How To Develop And Care For A Juniper Tree

develop a juniper tree

Juniper can develop in one amongst two strategies – each as a columnar sort that creates architectural development throughout the yard, or as a spreading sort that works properly as ground cowl. Every kinds of juniper are applicable for UK gardens. Juniper is hardy and drought-resistant, making it a good choice for free-draining soils, dry areas and coastal areas.

Determining juniper

Juniper bushes have darkish grey-green, aromatic, needle-like leaves that taper to sharp components, organized in whorls of three alongside the stem. Juniper bark is grey-brown on larger branches and reddish-brown on twigs. It tends to peel off in prolonged shreds. Juniper is a dioecious conifer, which suggests that feminine and male cones develop on separate crops. Male cones are small and yellowish, and female cones are fleshy, berry-like constructions that ripen from inexperienced to blue-black over a interval of spherical 18 months to 2 years.

The female cones of frequent juniper (Widespread juniper) are usually often known as ‘juniper berries’ and have traditionally been used for flavouring gin. All juniper species apart from frequent juniper have toxic berries, although the frequent juniper could also be toxic in huge portions. Do not use frequent juniper berries if you happen to’re pregnant or have kidney sickness.

Dimension: high and unfold

Widespread juniper bushes can develop to spherical 8m tall. Many species and varieties are rather a lot smaller, some solely reaching 10cm in high. Prostrate juniper can unfold as a lot as 4m. Bushes are gradual rising and will reside for as a lot as 200 years, although the everyday lifespan is 100-120 years.

Price to wildlife

Many species of fungi and over 40 plant-eating bugs are associated to juniper, along with the juniper carpet moth and the juniper defend bug. Juniper bushes current dense prickly cowl throughout which small birds akin to stonechats nest, and its berry-like female cones are eaten by birds such as a result of the mistle thrush.

The place to plant a juniper tree

Juniper grows biggest in moist nevertheless free-draining soil in full photo voltaic or partial shade. Dry, chalky and sandy soils are all applicable for juniper bushes, and they also’re unusual of their functionality to tolerate every acid and alkaline circumstances. They’re easiest for wildlife gardens and coastal situations.

plant juniper

Plant juniper bushes between late October and March as long as the soil isn’t waterlogged or frozen. Juniper foliage might trigger pores and pores and skin and eye irritation, so it’s advisable to placed on gloves and completely different defending gear when coping with crops.

1. Choose an house with free-draining soil and loosen soil in planting house if important
2. Dig a sq. hole the similar depth as a result of the rootball and twice as large
3. Soak the rootball in a bucket of water sooner than planting
4. Loosen roots and ensure the excessive of the rootball sits diploma with the soil
5. Refill the opening with soil and company gently
6. Water properly after planting and water in dry durations for the first couple of years

maintain a juniper tree

As quickly as established, these low-maintenance crops don’t require watering or feeding. Add a mulch throughout the bottom (avoid mulching instantly up in opposition to the trunk) in late winter or early spring to suppress weeds and retain moisture.

prune juniper

Juniper bushes require no routine pruning. For individuals who do decide to create topiary with juniper, it’s essential to avoid slicing into lifeless picket. Ineffective branches must be pruned correct once more.

Pests and sicknesses

Juniper can host a wide range of specialist bugs, along with aphids, caterpillars and scale bugs, which shouldn’t set off vital points besides infestations are notably heavy. A lot of these bugs current a fantastic provide of meals for birds.

Analysis advocate the decline of untamed juniper populations might presumably be partly due to purchasing by livestock, deer and rabbits. Juniper may also be inclined to fungal infections from canker, honey fungus and Phytophthora root rot, particularly Phytophthora austrocedraewhich could kill juniper bushes.

Eight kinds of juniper to develop

Juniperus chinensis ‘Blue Alps’

This engaging Chinese language language juniper can attain 4m in high. It grows into an aromatic shrub or small tree with steely blue, prickly foliage and a sturdy upright habits.

Widespread juniper ‘Gold Cone’

‘Gold Cone’ has yellowy-green needles that flip a vivid golden yellow in winter. With a compact, conical habits (solely reaching spherical 1.5m in high), this juniper is nice in order so as to add evergreen curiosity to beds and borders.

Widespread juniper ‘Inexperienced Carpet’

This prostrate variety of juniper is excellent as a mat-forming plant in rockeries, borders and on slopes. Solely reaching 10cm extreme, it can unfold for a metre or additional, providing year-round evergreen ground cowl.

Widespread juniper 'Irish'

Additionally known as Irish juniper, this columnar conifer must develop to spherical 3m tall over a 20-year interval. ‘Hibernica’ is good to create architectural development, even in smaller gardens.

Widespread juniper 'Repanda'

One different prostrate, mat-forming choice, ‘Repanda’ has tender evergreen needles that sort out a bronze hue throughout the autumn and winter. It may develop 40-50cm in high and unfold spherical 2m.

Juniperus sabina ‘Tamariscifolia’

The tamarisk-leaved savin is a spreading juniper reaching 1.5m in high and a pair of.5m unfold over 20 years. Good as a ground-cover plant on banks and slopes.

Juniper of the rocks ‘Blue Arrow’

Good for small gardens, the Rocky Mountain juniper solely grows to 2.5m in high and maintains a slender, upright habits. With silvery-blue fragrant foliage, ‘Blue Arrow’ could also be grown as a specimen tree to create a dramatic focus or planted in groups in order so as to add formality and evergreen curiosity to your yard.

Juniper scales ‘Blue Carpet’

This low-growing choice, additionally known as flaky juniper, has spiky blue-green foliage that develops even bluer shades throughout the winter. ‘Blue Carpet’ is a low-maintenance, vigorous conifer that grows spherical 30cm in high and spreads spherical 2.5m.