Juniper scaly. Juniper scaly: description, planting and care. The best types and varieties

Scaly juniper is a squat evergreen conifer with a spreading crown, from the Cypress family. The natural habitat is the mountainous territories of China, the Eastern Himalayas and the island of Taiwan. The plant also adapts well to Russian latitudes. It is valued in gardening for its ease of care, frost resistance and decorativeness. In landscape design they are used to create various compositions. Dense greenish-gray needles, forming a spectacular crown, will become worthy decoration any personal plot.

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Description

Juniper scaly ( Juniperus squamata) can rightfully be classified as a coniferous long-liver, since it life cycle focused on 600 years. Compared to other types, the dimensions are average. Presented in the form of a low shrub, with woody shoots spreading and creeping along the ground. The branches are characterized by abundant branching. The leaves are hard, needle-like needles 8–10 mm long, exuding a persistent aroma. The color is bluish-green above, and deeper green below.

It grows slowly, does not cross the border of 1.5 m. The annual increase in height and width is about 1 cm. In the second year of life, approximately in May, small oval cones 7–8 cm in size appear. As they ripen, they change color from greenish to scarlet to purple-black. IN winter time the needles darken and fall off, the bark cracks, old shoots die.

Species diversity

Scaly juniper, as well as multiple varieties and hybrids, are popular with garden designers. This is due to the beautiful coniferous crown, which fits perfectly into any group plantings.

Most Popular decorative varieties juniper are presented in the table:

Name	Description	Photo
Blue Carpet	A fast-growing variety of juniper, at the age of 10 years it reaches a height of about 0.6 m. It is distinguished by a creeping gray-blue crown with drooping branches. Winters well in open ground, loves a lot of light, but does not suffer much from shading. Grows in any soil, does not tolerate dampness. Suitable for growing in pots. Used in decorating rocky gardens, loggias and terraces
Golden Flame	A squat shrub with a spreading crown. The needles are predominantly green, with individual inclusions of cream color. Suitable for growing in regions middle zone, but recommended for the area southwest of St. Petersburg, where more mild winters. It grows quite slowly, is light-loving, and unpretentious to the soil. Needs moderate watering, without stagnation of water. Used in garden landscaping, ideal for creating alpine slides. Dried needles remain on shoots for several years, which can spoil decorative look. Despite this, it is considered one of the most beautiful representatives of the species
Floreant	An extraordinary variety with a greenish-yellow coniferous crown. Moreover, the yellowness is not based on the tips, but is scattered chaotically throughout the bush. The plant is classified as a dwarf plant - it is no more than 1 m tall. It grows up to two meters wide
Loderi	The plant forms a pin-shaped, elongated-pointed crown with raised shoots. Outwardly they resemble small Christmas trees. They grow no more than 1.5 m in height and 0.9–1 m in width. The foliage is needle-shaped small needles, bluish-green in color. In the second year, the needles turn brown and dry out. At the age of ten they grow up to 0.8 m. The trunk is covered with gray-cream bark. The culture is thermophilic, prefers a lot of light, but there will be no harm from shading. Does not tolerate drought
Blue Spider	An evergreen conifer with a blue needle-shaped crown. IN early age spreading, then compactly gathers into fluffy bushes with slightly hanging shoots. At 10 years of age it reaches a height of 0.5 m, with a diameter of 1.5 m. Maximum possible growth- 1.5 m and 2.5 m in girth. The needles are flattened, needle-shaped, bluish-blue, and covered with a gray coating in winter. The cones are dark blue with a metallic sheen. The bushes do not require shaping, watering is moderate. Light-loving, does not tolerate even light shading, and is frost-resistant. The soil is preferably loose and fertile, but good care can grow on depleted rocky and sandy soils. Long-lived, suitable for urban environments
Holger	Spreading bushes, 0.8–1 m high. Valued for their unusual decorative appearance: a combination of silver-green needles and yellowness at the tips of the shoots. It tolerates winter cold well and does not suffer from growing in the shade. Despite this, best growth observed under the sun. Prefers moderate watering, without stagnation. Landscape designers use it in compositions with perennial crops. It looks no less impressive in rockeries, against a rocky background. Suitable for decorating terraces and balconies
Meyeri (Meyeri)	The most popular plant among gardeners, due to its beautiful decorative forms. Creeping bushes from 30 cm to 1 m in length. The shoots are hanging, densely covered with needle-like soft needles, bluish-green in color with a bluish bloom. Winter hardiness is average; shelter from sub-zero temperatures is required. Does not tolerate heavy soil. Looks great in landscaping roofs, facades, loggias. Widely used in topiary art
Dream Joy (Dream Joy)	Very beautiful coniferous compact shrubs with bright yellow tops on a green background. As they grow older, the shoots become covered with a bluish coating. The crown is squat, grows 110–120 cm in width, and 70–80 cm in height. For this crop, select the most illuminated place in the garden, with loose and fertile soil. In group plantings, it is preferable to place them on the leading ground so that the bushes do not get lost among their larger neighbors.
Blue Star	A shrub with slow growth, maximum height is 0.5–1 m. The crown is dense, dense, spherical, with drooping shoots. Coniferous composition of rich blue color with a bluish haze. Sometimes the impression of a metallic sheen is created, which is caused by white stripes. Cold-resistant, shade-tolerant, but prefers plenty of light. Easily adapts to any climatic conditions and soils. Ideal as a ground cover for landscaping personal plots, and is also suitable for creating other compositions
Blue Swede	It is distinguished by its spectacular silver or greenish-blue coniferous component, down-to-earth crown and drooping shoots. Relatively winter-hardy, needs shelter. Undemanding to the composition of the soil, it grows even on poor soils. Tolerates shade. From the category of medium-sized junipers, in 10 years of growth it does not exceed the bar of 50 cm in height. But it grows in width by 2.5 m. It is characterized by a change in the color of the needles to winter period- it becomes gray with a steel tint. Suitable for designing city parks, as it is immune to air pollution
Hunnetorp	It is especially popular among gardeners in Central Europe and Scandinavia. An evergreen conifer with a slow growth rate. It has a compact crown and small needle-like needles, greenish-silver in color. According to some sources, it is a variety of Blue Sweet



Landing

Scaly juniper, like most species, is planted in an area where there is a lot of light. In the shade, an oblique crown with a loose structure is formed. Only the common juniper tolerates shading tolerably, which does not cause significant harm to it. Due to the fragile root system, seedlings are transferred to open ground transshipment method - they capture the roots along with big lump land. The interval between large plantings is 2 m, for smaller plantings - 0.5–1 m.

Description of the cucumber variety German F1, planting and care in open ground

Care

The plant is quite unpretentious in care and easily adapts to any conditions. environment . Agrotechnical measures are kept to a minimum, namely:

• Water rarely; even in extreme heat, two or three moistenings are sufficient throughout the entire growing season. Up to 30 liters of water is poured under each adult bush.
• After the spill, the soil is loosened and weeds are removed. After this, add a mulch layer (bark, peat or sawdust) so that moisture from the soil does not evaporate so intensely.
• Sprinkling can be done daily, only in evening time or early in the morning. Then the leaves will not get sunburn.
• During midday hours, it is recommended to protect plantings from direct sunlight. There is a need for such protection and in early spring, when the first rays can cause no less harm.
• Pruning is carried out carefully so as not to remove good shoots and not spoil the shape of the crown. Since juniper grows rather slowly, it will take a long time to recover. It is recommended to wear protective gloves when working, as the sap of the plant causes skin irritation.

Adult bushes do not need protective shelter for the winter, but it would be useful to mulch young ones and cover them with any covering material. On next year they no longer resort to such measures.

Reproduction

Propagation of juniper is possible in two ways: seed and vegetative. The first option is not used so often due to the impossibility of maintaining the original decorative indicators. Seeds are collected from ripened cones, which are formed on female bushes, in August - September. The sex of the plant is recognized visually: in male specimens the crown is narrowed, columnar or elliptical in shape, while in female specimens it is loose and spreading.

As the fruits ripen, their color changes: first they are green, then purple-black, with a bluish tinge. The berries taste bitter, with a spicy aroma. They contain three seeds inside. The extracted material is stratified before sowing. It is better to plant them in separate boxes in the fall and then bury them in the snow for the entire winter period. Then the seeds will undergo natural preparation by cold. In May, the seeds are completely ready for planting in open ground; only seedlings will appear the next year.

Decorative varieties of juniper are propagated exclusively by cuttings. The most successful period for this is the end of April - May. Annual shoots are cut from an adult plant, at least eight years old. Cut cuttings 10–15 cm long from the blanks. Bottom part they are cleared of needles, about 5 cm. The cuttings should have a “heel” - a piece of old bark. The cuttings are immersed in a solution of a growth stimulator for a day, and only after that they are rooted in a peat-sand mixture.

Cover with film or a glass cap to create a greenhouse microclimate. Further care standard: humidification through spraying and removal of condensate accumulating inside. After 30–40 days, young roots sprout. By the end of June, fully rooted pieces are moved to the garden bed. In winter, it is recommended to cover young people with spruce branches. They grow in this way for about two to three years, and only then transplant to permanent place.

Diseases and pests

Most often, juniper bushes are affected by rust. Harmful insects are dangerous spider mite, juniper moth, aphids and scale insects. Treatment with Fitoverm (dilute 2 g per 1 liter of water), which is applied once every 10–14 days, helps get rid of aphids. In the same way, moths are removed - with Decisa (2.5 g per 10 l of water), from ticks - Karate (55 g per 10 l), scale insects - Warbofos (65–70 g per 10 l). To eliminate any signs of rust, the bushes are sprayed with an arceride solution every ten days.

Juniper scaly belongs to the genus of evergreens ornamental shrubs cypress family. There are about 70 species of junipers in total, and each of them is unique and interesting in its own way. All junipers are conventionally divided into plants with scale-like and needle-shaped needles, and some species combine both of these characteristics.

Scaly juniper comes from the Eastern Himalayas, mountainous regions of China and the island of Taiwan. These are mainly low-growing creeping plants, loved as landscape designers, so experienced gardeners for their flexibility and unpretentiousness, which have high decorative properties.

Varieties of juniper scaly

The most popular garden forms of scaly juniper: “Blue Carpet”, “Golden Flame”, “Meyeri”, “Blue Star”.

Scaly junipers tend to be short growing; their height rarely reaches more than one and a half meters. The color of the needles is bluish, with the exception of the “Golden flame” variety with its original variegated yellow color, for which, in fact, it received its beautiful name.

The scaly juniper variety "Meyeri" is especially popular among specialists in landscape design. It grows about 10 centimeters per year; straight shoots with short branches during the period of intensive growth (May - June) have hanging tips of a bluish-silver color. The dark blue cones of this plant, covered with a waxy coating, look no less elegant. "Meyeri" is often used as a Bonsai tree.

Mutations of the Meyeri variety gave birth to others, no less interesting garden forms juniper scaly. This is "Blue carpet" - a wide, fast-growing creeping shrub with needles, like those of "Meyeri". The variety was bred in 1972 in Holland, and four years later received a gold medal at an exhibition for its unique decorative qualities. It grows well in sunny or slightly shaded areas. Recommended for growing in containers - on roofs, streets, rocky soil.

From "Meyeri" in 1950, Dutch botanists obtained a mutation, later named "Blue Star". To this day it is one of the most cultivated varieties of scaly junipers. This dwarf plant slow growing, very dense; height – up to 1 meter, crown width – up to one and a half meters. It is used to strengthen slopes, arrange borders and alpine slides. It has average winter hardiness, loves light and moderate soil moisture.

Juniper care

Most junipers are winter-hardy, but require careful care and attention, since unfallen needles are exposed to bright sunlight, wind and frost. This impact can lead to burning and freezing of the needles, which subsequently acquire an unsightly brown tint, and even to the death of the plant. That is why creeping and low-growing plants closer to winter should be protected with special covering material. Then in the spring, light sanitary pruning of individual browned branches will be sufficient.

Juniper propagation

Juniper propagates by shoots, cuttings and seeds. Rooting and engraftment is a long process, sometimes lasting up to two years. Plants grown from cuttings have better decorative properties; they have darker needles and a more spreading crown.

Juniper in landscape design

Creeping varieties of junipers, which include most scaly ones, are ideal for arranging an original lawn border. The lowest species (up to 0.5 m in height) are good for rockeries - they require light and fit perfectly among the rocky landscape.

When arranging your garden space, you should remember that not all plants can withstand juniper. Roses, peonies and clematis may have problems if the distance between them and the juniper does not exceed two meters. On the contrary, juniper has a very harmonious relationship with heather and rhododendron.

Beneficial properties of juniper

Besides decorative properties, juniper is known as medicinal plant. Its fruits, the so-called cone berries, are used in medicine; Juniper essential oil has bactericidal, antiviral, and insecticidal properties.

Precautionary measures

However, when pruning plants, you should take precautions and be sure to use gloves. Juniper juice, if it comes into contact with unprotected skin, can be irritating as it contains toxic substances. Children should also not be allowed to play with the “beautiful berries” of juniper, to avoid poisoning.

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Climate influence and frost resistance

A winter hardiness zone is a region in which a certain plant species, as a rule, 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 climatic zones of winter hardiness are only approximate. Within one zone, the microclimate of some regions may differ significantly from the given data. 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, indicating 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 availability optimal conditions for each individual plant and without taking into account the protection of snow cover. Information about climatic zones frost resistance is also a hint for covering plants for the winter.

Map of winter hardiness zones of Ukraine

Winter hardiness zones and their ranges of average annual minimum temperatures

Abbreviations:

Planting, care and description of scaly juniper

Juniper scaly - unpretentious evergreen 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

Juniper scaly - coniferous shrub. Its lifespan is about 600 years. It withstands 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. Annual growth The height and width depends on the type and ranges from 3 to 15 cm. The juniper reaches 1.5 m in height and 2.5 m in width.

Juniper contains a lot essential oils that calm you down 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 bush all year round retained its attractiveness.

Latin name: Juniperus squamata.

Family: Cypress.

Juniper scaly is evergreen shrub the cypress family with a spreading, prickly crown, which reaches a height of 0.5 to 1.5 m. The mountains of China, the island of Taiwan, and the Eastern Himalayas are considered its homeland. It has been known in culture since 1824.

Juniper scaly belongs to coniferous plants. Most often it has dark brown bark and noble gray-blue needles. Juniper usually grows on fertile soils, but sometimes excessive waterlogging can be detrimental to it. The berries of the plant are black and shiny cones, similar in size to a pea, ripening the following year, in the month of May.

This coniferous shrub usually grows with pines and heathers, but also gets along well with roses, cereals, and various perennials. The plant is unpretentious and tolerates winter cold well, but in the spring it must be fed and watered abundantly.

Scaly juniper grows very slowly. This is a very light-loving plant. Among other things, it also perfectly performs a soil-protecting and water-protecting role.

Juniper has more than 60 species, which mainly grow in temperate zones. Conventionally, they can be divided into three subgenera:

The first, the most common subgenus, which includes Cossack Juniper, Chinese Juniper, Rock Juniper, Scaly Juniper, and Virginia Juniper.

The second subgenus includes common, coastal and hard juniper.

The third subgenus is the smallest, as it includes only Stone Stone Juniper.

Juniper squamosus also has a lot different types, however, the more common ones are still:

Blue carpet (Blue Carpet) is a dwarf plant, no more than 30 cm in height with a flat crown. This variety is most often recommended for planting in sunny places.

- “Meyeri” is a creeping shrub. Its height also reaches up to 30 cm, and its width up to 1.5 m. The needles have a slightly bluish-white tint.

Blue star (Blue Star) - low growing shrub. It is perfect for creeping plantings, creating original garden compositions and borders. This low growing plant tolerates almost any conditions, including it does not impose any special requirements on the soil.

Juniper scaly - it's very beautiful ornamental plant. Due to its varied colors, it is most often used to decorate landscapes. He looks great as alpine roller coaster, and for creating groups and various borders in gardens and parks.

This coniferous shrub does not tolerate replanting very well, so it is better to use a “transshipment” (together with a lump of earth) so as not to damage root system. To plant, select open spaces with enough sunlight. The soil for planting should be light and ventilated. After planting, do not press the soil around the plant under any circumstances; it will gradually settle on its own.

Caring for Scaly Juniper is simple: it must be watered regularly and preferably sprayed. For spraying, you should choose early morning or late evening so that the plant does not get burned. On very hot days it is better to shade it, otherwise the coniferous shrub will burn.