Scaly juniper juniperus squamata. Ornamental shrubs: scaly juniper. Chinese junipers: photos and varieties

Many types and varieties of juniper are in demand in landscape design. Scaly juniper with a squat, creeping or outstretched crown is no exception.

A coniferous evergreen shrub native to east and southeast Asia, it was discovered and studied in the first half of the 19th century. In landscaping, culture is valued due to:

• decorative green-silver dense needles;
• original crown shape;
• frost resistance, allowing wintering in the middle zone;
• undemanding to care and growing conditions;
• long, in nature reaching 600 years of life of the bush.

Description of juniper scaly

Belonging to the Cypress family, the scaly juniper (Juniperus squamata) cannot be called large. Compared to nearby species, the plant has a small crown, the size and shape of which depends on the variety. The shoots of scaly juniper take on a prostrate form, in some varieties a hanging form, and sometimes spread along the ground, forming something like a dense needle-like carpet.

The branches of the shrub have frequent branching and are covered with hard, prickly needles up to 8 mm long. The needles with a green back and a silvery face due to the characteristic stripe at the mouth are arranged in whorls in groups of three. The needle-shaped needles are curved towards the shoot and have a characteristic juniper aroma.

Like other members of the genus, scaly juniper does not have a high growth rate. Over the course of a year, the plant grows in height and width by only a few centimeters. Oval cones containing one seed each form on mature plants and ripen in the second year, reaching a diameter of 6–8 mm and gradually changing color from greenish-red to a deep purple-black hue.

Caring for juniper scaly is no different from caring for other members of the genus. It is better to plant the plant in bright areas protected from cold winds. In the middle zone and to the north, protect the bushes from frost.

In harsh winters, the needles turn brown and die, the bark cracks, and small branches and shoots from the previous year dry out.

Description of popular varieties of scaly juniper

Compact size, unusually hanging shape of young shoots, silver-green, and in some cases even golden needles are the reasons for the popularity of scaly juniper and varieties obtained from wild plants.

Juniper scaly Blue Carpet (Blue Carpet)

Blue Carpet juniper will help create an even carpet of a bluish-silver hue on the site. A creeping, relatively quickly growing shrub of this variety is distinguished by the appearance of young, hanging shoots and the noble shades of prickly, hard needles.

The plant, if a bright area is chosen for it, without the risk of spring flooding and at least minimal care is provided, it easily takes root on hills, borders, and creates picturesque spots near ponds and along the edges of plantings of larger plants. The variety is durable and, compared to related crops, due to its low altitude and snow cover, it easily tolerates frost.

In the hands of masters, juniper scaly of the Blue Carpet variety, thanks to many years of shaping, turns into fantasy trees with dense caps of greenery on a fancy trunk.

Juniper scaly Meyeri (Meyeri)

The value of juniper scaly Meieri is the original shape of the crown with drooping young shoots. The shrub, bred in China at the beginning of the last century and highly valued in landscape design, is one of the most popular varieties of juniper, and is used not only for landscaping parks, gardens and public gardens, but also for bonsai.

The dynamic shape of the shoots of the juniper scaly Meyeri helps to create miniatures that are unique in their picturesqueness.

The evergreen shrub reaches its maximum decorative value during the period of active growth of branches, that is, in the second half of spring and early summer. At this time, young growth with silvery needles appears. Over the course of a year, the plant increases in height by 6–10 cm and in adulthood can grow to 2–5 meters. This is the largest representative of the species.

Juniper scaly Holger (Holger)

Holger is similar to the previous variety of scaly juniper in its spreading crown shape with young drooping shoots, as well as general species characteristics. However, even at the first glance at this ornamental plant it is difficult to confuse it with other varieties.

The height of scaly juniper Holger in adult plants does not exceed 80–100 cm. The crown width of a small shrub is within one and a half meters. But even with such a modest size, this juniper variety is difficult to miss due to the long-lasting light, golden-yellow color of the young growth.

As if covered with sunlight, the silver-green shrub looks great both in a group and in a single planting. Do not forget that juniper on the site is not only a living decoration, but also a powerful air purifier. By persistently tolerating the presence of numerous impurities, the plant disinfects the surrounding atmosphere.

Compact evergreen shrub suitable for container growing.

Juniper scaly Dream Joy (Dream Joy)

"Dream and Joy" The name of this species of juniper squamata eloquently represents a plant with a very compact crown, its decorative effect being due to the light green or completely yellow needles on the tops of young branches. As if engulfed in bright fire, the shoots become green with a noticeable bluish tint as they mature. The squat crown of Dream Joy juniper grows no more than 60–80 cm in height, the width of the bush is 120 cm.

In the garden, for a decorative evergreen crop, you should find a bright place with well-aerated soil.

In plantings, it is better to give this variety places in the front rows so that the small shrub does not get lost behind the “backs” of larger plants.

Juniper scaly Blue Star (Blue Star)

In the 50s of the last century, in one of the Dutch nurseries, among the plantings of juniper scaly Meieri, an unusual shrub with an original star-shaped arrangement of needles and the absence of drooping shoots characteristic of the variety was noticed. The plant was noticed, and its mutation was fixed. So, a decade later, the scaly juniper Blue Star appeared at the disposal of gardeners and landscape designers, which became one of the most popular in the large family of evergreen shrubs.

The plant is distinguished by a very dense crown formed by ascending, strongly branching shoots densely covered with silvery needles. The height of the medium-sized plant, often classified as a dwarf variety, reaches a meter, and the diameter of the crown reaches 2.5 meters. The variety is characterized by weak growth. Over the course of a year, the dimensions of the bush change by only 3–5 cm.

With long-term shaping based on Blue Star juniper plants, it is possible to create decorative standard forms that are not found in nature.

Juniper scaly Blue Swede (Blue Swede)

The shrub is distinguished by its silver or greenish-blue needles, compact squat crown and hanging shoots. The plant is undemanding, grows easily in poor soils and is relatively winter-hardy. Juniper scaly Blue Sweet belongs to the medium-sized representatives of the genus. In ten years, the evergreen plant reaches only 50 centimeters in height and about a meter in width. The maximum possible dimensions of the bush do not exceed one and a half meters in height and 2.5 meters in width.

A characteristic feature of the Blue Swede juniper variety is its steel, prickly, bluish needles up to 1 cm long, which turn almost gray by winter.

A shrub that tolerates slight shade grows better in the light, is not afraid of frost and is suitable for growing in cities where the air is oversaturated with gases and heavy metal salts.

Juniper scaly Hunnetorp (Hannethorp)

Scaly juniper Hannethorp is popular with landscapers and gardeners in Central Europe and Scandinavia. Evergreen conifer is a variety with a slow growth rate, with a compact, semi-lodging crown and short, sharp, silver-green needles. According to some sources, this plant is a variety of Blue Sweet.

Juniper scaly Floreant (Floreant)

Based on the Blue Star variety of scaly juniper, an original variegated variety was obtained with light yellowish-green needles, not only concentrated at the ends of the shoots, but scattered in spots throughout the entire crown.

A dwarf shrub that grows to a maximum height of one meter and a diameter of two meters received the name of a football club. Today, juniper scaly Floreant with a hemispherical, shaped crown is loved by many fans of garden coniferous crops.

Junipers in nature - video

Evergreen scaly juniper is one of the favorite plants of landscape designers. Most varieties of compact shrubs are low-growing, unpretentious, easily tolerate shaping and are widely used to create topiary.

Characteristics of culture

Junipers belong to the Cypress family, wild plants of the mountainous regions of Southeast Asia. Shrubs have been used in gardening since the beginning of the 19th century. In favorable conditions they live for centuries. Nowadays, varieties with a low, creeping crown, emitting a faint coniferous aroma, have become widespread. These monoecious shrubs are characterized by dense branches with stiff, short needles. The length of the sickle-shaped needles is 5-8 mm, they are collected in whorls of 3, slightly pressed to the branches. The color of the needles is light and silver on top, and dark green on the bottom.

Juniper bushes grow at a low speed, up to several centimeters per season. On mature shrubs, oval cones-berries with 1 seed are created on the branches, which ripen by the end of May every other year. At first they are green-red, then blue, 6-7 mm long. Not all varieties can withstand severe frosts. In the climate of central Russia, many junipers require shelter for the winter.

Juniper squamosus

Note! All work with junipers is carried out with gloves, since the plants contain substances that can harm health.

Description of varieties

More than ten varieties of scaly juniper are known in Russian gardens. The differences are in the shape and color of the crown. Popular ones include Holger juniper and blue creeping bushes.

Meyeri is one of the tall varieties of Chinese selection, bred more than a hundred years ago. The plant stretches up to 5 m, the shoots increase by 10 cm per year. But there is a modern version - the compact version of the picturesque Mary juniper, low-growing, 60-70 cm. Meyeri Compakta is distinguished by the bluish color of its needles, undemandingness to soils, and winter hardiness - up to 23 ° C. The shoots extend obliquely, the edges fall beautifully.

Juniper Meyeri

The cone-shaped graceful shape of the crown is distinguished by the Loderi juniper variety, known since 1926. The 1.5 m high shrub was named after the name of its creator, an English aristocrat. The branches of the plant rise densely, occupying a circumference of 80-100 cm. They develop rather slowly - by the age of 10, juniper grows up to 80 cm. The needles are green-gray and short. The variety is drought-resistant, warm and light-loving.

In May and June, the Holger juniper bush stands as if wrapped in a golden glow. Its crown rises up to a meter, with a circumference of 1.5-2.5 m. This is the largest shrub of its kind, created in Sweden in 1946. Due to its seasonal scenic features, the Holger juniper variety is widely used in garden design. The bulk of the needles are a rich bluish-green color, but young branches have a light golden hue, which darkens only in autumn. According to the description, Holger junipers grow 7-10 cm in height and up to 25 in width over the summer. A spreading bush with shaggy branches rising obliquely decorates the yard and purifies the air with phytoncides, which it produces 6 times more than any other coniferous crop.

The decorative properties of the Holger juniper bushes are slightly similar to the previous variety, another plant of the same meter height. Only in terms of growth strength, the Golden Flame juniper lags behind its fellow, expanding laterally by 18-20 cm over the season. By 10 years, the shrub grows up to 1 m. The decorative crown of the variety lasts a whole year due to individual creamy-golden islands against the general bluish background of the needles . The charm of the variety is fully revealed if the juniper is planted in a sunny area.

Juniper Holger

Additional Information. A feature of caring for varieties with decorative yellowish areas of the crown is the need for shading from late January to early March. At this time, the sun's rays are bright and can burn delicate needles.

Dream Joy juniper bushes, as described by gardeners, captivate with their elegance and unique cheerfulness. From the beginning of summer they are similar in color to the previous 2 varieties. The shades of the young shoots against the overall green-bluish background of the bush are more muted in this plant, rather light green and slightly yellowish, but not severe, like many conifers. The variety, bred in England, is low-growing, in 10 years it stretches up only 50-60 cm, the crown expands to 1-1.2 m. The growth of branches is 7-15 cm in height and 16-24 cm in circumference. The shape of the bush is cushion-shaped, symmetrical, compact. To characterize this juniper, mention is made of its winter hardiness, down to -26, -28 °C.

A separate series includes silver-blue scaly junipers bred in Holland and Sweden: Blue Carpet, Blue Star, Blue Swede and others. Their common feature is the deep bluish-silver color of the needles. Most shrubs have creeping branches that bend smoothly downwards. Grows in sun and partial shade, does not like low-lying areas. The average height is 60-100 cm, the diameter of the dense crown is 1.5-2.5 m. The winter-hardy Blue Sweet variety has short, 1 cm, needles that become almost gray in the fall. These varieties look impressive on a trunk.

Juniper Blue Carpet

The Floreant juniper variety was created from the Blue Star bush in Holland and named after the popular football club. It grows slowly - 6 cm per season, 40 cm high, the width of the hemispherical crown is 50 cm. Impressive with areas of white-cream needles on a blue background.

Hannethorpe juniper shrubs are considered a variety of Blue Swede. At the outstretched crown, the tips of the shoots fall down. Growth is moderate, reaches 1.5 m in height in 2 decades, diameter - 2.5 m. A beautiful, strict-looking variety with a bluish color can withstand frosts of up to 26, 28 degrees.

Landing

Scaly junipers are propagated by seeds and cuttings, treated with a growth stimulant. The berries are collected in the fall and soaked for 7 days. The seeds are scarified with hard sandpaper and sown in a box, which is placed covered under the snow. Planting of sprouts in the ground is carried out in the spring.

Planting juniper

It is easier to purchase a seedling with a closed root system:

1. A hole is dug in a sunny area or in partial shade, 2 times larger than the container.
2. On clay soils, drainage is arranged with a layer of 20 cm.
3. Garden soil and peat are mixed 1:1.
4. A special mineral complex is added: 5 g per 1 liter of substrate.
5. The lump is installed so that the root collar is flush with the ground.
6. The hole is watered and mulched.

Important! Juniper is planted on acidic soils or acidified neutral ones.

Care

Junipers require moderate watering. Sprinkling is carried out in the evening or early in the morning. Lay a 3-4 cm layer of mulch to retain moisture.

For proper care, bushes are fed with organic matter or minerals:

• Nitrogen preparations are introduced in the spring;
• in July - phosphorus;
• in autumn - potassium;
• Foliar feeding is effective.

Sanitary pruning is carried out regularly, and a plastic crown is formed if desired. For winter in harsh climates, bushes are covered.

Juniper pruning

Diseases and pests

Junipers suffer from fungal diseases, which are prevented by treatment with fungicides Quadris, Horus, Maxim, Switch and others. Shrubs are harmed by scale insects, aphids, moths, and mites. Preventatively sprayed with insecticides Match, Actellik, Enzhio.

Landscape

Bushes with an original crown and a hint of pine needles, like the Dream Joy juniper, act as expressive soloists and are also effective in a group. Creeping varieties are planted in the foreground of compositions. Often in such places bushes of juniper squamat Holger grow. Dense hedges are created from tall ones. Plants with different shades of needles look interesting next to each other.

Scaly junipers will decorate the garden, adding a unique, sophisticated flavor. Caring for bushes is quite simple. Watering and fertilizing will ensure a healthy appearance for the plantings.

Homeland: mountains of China, Taiwan Island, Eastern Himalayas.

Very changeable appearance. Evergreen, dioecious, densely branched shrub up to 1.3 - 1.5 m tall. The bark is dark brown. The needles are lanceolate, very hard and sharp, 0.5 - 0.8 cm long, dark green on the underside and white on top due to stomatal stripes, arranged in whorls of 3. The cone berries are black, shiny, and ripen the following year in the spring, in May.

Juniperus squamata "Golden Flame"
Photo by Epictetus Vladimir

Known in culture since 1824. In St. Petersburg, the first to test it was I. R. Schroeder (1861) at the Imperial Forestry Institute “after the unusually severe winter of 1860-61” and was assigned by him to the “third section” of trees and shrubs easily damaged by frost . Subsequent experience has shown that this species can be grown here in open ground, but is generally interesting for cultivation southwest of St. Petersburg, in areas with milder winters. Slowly growing. Photophilous. Not very picky about soils. Grow in well-drained soil; it does not like drying out or especially excessive stagnant moisture. It can be a decoration for any garden or alpine hill in places with a suitable climate, with proper planting and care. Old dried needles remain on the shoots for several years, which reduces their decorative qualities. Despite this, it is one of the most decorative species with bluish needles.

Juniperus squamata "Blue Alps"
Photo by Kirill Tkachenko

The BIN Botanical Garden has been in use since 1940, and younger plants are now being grown. In St. Petersburg it freezes over, but can withstand harsh winters; It is of interest mainly as a collection plant. The Meyer variety (var. meyeri) turned out to be more stable here.

In GBS since 1947, 1 sample (4 copies) was received from Holland. Shrub, height 1.1 m at 22 years, crown diameter 120 cm. Vegetation from 12.V ± 10. Annual growth 0.5 cm, rarely 2-3 cm. Does not generate dust. Winter hardiness is average. The germination rate of seeds obtained from delectus is 24%. 60% of winter cuttings take root without treatment. Does not suffer from heat and dry air.

Known in culture since 1824. In terms of decorativeness it is not inferior to other low-growing junipers; there are many garden forms. The most popular are the following:

Var. bargesii . Tree 5-20 m tall, often with numerous trunks extending from the base. The bark is brown and peels off in long strips. The branches are straight and spreading; drooping branches. Needles up to 8 mm long, thin and prickly, pale or bluish green. The fruits are ovoid, 5-6 mm long, dark blue. Western China, 1907

"Golden flame". The shape is like that of "Meyeri" with yellow-variegated needles.

"Prostrata". Creeping shrub. All branches are horizontally spaced from each other. The needles, widely spaced from each other and slightly curved, are thin, with a thin blue-white stripe on top and a wide green edge, slightly keeled below. 1909

"Wilsonii". Straight shrub, up to 2 m high. The branches are short, compressed, bent back at the end. The needles are wider and shorter, about 4 mm long, dense. China, 1909

Scaly juniper is an ornamental shrub that belongs to the cypress family. This species is very diverse, there are more than 10 varieties. Thanks to this, it has become widely used in landscape design - you can choose a plant to suit any environment and design style of the site.

The homeland of the scaly juniper is the mountainous regions of the island of Taiwan, China, as well as the Eastern Himalayas. Despite the fact that this shrub has high decorative qualities, it is able to survive even in rather harsh conditions. Therefore, caring for it is not difficult even for novice gardeners.

Juniper varieties

Among the variety of varieties of this shrub, the following are of greatest interest to landscape designers:

• “Blue Star” (“Blue Star”);
• "Holger";
• "Meyeri."

Let's consider the features of these varieties of scaly juniper.

Meyeri

This variety was developed in China several decades ago. Its main feature is drooping young shoots. Due to its interesting appearance, it is often used both for landscaping parks and gardens, and for growing bonsai.

The plant acquires its best aesthetic characteristics during active shoot growth, which occurs in late spring - early summer. The needles of new branches have a silvery tint.

The growth rate is up to 10 cm per year, the size of the branches of an adult shrub is up to 3-5 meters. Therefore, Meyeri is considered the largest representative of this species.

Blue Star

The homeland of this variety is Holland. It was bred in the middle of the 20th century among Meyeri bushes. A distinctive feature of “Blue Star” is the absence of drooping young shoots and the characteristic star-shaped arrangement of needles.

This juniper has a dense crown, which is formed by densely spaced silvery shoots with a large number of branches. The variety is classified as dwarf; the height of the plant rarely exceeds one meter. The crown can reach a diameter of 2.5 meters. Growth is very slow - no more than five centimeters per year.

Holger

This variety is quite similar to Meyeri - it also has spreading branches with drooping shoots. However, despite the external similarities, there are also differences between these two varieties.

Representatives of the Holger variety have a height of no more than a meter, while the width of the bush most often reaches a diameter of about one and a half meters. This dwarf variety remains one of the most noticeable among other representatives of scaly juniper due to the bright yellow color of young shoots. Mature branches have the same silvery tint as Meyeri’s.

Thanks to these external features, Holger is perfect both as part of a group of plants and planted separately. This variety helps purify the surrounding air. Even in the presence of a large amount of impurities in the atmosphere, it is able to have a disinfecting effect on it.

In addition to these varieties, there are a large number of other plant varieties that are not as remarkable as those listed above: “Blue Carpet”, “Golden Flame”; "Dream Joy" and others.

Planting seedlings

Junipers are light-loving shrubs. Therefore, they should be planted in open areas of the garden. It is best to choose places with sandy loam or loamy light soil. It should be moderately moisturized and have sufficient nutrients.

In cases where the soil on the site is heavy and clayey, it is necessary to add a mixture of peat, garden soil and sand to it. This mixture may also include coniferous soil - soil that is collected from under coniferous plants in the forest and contains needles and other organic impurities.

Crumbs of white brick or sand should be poured down the planting hole. This makes it possible to create conditions for soil drainage. Despite the fact that the shrub can grow in fairly poor soils, excess moisture will lead to its death.

The optimal soil mixture for juniper is considered to be one that includes:

• two parts each of humus, turf soil and peat;
• one - sand.

You can also add 150 g of Kemira-universal fertilizer to this mixture, along with 300 g of nitrophoska. To increase the survival rate, you can sprinkle the growth regulator Epin under all seedlings.

Depending on the width of the root system of the shrub, the volume of the planting hole is selected. For example, for large varieties, you should dig holes measuring 60 by 80 cm. Planting should be done quickly to prevent the root system from drying out. Care must be taken when doing this, as the delicate roots of juniper are easily damaged. Immediately after planting, the plant should be watered generously and covered with material to protect it from direct sunlight.

The distance between the bushes is selected depending on the composition. Typically it is in the range from 0.5 to 2 meters. If the area is small, then it is better to choose small-sized varieties of juniper, which can be planted at a short distance from each other.

Growing from seeds

Those who decide to collect juniper seeds themselves should do this at the end of summer. In this case, they will not be fully mature, but germination is more likely. Planting should be done immediately after collecting the seeds. The first shoots will appear only after 2-3 years. This is due to the presence of a dense shell in the seeds.

It takes quite a lot of time to grow an adult shrub using this method. This method does not have any advantages over planting seedlings. Therefore, it is better to simply plant a juniper bush dug out in the forest. In order for it to quickly take root in a new place, it should be dug up with a large lump of earth in which a layer of humus remains. It is also necessary to remember how it was oriented in relation to the cardinal points, and plant it on the site in the same way.

Fertilizer use

If, before planting, the variety most adapted to the local climate was correctly selected, the shrub will grow well without the need to use large amounts of fertilizing.

During drought, it is enough to water it in the proper amount and add nitrogen fertilizers to it three times a season.

It is prohibited to use cow or poultry humus for fertilizer. When it is added to the soil, the roots of coniferous plants are damaged. You also need to avoid loosening the soil around the bush - since the root system is located on the surface of the soil, this will lead to its damage and the gradual death of the plant. Instead, it is better to mulch the soil annually with coniferous soil from the forest.

Winter care

Due to the fallen snow, the branches of the juniper may break, and the formed crowns may disintegrate. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to tie them in the fall. If the plant is sensitive to daily temperature changes, it should be covered with protective material in the winter-spring period.

This will also help prevent sunburn, due to which the crown acquires a yellowish tint and loses its decorative properties.

You should pay attention to juniper buds. If they remain healthy under the influence of frost, then young shoots will grow from them over time. If this does not happen, they should be treated with garden varnish, having previously been trimmed.

At the end of the summer period and in the spring, you need to water the juniper in a timely manner and apply the necessary fertilizing. It is also useful to spray its branches with a solution of microfertilizers. This will allow you to maintain the bright color of the needles even in winter.

To cover the bush in the cold season, you can use not only protective material, but also:

• snow - suitable for small-sized plants, creeping varieties. For shelter you just need to throw snow on the branches. Additionally, it is better to make a protective frame that will prevent damage to the bush during heavy snowfall;
• spruce branches - they are attached to the branches in the form of tiers from bottom to top;
• screen - allows you to protect the juniper from strong winds and bright light. Therefore, it is installed on the most brightly lit side of the planting.

As for covering materials, it is not recommended to use lutrasil, since the sun's rays pass through it. Also, cardboard boxes should not be used for this purpose. According to many gardeners, the best material for covering is considered to be metallized insulation, which is used when laying laminate flooring. In October, before the soil freezes, you need to drive pegs around the bush, and then wrap it with a substrate in December.

Pests and diseases

Juniper, even in unfavorable conditions for it, is rarely susceptible to various diseases. But, if under certain conditions the bush becomes sick, the cause is usually a fungal infection.

The most common diseases of juniper are:

• fusarium;
• juniper rust;
• drying out of branches;
• Alternaria blight;
• brown shutte.

To prevent diseases, you should follow the technique and conditions for planting shrubs, and choose high-quality planting material for this. It is also necessary, if damage appears on the branches, to cut them off and treat the wounds with a solution of 1% copper sulfate, cover them with garden varnish or oil paints.

To combat fungi, you can use the following products: Gamair, Alirin-B, Fitosporin-M. They should be diluted in water and the soil around the bush should be watered with the resulting solution. For treatment and prevention, you can spray the plant with a 0.2% solution of Fundazol.

Scaly juniper is a shrub that can be used to decorate any garden. Thanks to its unpretentiousness, even inexperienced gardeners can grow this plant. If all required preventive measures are observed, juniper will not be susceptible to pests and will retain its aesthetic properties.

Video review of juniper varieties

Planting, care and description of scaly juniper

Scaly juniper is an unpretentious evergreen plant of the cypress family. Its natural habitat is the Himalayas, mountains of China and Afghanistan. The plant is grown throughout Russia. In the northern regions of the country, it requires additional shelter for the winter. Juniper is used for single and group compositions in landscape design.

Description of juniper scaly

Scaly juniper is a coniferous shrub. Its lifespan is about 600 years. It can withstand drought, low and high temperatures. Depending on the species, it has a grayish-blue or bright green dense crown. The length of the needles is 0.5-0.8 cm.

Source: Depositphotos

Scaly juniper grows very slowly

Juniper grows very slowly. The annual increase in height and width depends on the species and ranges from 3 to 15 cm. Juniper reaches 1.5 m in height and 2.5 m in width.

Juniper contains many essential oils that calm the nervous system and relieve stress.

In the 2nd year after planting, at the end of spring, cone berries about 7 cm long grow on the shrub. They are dark blue in color and covered with a waxy coating. The coniferous shrub grows in sunny places and is undemanding to soil and air humidity. Scaly juniper is a dioecious plant that reproduces by cuttings and seeds.

Planting and caring for scaly juniper

The health of the plant depends on planting. Consider the characteristics of juniper and follow the basic planting recommendations:

• Choose a sunny location. In the shade, juniper dries and becomes loose.
• Before planting, place the earthen ball in water for 3 hours.
• Dig a hole 2 times larger than the seedling's earthen ball. The depth must be at least 70 cm.
• Pour drainage into a 20 cm layer at the bottom.
• Place 10-15 cm layers of sand and soil on top.
• Place the seedling in the hole. The root collar should be 10 cm above ground level.

The shrub adapts to any conditions. In order for the plant to maintain its decorative appearance, follow the rules of care:

• Provide juniper with additional watering in sunny, dry weather.
• In the morning, spray the crown with a spray bottle.
• Remove dry branches. Most often they form at the bottom of the plant due to lack of sun.
• Darken the juniper in the spring. During this period, it burns out due to sensitivity to light.

Juniper does not require special attention. It is enough to know the basic rules of care so that the shrub retains its attractiveness all year round.