Juniper

Family. Cupressaceae.

Where does it grow? Southeast Asia, Europe, America.

Description. Juniper is a large and very diverse genus of evergreen trees and shrubs. Some species grow vertically and have a pyramidal crown, while others develop horizontally. The leaves are scale-like or needle-like, often tightly pressed to the branches, green or with a blue waxy coating. Plants can be monoecious or dioecious. During the flowering period, cones are formed, with female cones colored green and male cones yellow. During the fruiting period, oblong blue or orange berries up to 2.5 cm in diameter appear on female plants, which give this shrub additional charm.

Height. Varies greatly among different species.

Planting and care

How to transplant 

In spring, young specimens are transplanted into fresh soil. When transplanting, the roots can be trimmed. Mature trees can be transplanted every 2-3 years.

Propagation

Sometimes seeds are propagated, quite simply, but this method will require a sufficient period of time. Indoor juniper is propagated vegetatively using cuttings - this is a more complex process.

Growing at home 

Representatives of the genus can be considered only conditionally indoor plants, and it is better to plant the bush outside over time. Indoor culture mainly contains small young plants or varieties specially bred for indoor maintenance. In spring, pruning is carried out, with the help of which the crown can be given almost any correct geometric shape. Juniper easily tolerates pruning.

Diseases and pests 

Spider mites, scale insects, aphids, gall midges, sawflies, moths, juniper moths, mealybugs, and marbled beetles may pose a certain danger.

Soil 

Based on peat, leaf humus, with the addition of coarse river sand to improve drainage. Does not like mixtures rich in organic matter. The pH is rather acidic.

When it blooms 

Spring.

Watering

Water until the soil is completely soaked in summer; the top layer of soil should dry out quite a bit before each subsequent watering. In autumn, the frequency of watering is gradually reduced, and in winter it is watered sparingly. 

Feeding 

During the period of active growth, feed monthly. In autumn and winter, fertilizing should be stopped. 

Containment temperature

In spring and summer it tolerates normal room temperature; in winter it requires cool maintenance with a temperature of about 5 - 10 ° C. It is a fairly frost-resistant plant. 

Lighting

Bright reflected light, direct sunlight causes burns. With good lighting in autumn and winter, juniper can be kept at room temperature all the time.

Spraying 

Periodic spraying is only necessary if the indoor air becomes too dry.

Purpose

Looks great in rock gardens. 

Note

Juniper berries are edible and are used in many dishes.

Varieties:

Juniperus sabina

Perennial evergreen plants with abundantly branched, powerful shoots, often taking a horizontal shape. The height of the plant reaches 1 - 4 m. The leaves are green, glossy, scaly, abundantly covering the thin branches. The leaves can be colored in different shades of green. Individual specimens may bear both female and male cones, but most often the female cones are on one plant and the male cones on another. Female cones are attractive, round, reach 1 cm in diameter, colored purple or bluish and covered with a waxy coating. Male cones reach a length of only 2 - 4 mm. 

Juniperus scopulorum

Attractive evergreens with a dense, pyramidal crown. In their natural habitat they can reach a height of 10 - 20 m. The abundantly branched branches are abundantly covered with scaly green or bluish leaves, tightly adjacent to the shoots. The plants are dioecious - male and female cones are formed on different specimens. Female cones are large, round in shape, and colored bluish or almost white.

Juniperus communis

Tall evergreen shrubs or small trees from 4 to 10 m high, with a dense crown. The shoots are thin, abundantly branched, covered with brown, cracking bark. The leaves are green, needle-shaped, thick, and may turn brownish in the autumn months. In autumn, female plants are abundantly covered with round, blue-black, waxy female cones. Male cones appear at the tops of shoots, are small, and often go unnoticed. 

Juniperus horizontalis

A spectacular evergreen plant, often not exceeding 30 cm in height with thick, lodging stems. The leaves are green or bluish-green, scale-like, tightly adjacent to the abundantly branched branches. In adult plants, the leaves are superimposed on each other. The plants are dioecious - male and female cones are formed on different specimens. 

Juniperus chinensis

An evergreen coniferous tree with branching shoots covered with brown bark. In its natural habitat it reaches a height of 25 m. An interesting feature of the plants is that young specimens most often bear needle-like leaves, while mature trees are covered with scale-like small leaves. The color of the leaves can be green or bluish-green. Among this species there are both dioecious and plants bearing male and female cones at the same time. Female cones become rounded over time and have a bluish, waxy coating. 

Juniperus squamata

Quite compact, spreading, attractive evergreen shrubs with abundantly branched, thin, often horizontal shoots. The height of the plant can reach 60 - 90 cm. The leaves are needle-shaped, 5 - 9 mm long, painted in green, bluish-green, silver shades. 

Juniperus virginiana

In their natural habitat, these are evergreen trees with a height of 5 to 20 cm. Plants can bear two types of leaves - needle-shaped and scaly. The scaly leaves are green and cover the branches abundantly, adhering tightly to them. The needle-shaped leaves reach a length of 5 - 10 cm. The plants are dioecious - female specimens form round, attractive, black cones, covered with a bluish waxy coating. The diameter of the cones can reach 1 cm. 

Juniperus conferta

An evergreen spreading shrub with fluffy, lodging shoots, reaches a height of 30 - 60 cm. The stems are thick, covered with brown bark. The leaves are needle-shaped, green or bluish-green, 6 to 15 mm long. When damaged, the leaves emit a pine aroma. Female cones are round, reminiscent of berries, covered with a light waxy coating. 

Juniperus sibirica

Attractive spreading shrubs with thin, drooping branches covered with brown, often cracked bark. The leaves are glossy, dark green, needle-shaped, abundantly covering the stems of the plant. Female specimens can form a large number of round, bluish-black cones. 

Juniperus davurica

A low-growing evergreen juniper up to 60 cm high. Abundantly branched, often drooping branches form a spreading crown of the plant. The leaves are glossy, thin, needle-shaped, colored green or bluish-green. Currently, there are variegated specimens, the tips of the branches of which are often white, yellow or greenish. The cones are round, light blue, almost white, with a waxy coating. 

Juniperus foetidissima

In their natural habitat, the plants are large, evergreen trees up to 25 m high. Each such tree is capable of bearing both needle-like and scaly leaves. Mature trees are covered predominantly with scaly leaves 2 - 3 mm long, tightly adjacent to thin branches. This species belongs to the dioecious type - male and female cones are formed on different specimens. Male cones are numerous, single, spherical, reach 2-3 mm in diameter, and are colored yellowish-brown. Female cones are bluish-green, reach 1 cm in diameter, have a bluish-black tint, and are covered with a waxy coating.