city. Winter-hardy. Propagated by seeds and cuttings. In terms of its decorative effect, it is in no way inferior to other creeping species of this genus.

Juniperus horizontalis "Glomerata"
Photo by Konstantin Korzhavin

Promising for covering slopes and rocks. For rock gardens and personal plots. It is especially beautiful in spring, when the bluish or steel color of the needles is more pronounced. It is good to plant against the background of a lighter green color of undersized forms of common juniper. It has been known in culture since 1840. I. R. Schroeder (1861) was the first to experience it in St. Petersburg. Currently grown in the collection of the Botanical Garden VIN. One of the best species as a ground cover juniper.

In American nurseries, they breed whole line cultural forms of this species that were found growing wild and then propagated. The differences are very limited and only visible when the plants stand side by side, such as in Morton's Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, USA.

"Admirabilis". The form is fast-growing, but squat, flat, 20 - 25 cm high. The shoots are short and directed forward, bluish-green, slightly raised. Found in the Rocky Mountains; introduced into cultivation at the Plumfield Nursery.

"Adpressa". The form is dense whip-like, up to 10 - 15 cm high, very fast-growing. The needles are green, at the end - white-green. Grows fast. Winter-hardy. Propagated by cuttings (b7%). Introduced into culture in the Plumfield Nursery (USA). Recommended for landscaping terraces and roofs. Growing in containers, can be planted in rock gardens, rock gardens, create groups on lawns

Alpina. The trunk is almost straight at first, then more inclined, but with raised or almost straight branches, up to 75 cm tall. The leaves are often needle-like, 3-4 mm long, more or less bluish-green, purple in autumn.

"Audorra"- J. horizontalis "Plumosa". In 1962, discovered and propagated in Andorra Nursery, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, USA.

Argentea. The form is whip-like, very dense, 15 - 20 cm tall. Foliage is bluish-silvery. Plumfield Nursery.

Var. Harbour» . The form is dense, creeping. The branches are very thin, less than 1.5 mm thick; the main branches along the entire length and at the ends are recumbent; lateral branches rise obliquely and differ from each other; young shoots are orange-brown, purple at the ends. The leaves are very small, pressed, covered with a gray-green bloom, in autumn they have a purple hue. The first description given by Hornibrook is too general and does not make it possible to identify the plant; besides this, there are many types in America, and few will say for sure what the original type was.

"blue moon". Whip-like lies on the ground. The shoots are very tender, beautiful, bluish-green, brown in winter. 1976, Minier.

Douglasii. The form is whip-like, creeping. The shoots are long, with age they reach 2-3 m in length, in the center they intersect with branches 30-40 cm long; shoot ends are long and straight. Twigs 5 - 8 cm long, raised and directed forward. Leaves are scaly or needle-shaped. Scaly leaves are very dense, appressed, gray-green, as if covered with blue hoarfrost, in late autumn and winter with a slight purple bloom. Needle leaves are numerous, located on twigs. (- J.horizontalis douglassii, J. glauca major). Named for a place in the Waukegan Nursery area, Illinois. Before 1961 Well-known variety.

"Emerald spreader". The shape is very flat, creeping along the ground. The branches are dense with delicate, emerald green, fan-shaped shoots. 1967 Monrovia Nursery. Plant. Pat. No. 2752.

Emerson(female). Fast-growing ornamental shrub, flat covering the ground, 3 - 5 m wide. The leaves are scaly and needle-shaped, the same bluish-green throughout the year (- J. horizontalis "Marshall", J. hor. "Blask Hill's Creer"). Discovered in 1915 in the Black Hills, South Dakota, propagated at the G. Marshall Nursery, Arlington, Nebraska, by Professor Emerson, University of Nebraska.

"Eilicina"(female). The form is slow-growing and strongly branched, densely covering the ground. The branches are short, tender fern-like, with short shoots, obliquely directed forward. The bark is light brown. The needles are green, with a purple bloom in winter. In 1936 propagated in the Plumfield Nursery.

Juniperus horizontalis "Glauca" Photo by Andrey Kopysov Glauca. Appearance whip-like, declining; the main branches are straight, at first lying firmly on the ground, later in the center of the bough they are layered on top of each other, reaching 30 cm in length; branches are numerous, 2 mm thick, directed forward, due to tightly fitting leaves, they appear to be filiform of a bluish-steel color, do not stain in winter. The leaves are subulate, located mainly in the center of the plant, on weaker shoots, four-row, tightly adjacent to each other. In winter, the color does not change. It grows slowly, prefers fresh, well-drained, poor soils. Moisture-loving. Photophilous. Suffering from dry air and high temperature. Does not tolerate transplant well. Valuable ground cover plant. Propagated by cuttings (80%). seeds, cuttings. It appeared in culture in 1939, in Arnold Arboretum (USA) as a result of selection. Recommended for green roofs, in containers can be displayed on the streets and in the interiors of buildings, suitable for rocky areas and road slopes.

Glenmore(female). One of the shortest and slowest growing forms of the species in question. Creeping branches; shoots almost upright, thin, dull light brown. The leaves are dark green, the tips are brown in winter. Discovered in a wild form in 1832 by Robert Moore in Wyoming; propagated at Marshall Nursery, Denver, Colorado.

Juniperus horizontalis "Ice Blue" "Ice Blue" (= "Monber"). Sport from the variety "Wiltonii". Dwarf form with medium growth rates. Height up to 15 cm, width up to 2.4 m. Evergreen shrub with very flexible and long creeping shoots forming a bluish-green dense carpet. Small cones with a bluish coating, 5-7 mm in diameter. The needles are scaly, bluish-green, in winter it acquires a purple-plum hue. Photophilous. Prefers fairly moist, sandy soils, grows poorly on heavy soils. It is winter-hardy, resistant to heat, drought, undemanding to soil pH. Easily tolerates transplantation and adapts.

Juniperus horizontalis "Limeglow" In the photo on the right - winter coloring. Photo Epictetov Vladimir Limeglow. Sport variety "Youngstown". Translated as "glowing yellow". A wide, dense, vase-shaped shrub reaching 0.4 m in height and 1.2 m in diameter. Grows up to 8 cm per year. The needles are intense golden-yellow in summer and brown-yellow in winter. The needles are not sensitive to spring burns. In dry and hot weather in summer it can be damaged by the sun. It grows well on any soil, in sunny places it has a more intense yellow color. Recommended for rocky gardens, heather and home gardens and color arrangements.

Livida. Clone found in the Rocky Mountains. The form is dense and flat, 10-15 cm high. The shoots are short, raised and directed forward, bluish-green. Plumfield.

"Marcellus". All shoots are creeping, gray-blue, purple in winter. Until 1960, selected in the USA; in Holland in culture.

"Retraea". The form is dense and flat, 18 - 25 cm high. Foliage is matte silvery green; the same coloration persists in winter. Plumfield.

"Planifolia". Very fast growing horizontal form, 20 - 25 cm tall, with long powerful branches covered with short feather-like shoots; leaves are silvery-blue, excellent ornamental plant. Plumfield.

"Prostrata". It lies densely on the ground, creeping far, up to 4 m wide and 0.3 m high. The branches are long, thick, the ends are slightly raised. Branches numerous, densely standing; bluish-gray twigs with purple ends. Needles at the ends of the shoots are scaly, gray-blue. KHN 89 (- J. sabina prostrata) . A well known form.

"Rulchella". The form is especially slow-growing, flat, lash-like, 10 - 15 cm tall. The leaves are needle-shaped, gray-green, the ends of the shoots are blue. In 1935, propagated in the nursery Plumfield.

"Sea Spray". American selection. Bred by Frank F. Serpa at Hines Hulsale Kennel, Santa Ana, California. Yu. S. Plant. Pat. 6 3140.

"Turquoise spreader". The form is dense and whip-like, highly branched with soft, filiform, sprawling shoots, does not form a "hill" in the center. The needles are turquoise-green. From nurseries, 1967 Yu. S. Plant. Pat. No. 2773.

Juniperus horizontalis "Wiltonii" Photo left Popova Annette Photo on the right EDSR. "Wiltonii". The form is carpet-like, very slowly growing, up to 10 cm high, densely branched. The needles are often awl-shaped, very small, silver-blue (- J.horizontalis "Blue wiltonii", J. horizontalis "Wilton carpet", J. hor "Blue rug"). Around 1914, discovered by J. van Heiningen, South Wilton, Connecticut on Vinal Naven Island, Maine Due to its small stature and beautiful coloration, it is considered an excellent garden plant Propagated by cuttings (87 - 91%) Due to its short stature and short coloration of needles, it is a very ornamental plant Recommended for roof gardens, for growing in containers, for rocky gardens, where planting in large groups is preferred.

"Yongstone". The only selection "Plumosa compacta", but lower, lies on the ground, light green. Plumfield.

"Uukon Belle". Whip-shaped, wide-spreading form. Leaves are silvery grey. Known as "Strong as Steel"

E-Catalogue of ornamental plants for garden "Landscape" - ornamental coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs, creepers, herbaceous perennials

Are you looking for a useful and valid background for your design work on landscaping your garden, parks, urban landscaping and so on? Then the online catalog of decorative garden plants site "Landscape" is what you need. E-catalogue of ornamental garden plants "Landscape" is indispensable assistant, here you will find not only an extremely wide range of plants for a variety of growing conditions, but also get a lot of other information. E-catalogue of ornamental plants for the garden "Landscape" is a practical guide to available ornamental plants on the Ukrainian market. The Internet catalog of ornamental plants for the garden "Landscape" is updated all the time, replenished with new garden ornamental plants.

For designers, owners of plots, for people in love with plants and gardens, the Landscape online catalog is an affordable and popular guide to help in choosing plants for the garden. We tried to describe all the features and characteristics of plants, all plants are illustrated with photographs showing the shape or character traits plants. The descriptions of the presented plants are simple and clear, interesting short practical tips, contain basic information regarding plant characteristics, soil requirements, lighting and frost resistance, recommendations for care and possible use or arrangement with other species. Additional and very useful information is contained in the silhouette of a plant in adulthood with a human figure, which allows us to imagine future size and the shape of an adult plant, makes it possible to immediately choose the right plants for the garden.

The e-catalogue of ornamental garden plants "Landscape" uses international standards for spelling plant names. First of all, we use Latin names to avoid ambiguity, as well as Russian names and synonyms. This will allow you to quickly find the manufacturer of the plant you are interested in.

Climate influence and frost resistance

A hardiness zone is a region in which a certain plant species usually still tolerates winters well, in other words, the region where its cultural range begins. It is important to understand that the frost resistance of plants depends on many factors, all data on winter hardiness climatic zones are only approximate. Within the aisles of one zone, the microclimate of some regions may differ significantly from the given data. So, for example, urban areas are usually half a step warmer than the surrounding landscape. Large bodies of water, areas, as well as slopes and hilltops, have a positive effect on the climate, while unfavorable conditions prevail in depressions and valleys.

The climate zone number is indicated under each plant description in the catalog, showing the degree of its resistance to low temperatures - the lower the zone number, the more frost-resistant the plant. Plants can often grow in regions of five or more climate zones. A plant from zone 2 can usually grow without problems in zones 3,4,5,6,7 and possibly also in zones 8 and 9. These zone recommendations are based on the availability of optimal conditions for each individual plant and do not take into account snow protection . Information about the climatic zones of frost resistance is also a hint for sheltering plants for the winter.

Map of winter hardiness zones of Ukraine

Winter hardiness zones and their ranges of average annual minimum temperatures

Abbreviations:

	silhouette of a man and a plant in proportion
	light-loving plants
	half-shade and half-shade plants

Have you decided to build your own alpine slide or decorate a garden plot in an original way? Create comfortable conditions for the juniper, which gives its owner not only a good mood, but also healing phytoncides that strengthen the nerves and help overcome the everyday anxiety of our vain time.

Juniper, a fragrant evergreen long-liver (500-2500 years) of the Cypress family, has recently become an ornament to household plots, a striking element of landscape decor. There are more than 70 species of this unpretentious winter-hardy plant, which has a powerful root system, height up to 10 m and habitat from northern latitudes to the tropics. Juniper leaves, depending on the species, are scaly or needle-shaped, and their color is blue, gray, yellowish and all shades of green, which allows you to create picturesque, multi-level, multi-colored compositions on the site.

Here are some juniper species that have a “fashionable” exterior for your note:

• Red cedar (pencil tree)- slender, upright shrub/small tree 7-12 m tall and 4-6 m wide. The first years the plant is compact and conical, then it becomes wide, asymmetrical and openwork. The branches are bent up. The needles are scaly, needle-shaped dark or gray-green in the shade, dark red in winter. It grows only in the sun, tolerates large temperature fluctuations, is winter-hardy and wind-resistant. Suitable for topiary haircut.
• Juniper horizontal (prostrate ) - an open dwarf shrub 0.2-0.3 m tall and 1.5-2 m wide with creeping shoots. The needles are scaly, color - from green to metallic blue, in winter it acquires a raspberry or dark red hue. It grows in the sun and in partial shade, tolerates large temperature fluctuations, is winter-hardy and wind-resistant.
• Juniper medium - vertically growing, asymmetric shrub 2-5 m high and 3-6 m wide. Branches form layers, lateral shoots are often raised. The needles are scaly, the color is from dull gray to blue-green, in the shade or after trimming the needles become needle-like. It grows quickly in the sun and in partial shade, tolerates large temperature fluctuations, is wind-resistant, winter-hardy. It tolerates simple and topiary haircuts well.
• Juniper hard - a columnar tree native to Japan up to 8 m tall with stiff, sharp, yellow-green needles. Very photophilous, undemanding to soil fertility. Males are especially beautiful as a tapeworm.
• juniper chinensis - large shrub / tree. The branches have both scaly and needle-shaped needles of green, bluish or gray color, in the shade or with strong pruning becoming needle-shaped. Grows only in the sun, thins even in light shade. It is frost-resistant, takes root well, but does not tolerate dry air. IN middle lane Russia replaces cypresses.
• Juniper Dahurian - creeping shrub with ascending branches. The needles are needle-shaped, sharp, in good light - scaly, after frost it becomes brownish. Photophilous, tolerates light shading, drought-resistant. Suitable for slopes, slopes and rock gardens.

Juniper cultivars most commonly used for garden and home decor include:

"anna maria", "bruns", "depressa aurea", "horstmann", "hibernica", "compressa", "green carpet", "old gold", "gold star", "mint julep", "skyrocket", "andorra compacta", "blue star", "blue arrow", "blue chip".

Seedling selection

It is best to purchase a seedling in a nursery, where you can choose the variety and specimen you like, as well as get advice on caring for the juniper and its neighbors. When buying a juniper, pay attention that its root system is developed and occupies the entire volume of the planting capacity (it is desirable that the seedling is in a solid "dishes" and not bags where the root system is easily damaged). Ask the seller to take the plant out of the pot and show you its roots - they should be white, fresh and smell good. The needles of a healthy candidate for planting are lush, without yellowness, rich green in color, the twigs are not dry, and the optimal age is 3-4 years.

A place

Juniper is a light-loving plant that loves space, so it is desirable that its crown be in the sun for most of the day, otherwise the plant will lose its splendor. Loose breathing soil for juniper (pH = 4.5-7) can be “designed” independently by mixing soddy soil and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Or you can not bother and buy ready-made soil PETER PEAT "Garden soil" of the HOBBY line, which will reduce the number of weeds and the percentage possible diseases plants.

Choose a place for planting juniper with low level groundwater to prevent root rot.

Planting juniper seedlings

Horizontal juniper is planted from April to the second decade of May (if autumn is dry, then in late August - early September) and includes a number of simple rules:

• The depth of the planting hole should be twice the height of the seedling and be at least 70-80 cm, and its width should be 2.5 times the root ball of the seedling earth. At the bottom of the pit, a 10 cm drainage layer of crushed stone, gravel or coarse expanded clay PETER PEAT of the VITA line is laid. Then comes a sandy layer 20 cm thick, and from above to the ground level - a soil mixture of soddy soil, sand and soil PETER PEAT "Garden soil" of the HOBBY line (1: 1: 2). If the soil in your area is heavy, lime it dolomite flour at the rate of 500-600 g/sq.m.
• Before planting, to prevent diseases, immerse the root part of the seedling for 2 hours in a 3% aqueous solution of potassium permanganate.
• When the planting hole is half full of the required "ingredients", pour a bucket of water into it; after planting a seedling / adult plant, shed two more, this will insure you against the risk of underwatering and drying out of the roots.
• Plant the plant along with a clod of earth, after thoroughly spilling the pot with water. Try not to damage the roots and root ball of the earth. When planting, the root neck of young seedlings is flush with the ground, young seedlings - 2-3 cm, and in adult junipers - 10 cm above ground level.
• Between adjacent young junipers there should be a distance of 0.6-1 m, between large ones - 1.5-2.5 m. It is necessary to calculate so that the distance between adults is 1.5-4 m, taking into account overgrown crowns.
• Mulch your plantings with a 5-8 cm layer of sawdust, withered foliage, DECO line PETER PEAT pine bark or special artificial material.

juniper transplant

This is an extremely undesirable and painful procedure for the juniper, so it is better not to be mistaken with the place of its initial landing. But once you have decided, take care of landscaping the “correct pit” (see Landing) and establishing comfortable soil by mixing coniferous soil, peat, sand in equal proportions of snitroammophos (30-40 g / sq.m). Pour a bucket of water over the half-filled hole and again pour 2 more buckets after the final settlement of the juniper in a new place. 2 days after transplanting, feed the plant with liquid humic fertilizer PETER PEAT "Living force: resistance to stress".

Transplanting juniper from the forest

You can dig a juniper tree in a coniferous forest, guided by the following parameters: the height is not more than 50 cm, the trunk is straight, all the needles are green, there are no dry twigs. At 0.5 m around the trunk, dig up the ground and pull out the plant along with the lump, carefully cutting off the roots and trying to leave them as long as possible. Place the seedling in a bag and, in no case destroying the lump, take it to the site, to the prepared pit. You need to plant a juniper, clearly repeating its forest orientation to the cardinal points: for this, even in the forest, mark the “notch” side of the earthen clod with a stick or simply tie a thread.

Juniper nutrition

In April, feed your juniper with mineral fertilizer PETER PEAT "NPK 15-15-15" of the MINERAL line. In the future, water it monthly with PETER PEAT liquid humic fertilizer "Live force: for coniferous crops", combining fertilizer with watering and slightly loosening the near-stem circle beforehand. But if the plant is growing well, do fertilizing in a month. Alternative fertilizers:

• nitroammophoska (30 - 40 g per 1 m²);
• "Kemira Universal" (20 g per 10 liters of water).

Juniper propagation

Seeds. Not all varieties of juniper can be grown from seed - hybrid varieties (labeled f1) do not produce offspring in this way. Pollinating a plant naturally provides too little planting material, and you can collect it from two-year-old and older junipers strictly during the darkening of the berries, but not later. Further harvested seeds prostratify: put a layer of sand and moss in a box of 20x30x30 cm; juniper seeds on it with a thin layer; top layer similar to the first. The box should stay outside all winter and the first half of spring. This will speed up the germination of seeds, because. seeds that have not undergone such a procedure will be able to sprout only after a year. In May, soak juniper seeds for 30 minutes in a 3% solution of potassium permanganate, then 2 hours in PETER PEAT liquid humic fertilizer and plant in prepared beds (see Planting section) according to a 50x80 cm scheme, followed by watering, weeding, loosening row spacing.

Cuttings with a "heel". In early spring, early in the morning in cloudy weather, cut branches 12 cm long from an adult juniper so that they have "heels" - 2-3 cm pieces of the trunk. Remove the needles from them and place for a day in a solution of liquid humic fertilizer PETER PEAT "Living force: for soaking seeds", stimulating root formation. Next, dip the juniper cuttings 3 cm into pots with a diameter of 15 cm with a substrate of sand, garden soil and peat (1: 1: 1), pour and cover with a film. Rooting temperature +22-28°C, humidity of the upper part of the cuttings 90%. Put the pots on the windowsill, to the light. Remember, the soil should always be moist, but overflowing is fraught with rotting of the roots. Remove the film every 5 hours to allow the cuttings to breathe and check the moisture content of the substrate. After 30-50 days, the plantings will have roots, after another 2 months they can be transplanted into pots, and in a permanent place - after 2-3 years.

In a greenhouse. Prepare a hole 25 cm deep in the garden, lay a drainage of expanded clay or fine gravel 5 cm thick on the bottom, and a soil mixture of sand and peat (1: 1) on top. Above the resulting bed, install arcs 25-30 cm high and cover them with a thick film. Pour water properly and deepen the cuttings into it by 3 cm in increments of 40-50 cm. Do not forget to ventilate every 5 hours, and in sunny weather, remove the film.

juniper care

In the first year after planting, the soil under the juniper must be carefully loosened so as not to damage its root system. A little peat or PETER PEAT pine nut shells from the DECO line can be added to the soil. From above, the trunk circle can be mulched with sawdust or dry leaves.

Juniper watering

Juniper is able to do without water for a long time, but you still need to water it once a month: 15-25 liters of water should fall on one plant. In hot summers, he loves a weekly water shower from a watering can or spray bottle - this procedure is best done in the early morning or evening. If the summer is rainy, a shower once every 3 weeks is enough. Water the young seedlings along the edge of the hole once a week.

Pruning. Juniper "in life" does not need pruning, you just need to remove the dry branches that have appeared. But when forming the crown, “unnecessary” healthy branches can also be cut off, only a little, because. the plant can get sick.

Shelter. To protect the juniper from breaking due to heavy snowfalls, tie its branches with twine and periodically shake snow off them. It is useful to cover young individuals with spruce branches or aspargan. Before winter, be sure to mulch the near-trunk circles of plants with peat or sawdust to a thickness of 8-10 cm.

In spring, the sun mercilessly burns out the juniper needles, so do not remove the covering material immediately “forever” - let the juniper gradually get used to the light, increasing its daily exposure time by 15-20 minutes. As soon as the snow comes off the trunk circle, remove the old layer of mulch, dig the soil 5-8 cm, level it and make a new layer of mulch.

Diseases and pests

Stylish juniper plantations to you!

Juniper is a common ornamental plant often found in landscape design. Its sprawling "paws", creeping along the ground, or neat trees in the shape of candles, can ennoble any garden or park. A person has long noticed the beauty of a plant - in the verses of the poet of ancient Greece Virgil there are lines that mention this shrub.

Botanical information about juniper

Any description of the juniper contains information that it belongs to the genus of coniferous evergreen shrubs, and its tree-like varieties belong to the Cypress family. During its long history, it has acquired several more names: Veres and Archa. It is found almost everywhere in the countries lying in the Northern Hemisphere. Some species grow in the eastern regions of Africa.

The plant can take the form of a large shrub, tree and small creeping bushes. Most of the genus likes to grow in well-lit areas, are easy to care for, do not impose special requirements on the soil, and tolerate prolonged drought well. As for resistance to cold, it all depends on the species: some of them come from the northern regions, so they easily tolerate significant temperature drops. But there are also species - inhabitants of the subtropics, hypothermia is contraindicated for them. See the article about the horizontal juniper Andorra Variegata.

Juniper - "ambulance" from many ailments

This coniferous shrub is characterized not only by the beauty and grace of the shoots, the beneficial properties of juniper have made it a widely used culture in medicine. Its ability to purify the air from microorganisms that cause various diseases has long been a well-known truth.

One hectare of land planted with juniper is able to “disinfect” the air of one large city. This happens due to active substances - phytoncides, which in the course of evolution have become real fighters with microscopic fungi and bacteria that cause serious health problems.

Juniper berries and medicine

One of the most useful parts of the plant is its berries, which look like microscopic bumps. It is for this similarity that they are also called cones. The extensive use of juniper berries for the treatment of many ailments indicates high medicinal properties these shrubs and trees. They can cure ailments associated with disorders of the bladder and kidneys. Skin diseases such as eczema and dermatitis can be overcome with the help of cones-berries.

Juniper berries and cooking

In addition to medicinal uses, the fruit is often used as a condiment for culinary purposes. After grinding, they are added to meat dishes, especially game. Many other recipes also cannot do without this ingredient: sauces, soups, terrines, marinades for meat. Drinks such as: jelly, kvass, beer, gin are also made with the addition of exotic seasonings, giving off a light coniferous aroma and giving the dishes a tart-sweet aftertaste.

On berries, the use of juniper does not end there. Other parts of the plant are also used in human life. For example, no less fragrant oil is made from its odorous branches, which has a lot of useful properties. It is valued for being an effective way against radiculitis, polyarthritis and rheumatism. It can also be used to cure some of the annoying problems associated with nervous system such as neuralgia.

It is easy to get rid of allergies by preparing a decoction from the branches, and a decoction from the rhizomes treats diseases of the respiratory system, such as bronchitis and tuberculosis. In addition, root decoction is quite effective in solving some skin problems.

The wood obtained from the plant is widely used to make various items such as pencils and wooden utensils. By the way, in ancient Russia, milk was poured into a juniper bowl for long-term storage: it did not sour for a long time in an antibacterial container.

Blue Chip - American-Canadian variety

Many varieties of this plant have been bred to date, but the Blue Chip juniper, which appeared thanks to the joint work of American and Canadian breeders, is the most popular and widespread. Received many names: flat, ground cover, prostrate. Refers to low shrubs growing in a horizontal direction.

Origin of the name Bluechip

The origin of its name is interesting. Blue Chip translated from in English means "first-class security". The fact is that in America a financial company with this name has been considered reliable and reputable, worthy of trust for many years. The literal translation is “blue chip”, but for Americans Blue Chip has become synonymous with the words “prestigious, top quality”.

Description and characteristics of the variety

The first thing to start with the description of the Blue Chip juniper is its beautiful appearance, thanks to which he received in 2004 in Poland the highest award from connoisseurs of ornamental garden plants around the world.

Common juniper Blue Chip belongs to perennial, evergreen, low-growing, coniferous shrubs of compact dimensions. In breadth, it will grow no more than 1-1.2 m in diameter. And its height is generally small - about 30-40 cm.

This variety is valued for the beauty of shaggy branches. In summer, they are painted in a greenish-blue color with a slight gray tint, and closer to autumn they change their color to burgundy-lilac tones. Its stems are strongly fluffy, dense, collected in a horizontal, lush bush, raised above the ground, growing along the soil. The branches are completely covered with densely arranged green needles with a bluish tinge.

Juniper horizontal Blue Chip rarely produces fruits on shoots: they are small, spherical and match the needles in color.

Features of plant care

As a rule, Blue Chip horizontal juniper prefers areas well lit by the sun. But it can grow in a small shade. Needs moderate watering, but does not like waterlogged soil. The best soil for this variety is nutritious, slightly acidic, drained. Sandy soils are perfect for the plant. In care, it is unpretentious, quite resistant to cold.

Blue Chip is a great choice for landscaping

Of course, the unusually beautiful Blue Chip variety will ennoble any garden. Most often, Blue Chip juniper is used in landscape design to create a variety of decorative ensembles. It is used for planting around small garden ponds, often part of mixborders made up of coniferous representatives. In addition, it fits perfectly into almost any rock garden. In flower beds, it can become a wonderful background, not only shading the beauty of flowers, but also giving sophistication and nobility. By planting such an evergreen shrub, you can not only effectively decorate the garden, but also cleanse it of many harmful bacteria.

Landing - basic rules

After buying a plant, the Blue Chip juniper is planted and cared for, which include a few simple rules. Most bushes are sold in pots or containers.
They must be carefully removed from the container and scrupulously water the roots with water. Then a suitable place for planting is selected (it is better if it is a sunny area or partial shade) and pits are prepared for planting. Their dimensions should be 1.5-2 times the size of the root.

You can improve the survival of the bush and give it more beauty by adding nutrient soil to the planting holes. High-quality planting of Blue Chip juniper in soil rich in all necessary substances will give strength to the plant not only to survive stress in the form of a transplant, but will also further nourish the root system, which cannot but affect the decorativeness of the plant. The soil mixture is prepared on the basis of three components: turf, sand, peat, taken in equal proportions. Mineral fertilizers for conifers can be mixed with such soil, which can significantly help the plant take root faster. If the soil is compacted, not loose and poorly drained, then a layer of gravel of 20 cm should be covered in order to organize air access to the roots.

The technology by which the Blue Chip horizontal juniper is planted is simple. Prepared pits are well moistened, then bushes are planted in them. You can not plant a plant, deepening the neck of the root below the ground, this part of the shrub should be on the same level with it.

Features of breeding culture

Evergreen shrubs are easy to propagate using several methods: cuttings, cuttings, seeds.

The most common of them is cuttings, but it is not suitable for creeping varieties. Such species reproduce using layering.

Before you propagate Blue Chip juniper, you need to choose the most healthy, young and beautiful shoots. Then the soil is prepared for the future site where the layers will take root: it is carefully dug up, after which peat and coarse sand are introduced. Everything is gently mixed and loosened.

After that, the selected stem is tilted to the ground and pinned with a bracket made of ordinary wire. In the place where the "hairpin" was fixed, the soil must be regularly watered and loosened.

Layering takes root for a rather long period of time: six months - a year. A well-rooted seedling is transplanted to a "permanent place of residence" using the technology indicated above. A lot of useful information in the article: How to grow rosemary from seeds and cuttings at home?

Among the ground cover varieties, Blue Chip juniper is considered the best. Its shaggy shoots, with a slightly raised core and ends, evenly and densely spread along the ground, forming a green carpet. The needles are short and dense, needle-shaped and prickly. The needles change color depending on the time of year: in summer the needles are a rich silver-blue hue, in spring young bright blue twigs appear, in autumn it is filled with brown and lilac colors, and in winter its tone becomes almost purple.

Juniper horizontal Blue Chip is an excellent option for rocky compositions, rockeries and rock gardens, it harmoniously looks in combination with other coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs. Juniper is a natural healer, it effectively cleans and disinfects the surrounding air within a radius of 10 meters.

Description of juniper horizontal Blue Chip

The homeland of the juniper Blue Chip is Canada and America, in translation, its name means a blue chip. The plant grows in a horizontal direction, it is perfectly adapted throughout Russia, from the southern borders to the northern latitudes. Its growth is small - the height of an adult shrub is from 20 to 30 cm, and the crown in diameter can reach 1.5 meters. This beautiful dwarf with interesting needles and a slow growth rate is able to decorate any landscape design.

Description of Juniper Blue Chip:

1. Appearance. It belongs to dwarf creeping evergreen varieties of juniper, it is distinguished by its small size and compact shape, raised middle and high decorative characteristics, it has small needle needles. Seeds are cone berries of spherical shape and black color with bloom, reaching 5-6 mm in diameter.
2. Requirements. It loves light and good soil moisture, is resistant to frost and drought, tolerates urban gas pollution and air pollution, does not tolerate excess moisture and excessive salinity of the soil.
3. Where is used. Often planted as a support for rocky slopes and walls, to strengthen slopes and curbs. Ideal Solution for landscape design of rock gardens and heather gardens, looks good in a container with the need for decorative crown molding.

Beautiful, dense and fragrant Blue Chip horizontal juniper, with long creeping shoots and bright unusual coloration, is used by gardeners to create living coniferous carpets.

Juniper Blue Chip - landing

Young seedlings are planted in planting holes 50-70 cm deep with a sufficient drainage layer in sunny or slightly shaded areas. the shrub prefers nutritious moderately dry soil, mainly with an alkaline or acidic environment. The culture does not withstand stagnant moisture and soil salinity; regular shallow loosening is required to achieve the best decorative results.
The optimal distance between adjacent plants is 1-2 meters. For the winter, the conifer is sprinkled with peat up to 10 cm thick; during heavy snowfalls, temporary protection is built around it.

The agrotechnical features of the Blue Chip juniper are abundant watering after planting, mandatory mulching to preserve moisture, and regular sanitary haircuts.

Juniper Blue Chip - reproduction and care

The Blue Chip blue shrub is propagated by layering. The gardener chooses healthy and high-quality shoots, prepares the ground for rooting - digs, loosens with peat and sand, fertilizes and moisturizes. With the help of a bracket, the selected branch is fixed on the ground, the layers take root within six months to a year.

Planting and caring for Blue Chip juniper include the following activities:

1. Top dressing after planting is carried out three times per season: in spring nitrogen fertilizers, in summer with phosphorus-containing compounds and in autumn - with mixtures for conifers with potassium. The plant gratefully responds to the introduction of organic fertilizers around the trunk.
2. Water regularly, but not excessively. For better moisture retention near trunk circles generously poured mulch from wood chips or sawdust.
3. Pruning is carried out in the spring - dry and broken shoots are removed, old and frozen branches are cut off.
4. Weeding and loosening are carried out as needed, an excess of weeds harms the decorative characteristics of the plant.
5. Diseases and pests. Coniferous culture can suffer from basal fungus and rot, it is often infected with mites and scale insects. For preventive purposes, juniper thickets, in the spring and once a month during the warm season, are treated with fungicides and insecticides.

Juniper Blue Chip is picturesque at any time of the year, with its help colorful corners are created near stones and near water bodies, flower beds and flower beds are effectively decorated with it. Additional advantage in that the plant creates around itself a microclimate useful for people.

Photo juniper Blue Chip in landscape design

Acquaintance with juniper Blue Chip - video

Juniper horizontalis is one of the favorite plants for those gardeners who are engaged in the design of their site. Conifers will perfectly decorate the landscape and bring a touch of wildlife.

All horizontal junipers are evergreen creeping dwarf bushes from ten to seventy centimeters high, the crown width varies from a meter to three.

general description

Junipers grow slowly . The main shoots are extended to the sides, usually covered with younger branches. The needles of junipers are either needle-shaped or scaly, the length is about three millimeters. The color of the needles varies from green to yellow and silver. In winter, the needles of all varieties acquire a brownish or purple color.

Description of fruits. The fruits of junipers are spherical cones of blue color, covered with a blue bloom. Junipers tolerate drought, frost and drafts well. Natural habitat - Canada and North America. This shrub has more than a hundred varieties, and one of the most popular is Blue Chip.

Plant has an attractive appearance, and was even awarded the highest award at the 2004 exhibition in Poland.

Blue Chip belongs to perennial dwarf shrubs, it is about one and a half meters wide and thirty centimeters high. The color of the needles in summer is green with a blue tint, in winter it is burgundy. The stems are thick and fluffy, grow along the ground, the branches are densely covered with needles. This variety gives fruits quite rarely, they are small in size, the color is the same as the needles.

Conditions and reproduction

Like all junipers, Blue Chip horizontal grows well in any soil, however, you should know that he does not like too much moisture and salty soils. When planting, it will be good to mulch in order to maintain the correct soil moisture regime. As the juniper grows, it will independently protect the roots.

This shrub variety propagates by layering. A healthy shoot is selected, and the ground is prepared under it. It should be dug up, add fertilizer and sand, dig everything again. Next, the shoot must be bent to the ground and pinned with a wire clip. In place of the bracket, it is necessary to water and loosen the earth. The layering takes root for about a year. After rooting, the young plant can be planted in a permanent place.

Juniper on the plot

To begin with, a landing site is determined. It is good for optimal growth to choose a bright place, or in partial shade. Next, landing pits are prepared, dug about eighty centimeters deep. At the bottom, you can put compost or ready-made nutrient soil.

For the speedy rooting of the plant, mineral fertilizer must be added to the soil. If the soil is too compacted, it is necessary to fill up a drainage layer (for example, fine gravel).

After preparing the holes, they should be moistened and the plant should be carefully placed there together with the earth located on the root coma, then sprinkled and tamped the soil.

Landing and further care behind this variety practically does not differ from any other conifers.

Make the first watering in the amount of no more than two watering cans. The distance between the bushes should not be less than one meter. For the winter period, juniper is sprinkled with sawdust.

Within a week after planting, the bush should be watered with a stimulant for the roots, and the branches should be treated with Epin. Processing is necessary plentiful, the drug should, as it were, even drain from the branches.

In the period from February to early May of the first year of growth, it is worth covering the plant loosely with a soft fine-mesh net (you can buy it at a hardware store). This is done in order to avoid burns from the ultraviolet rays of the spring sun. Horizontal junipers from needles have year-round evaporation, and in spring the roots have not yet thawed, the sun is hot, as a result, the needles dry out. Therefore, in the spring it is necessary to thaw the soil near the bush then it will be better able to absorb moisture. Thus, it is advisable to start watering the juniper in mid-March, at the same time you need to remove snow from the soil near the bush.

Shrub care is quite simple, you just need to follow some general rules:

In general, junipers are quite disease resistant., but you still need to know the dangers that threaten the bush.

In addition to the fact that Blue Chip looks beautiful on the site, the plant also has useful properties. The most useful part of a shrub is its fruits. IN folk medicine they are famous as a remedy for diseases of the kidneys and bladder, as well as skin diseases (for example, eczema). From the branches, a decoction is prepared to help relieve an allergy attack, and a decoction from the roots treats bronchitis and other diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract.

Juniper fruits have also been used in cooking. They are added as a seasoning to fish and meat dishes, and in ground form - in sauces and marinades.

From juniper wood make pencils and even utensils. In containers made of juniper, products do not deteriorate for a long time, since the wood has an antimicrobial effect.

The property of conifers is also known to “cleanse” the air from fungi and other pathogens. The immunity of a person who has juniper in his area is quite high.

Landscape

Juniper Blue Chip is beautiful both in winter and in summer, with its help you can create various landscape compositions on the site. Looks great in rock gardens, near artificial ponds and when decorating a flower bed, on which he will emphasize the beauty of the planted flowers. It can be used as a living carpet on any segment of the site or near a stone slide.

Conclusion

An unusual and very beautiful horizontal juniper of the Blue Chip variety will decorate and ennoble the garden plot, country courtyard and city flower garden. Additional plus - juniper, like all conifers, perfectly cleans the air from gas contamination and microorganisms that are harmful to health. Its care is simple. That is why it is worth making a choice in favor of such a spectacular and useful plant.

juniper blue chip

Juniper Blue Chip is a dwarf conifer. It grows in southern and northern latitudes, adapts well to harsh climates. In landscape design, it is used to decorate rock gardens, rockeries, and decorating deciduous plantings.

plant description

Blue chip - this is how the name of the plant is translated from the Canadian language. It's evergreen perennial with creeping stem. The needles are dense gray-gray in color. The color of the needles changes with the seasons of the year. In spring, young shoots are gray-green, gray-gray in summer, and acquire purple hues in winter.