Nothing refreshes and purifies the air in the garden like junipers. And what beauty and comfort they add to a garden or dacha! What does this juniper look like? It varies depending on the type and variety. It could be huge tree or a tiny bush. We have selected the five most common types of this conifer and added colorful photographs to the description so that you can have an idea about them.
Depending on the type, juniper can vary in height, crown shape, and needle color. There are about 70 species in total. We grow about 12, among which the most popular and beautiful is juniper
- ordinary,
- Virginia,
- horizontal
- Cossack,
- Chinese.
That's what we'll talk about. Three popular types- we devoted separate articles to Cossack, horizontal and Chinese.
Common juniper (Juniperus communis)
- It is frost resistant evergreen shrub 5-10 m high.
- The width of the crown depends on the variety. At the 10th year of the plant’s life, the diameter reaches about 0.5 m and the height reaches 5 m.
- The crown is dense, cone-shaped and narrower in males, and ovoid and ascending in females.
- The needles are needle-shaped and pointed, triangular in diameter, green in color with a waxy coating and with a whitish stomatal strip on the upper side.
Varieties:
"Anna Maria"- Polish slow-growing variety with a mound-shaped crown. By the age of 10, it grows only up to 30 cm in height and up to 40 cm in width.
Bruns- columnar variety, with bluish-steel prickly needles. At 10 years old it becomes 2.5 m tall.
"Depressa Aurea"- this is a low shrub by the age of 10 reaching 30 cm in height, but in diameter it reaches 2 m. The variety is interesting for its characteristic depression in the center of the coniferous “bowl” and golden yellow color. Used as a ground cover plant.
"Horstmann"– a variety with an original picturesque crown shape. The outstretched branches are directed almost horizontally, drooping. With age, the plant takes on a weeping appearance.
Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis)
- It is a low-growing shrub or pyramidal tree up to 20-25 m high.
- Young shoots are dark green. The foliage is scaly and needle-shaped, bluish-green.
- Unpretentious, easily tolerates city conditions, not picky about soil, required condition– drainage.
A detailed description of Chinese juniper and its most popular varieties you can look at the article dedicated to this species.
Virginia juniper (Juniperus virginiana)
- The species is also known as “Pencil tree”.
- Evergreen conifer can reach up to 30 m in height.
- U young plant The crown is narrowly ovoid. With age, the crown is formed by widely spaced branches from the trunk with a diameter of 1.5 m.
- The needles are small, scaly or needle-shaped, depending on the variety.
- The foliage is dark green or bluish-green, and turns brown in winter.
- It is undemanding to soils, easy to mold, and the crown retains its given appearance for a long time.
- Frost-resistant, suitable for the European part of Russia.
Varieties:
"Skyrocket"- its narrow columnar shape with a gray-blue crown has earned great popularity in landscape design.
"Grey Owl"- spreading shrub with silver-gray needles.
"Hetz"– a fast-growing shrub variety with bluish needles.
Juniper horizontal or prostrate (Juniperus horizontalis)
- This is a creeping evergreen shrub from 30 cm to 1 m in height with long branches that are densely covered with bluish-green tetrahedral shoots.
- Crown width from 1.5 m to 2 m.
- The needles are green or gray.
- The leaves are scaly and needle-shaped.
- Undemanding to soil composition, does not tolerate dry air. It has taken root in the southern and middle zones.
If you are interested in this shrub, then look at what different varieties look like in the photo in our other article.
Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina)
- This is one of the most spectacular types of creeping shrubs up to 1.5 m high.
- The needles of young plants are needle-shaped, bluish-green on top with a clear vein in the middle, which becomes scale-like with age.
We have dedicated a separate article to it because this species is highly toxic and there are things to be aware of. Before choosing this type of juniper, be sure to read.
Varieties:
"Variegata"- spreading crown with variegated green needles. Distinguished by creamy white areas in the greenery.
"Arcadia"– the cushion-shaped crown is formed by soft green needles. Height 50 cm, diameter 2.5 m.
"Blue Danube"– bluish-green needles.
"Glauka"- gray-blue needles take on a bronze tint in winter.
"Tamariscifolia"- short needle-shaped needles from light green to bluish-green color. It differs in that its horizontal main branches are arranged in tiers.
By the way, varieties among one type of juniper can vary greatly both in the size of an adult plant and in shape. Therefore, before you settle on a particular type of juniper, find photos to find out what a particular variety looks like. When choosing a variety, also pay attention to the growth rate, if this is important to you.
- a key plant in almost every composition of modern landscape design; the variety of colors, shapes and sizes gives the gardener rich soil for imagination. Next, we will find out what types of juniper there are, what are their key features and planting requirements.
Many gardeners prefer juniper in their garden due to the following properties of this plant: undemanding to moisture and soil fertility, resistance to heat and frost, ease of care and a wide palette of colors, plasticity of shape and rich green color all year round. These are one of the few plants that can grow in saline soils. Numerous varieties of evergreen shrubs can decorate not only the garden, but also the windowsill in the apartment. There are different types of juniper to choose from - lush bushes and slender columns, big trees or ground cover shrubs, giants for use as a living fence or dwarfs for alpine slides.
A geometric crown is suitable for gardens with a regular layout, where you need to create view points and focus on the correct outlines of the flower beds. Spreading varieties are planted near a rock garden, border or pond, which make these objects more expressive. Spectacular rockeries will be the result of a combination of unshaped and shaped junipers, and for an oriental-style garden, dwarf bushes are suitable for decorating branching paths and rocky compositions. Below are descriptions of each variety of the plant in question with the corresponding grouping by species, data on growth activity and recommendations for care and planting.
Common junipers (Communis)
This type of juniper includes the following varieties.
- Gold Cone is a specimen with a dense, narrow-conical shape, reaching a meter in width and 4 m in height. The annual growth is 5 cm and 10 cm, respectively. The period of active growth occurs in summer, the color of young shoots is bright yellow, by autumn it gives way to yellow-green and bronze by winter. Stagnant waterlogging of the soil is something this plant cannot tolerate. Gold Cone is undemanding to the soil, but it is best to avoid compacting it. The main advantages are love of the sun and frost resistance. If kept in the shade, the needles will acquire a pleasant green color. For a couple of years after landing on permanent place this variety should be provided good care, which consists of tying branches for the winter, shelter from the scorching sun and regular watering.
- Hibernika is a variety with a narrow columnar crown, reaching a meter in width and 3.5 m in height, the annual growth is similar to the previous variety. This variety has bluish-green, non-thorny needles, is frost-resistant and grows well in well-lit areas. There are no special requirements for the soil. To protect from the sun, the plant must be covered in early spring, and tied in the winter to prevent deformation and death of the branches under the snow.
- Green Carpet is a juniper with a dense ground cover. Mature plant reaches one and a half meters in width and half a meter in height with an annual growth of 15 cm and 5 cm, respectively. This variety is distinguished by light green creeping shoots with non-thorny needles. For planting, choose well-lit places; slopes and rocky gardens are perfect.
- Suecica is a variety with a columnar crown. The height of an adult plant reaches 4 m and the width is a meter. The growth in width per year is 5 cm, and in height – 15 cm. These shrubs are dense, the shoots are dense and vertical with a bluish or sometimes green needle-like crown. Distinctive features: slow growth, frost resistance, relative unpretentiousness. If you choose a poorly lit place for planting, the crown will become spreading and loose. This specimen tolerates pruning very well, making it possible to create fancy garden compositions from it.
Chinese junipers (Chinensis)
This variety of junipers is decorative and includes the following types:
- Blaauw - very unusual variety with an asymmetrical crown with ascending shoots. An adult plant reaches one and a half meters in height and width with an annual growth of 5 cm in width and 10 cm in length. This variety is frost-resistant and thrives in both light and partial shade. It is better to choose nutritious, drained, light, moderately moist soils with a slightly alkaline or neutral PH.
- Blue Alps is a variety with a dense crown, the ends of the shoots hanging down, reaching 2 meters in width and height with an annual growth of 5 cm and 10 cm, respectively. The color of the needles of this juniper when grown in a illuminated area is very pleasant, silver-blue. In the shade, the needles may become less saturated. The advantages include frost resistance and undemandingness to soil and moisture.
- Kuriwao Gold is a variety with a wide, round or asymmetrical shape that reaches two meters in width and height. The annual growth according to these indicators is 5 cm. Against the background of dark green needles, the bright golden young thin shoots stand out very beautifully and in quite a contrast, thereby creating the impression of airiness and lightness. The color in the shade becomes less saturated, so it is better to choose well-lit areas for planting. Excellent choice There will be a rocky garden, a mixed or coniferous group, as well as a single planting.
- Variegata is a juniper with a pyramidal crown, reaching a meter wide and 2 meters high. The annual growth is 5 cm for both indicators. This variety is distinguished by light yellow spots against the background of a blue-green pyramidal crown. The plant is frost-resistant and sun-loving, has low requirements for moisture and soil, but it is better to drain it well and avoid stagnant waterlogging and salinity. The destructive effect of the early spring sun must be prevented by covering the plant.
Horizontal (Horizontalis)
This variety includes mainly shrubs, including the following varieties:
- Andorra Variegata is a dwarf shrub with a cushion-shaped crown and raised shoots that radiate from the center in the form of rays. An adult plant reaches 1.5 m in width and 40 cm in height with an annual growth of 5 cm and 3 cm, respectively. The needles are the main decoration of this variety; their color is bright green with soft white splashes. In winter, the color turns purple-violet. Like most juniper varieties, it is frost-resistant and prefers sunny areas.
- Blue Chip is a shrub with a creeping crown, which is in the highest demand compared to other horizontal ones. Reaches 2 m in width and 30 cm in height, annual growth is 5 cm and 3 cm, respectively. The shoots of this juniper spread densely and gracefully along the ground, slightly raising the ends. In winter, the silver-blue needles turn purple.
- Blue Forest is a creeping shrub 1.5 m wide and 30 cm high. Annual growth is 5 cm and 3 cm, respectively. The peculiarity of this variety is represented by vertically directed shoots, due to which the effect of a miniature blue forest is created. The color is most original and attractive at the beginning of summer. It can be grown both in a illuminated area and in partial shade.
- Limeglow is a cushion-shaped shrub one and a half meters wide and 40 cm high. Annual growth is 5 cm and 3 cm, respectively. When creating contrasting garden compositions, you should pay attention to the bright, golden-yellow needles of this plant. In the shade, the color intensity is lost; heavy soils are not suitable for growing. In winter it turns brownish in color.
Cossacks (Sabina)
This species also includes upright varieties with a creeping or cushion-shaped crown.
- Arcadia reaches 2.5 m in width and 50 cm in height, the crown is creeping, the color is light green. A well-lit area and light shade are suitable for growing. The crown of a young plant is cushion-shaped, but over time it becomes like a fantasy carpet.
- Glauca. The width of an adult plant is 2 m, height is 1 m. Usually the color of the needles is gray-blue, but with the advent of cold weather it acquires a bronze tint. Black cones with a waxy coating contrast very interestingly with the thick needles. Sunny places promote more active growth.
- Tamariscifolia reaches 2 m wide and 50 cm high. The branches of this variety are spreading and often located. The color of the needles can be from bluish to light green, the shape is needle-shaped. The color will be more saturated if you choose illuminated areas.
Medium junipers (Media)
- Gold Coast has a spreading, dense crown. The maximum width of the plant is 2 m. The shoots are located horizontally, rich in decorative golden needles, which darken with the onset of winter.
- Mint Julep is a spreading shrub with arching branches, shoots hanging elegantly downwards. It is distinguished by active growth, bright green needles and round bluish berries. An adult plant reaches 2 m in width and 1.5 m in height.
- Old Gold - compact wide shrub correct form. It is characterized by slow growth and the presence of decorative golden needles. Reaches 2 m in width.
- Hetzii is a shrub with a wide crown and blue-gray needles. Requires well-drained and relatively fertile soil and reaches 2 m wide and 1.5 m high.
- Gold Star is a spreading shrub with scaly, needle-like needles of golden color. Reaches 2 m in width and a meter in height.
- Pfitzeriana Aurea is a shrub with a rounded crown and skeletal horizontal dense branches. The color of young shoots is golden lemon, the color of adult plants is yellowish. With the onset of summer, the needles acquire a greenish tint. It is characterized by slow growth and high winter hardiness.
Scaly junipers (Squamata)
This category includes junipers with a silver-blue crown with approximately the same growth rates - Blue Carpet, Blue Star and Meyeri. The latter is characterized by the most active growth - 15 cm in width and 10 in height per year.
Rocky (Scopulorum)
It is also worth highlighting the species of coastal junipers Conferta, the most prominent representative of which is Schlager - a dwarf shrub with a creeping crown and long green needles. Looks good in rock gardens and rocky gardens. No less decorative is the Virginiana Gray Owl juniper with a thick wide crown and silver or greenish needles.
"Juniper, juniper,
Blue in autumn yellow.
Give me some berries, juniper,
Give me a thorn!”
/English folk song/
Description of the plant
Juniper (Cypress family) is a coniferous plant widely in demand in landscape design. Due to the presence of various shapes and sizes (from narrow and pyramidal giants to creeping dwarfs), it is suitable for realizing any gardener’s idea. Columnar junipers are used as an accent in landscape composition, and are also suitable for laying hedges. Creeping varieties look great in rock gardens and rockeries next to various ground covers and hosts. With the help of cutting and shaping, which the bush tolerates well, it can be given almost any shape.
The air of the area where juniper grows is saturated with a unique aroma: the plant emits a large amount of phytoncides.
The noble colors of evergreen needles range from bright green to steel blue, with some varieties adding shades of yellow and gold.
The remarkable benefits of juniper are:
- undemanding to soil fertility
- shade tolerance
- drought resistance
- frost resistance (-40gr)
- longevity
- highly decorative regardless of the season
Types and varieties
The following types of juniper have the largest distribution area under natural conditions in our country: common, Siberian and Cossack.
Common juniper– has creeping (up to 50 cm), shrubby (1-3 meters) and tree-like (up to 12 meters) forms. Bark various shades gray. Distributed not only in Russia, but also throughout our latitudes, from Canada to Japan.
For planting, you should choose open, well-lit places. It is undemanding to soil fertility, but does not develop well on dense clay soils.
Common juniper does not tolerate transplantation well, so specimens taken from the forest rarely take root.
Has high frost resistance.
Common juniper cones are widely used as a spice, for making wine, smoking various products, and as a medicinal raw material.
| Variety name | Height, m | Needle color | Crown shape |
Tall |
|||
| Hibernica | 3,5 | bluish | columnar |
| Meyer | 4 | silver | wide-pointed |
| Sentinel | 4 | green | columnar |
| Suecica | 10 | green | narrow, columnar |
Medium height |
|||
| golden | narrow-conical | ||
| Horstmann | 1,5-2 | green | weeping |
| Compressa | 1 | bluish | columnar |
| Suecica nana | 1,5-2 | blue | columnar |
| Suecica aurea | 1-1,5 | yellow, yellow-green | columnar, narrow |
Creeping |
|||
| Repanda | 0,3-0,5 | dark green | creeping, round, flat |
| Hornibrookii | 0,5 | green with light stripes | creeping |
| Spotty Spreader | 0,2 | green, white-green | creeping |
| Nana aurea | 0,5 | yellow-golden | creeping |
| Green Carpet | 0,1 | light green | creeping |
Siberian juniper differs from ordinary juniper in its smaller needles and low creeping bush height. Grows in mountainous areas. More decorative than common juniper, thanks to its two-color needles - green with white shades.
Juniper Cossack- a widespread shrub in the European part of Russia, Southern Urals, Altai, mountains of Central Asia. Creeping forms predominate. Very unpretentious and drought-resistant, it grows with a dense cover due to the easy rooting of branches. As it grows, it can occupy a large area, so perennial flowers and shrubs should be planted next to it with caution. It lends itself well to cutting and shaping. It has good endurance - tolerates both drought and frost. Looks good against the background of a lawn or in a rock garden. It differs from common juniper in the toxicity of its cones and specific odor. Upon contact with the ground, the branches take root on their own. In addition to decorative functions, it can also perform practical ones: its roots strengthen the slopes well.
| Variety name | Height, m | Needle color | Crown shape |
| Tamariscifolia | 1 | bluish | prostrate |
| Variegata | 0,5 | green with white highlights | prostrate |
| Cupressifolia | 0,5 | bluish-green | wide, creeping |
| Erecta | 2 | dark green | pyramidal |
| Arcaida | 0,5 | light green | prostrate |
| Fastigiata | 5-8 | dark green | narrow-columnar |
| Femina | 1-1,5 | dark green | wide spread |
Juniper squamosus- a shrub with dense branches and dark brown bark. Habitat: China, Taiwan, Himalayas. Differs from other species in less frost resistance. It has a dense, decorative crown. The needles are sharp-needled, very hard.
| Variety name | Height, m | Needle color | Crown shape |
| Blue carpet | 0,3 | blue | flat, wide |
| Blue Star | 1,5-2 | blue | wide, dense, semicircular |
| Meyeri | 2-5 | bluish | prostrate |
| golden flame | 2-5 | yellow-variegated | prostrate |
| Loderi | 1-1,5 | green-blue | weak-pointed |
(prostrate) in nature lives mainly in the USA and Canada. Creeping shrub with long branches. Doesn't tolerate well low humidity air. Characterized by slow growth.
| Variety name | Height, m | Needle color | Crown shape |
| Admirabilis | 0,25 | bluish | braided, dense |
| Adpressa | 0,15 | green, white-green | braided, dense |
| Bar Harbor | dark green, gray-green | thick, lying, prostrate | |
| Blue chip | 0,3 | blue | compact |
| Douglasii | 0,5 | silver-green | creeping, whip-like |
| Golden Carpet | 0,1 | yellow-green | creeping, dense |
| Blue Forest | 0,4 | silver blue | dense, raised up |
| Winter Blue | 0,3 | silver-green, blue in winter | creeping, shoots raised |
| Prince of Wales | 0,3 | blue | creeping |
| Limeglow | 0,4 | lemon yellow | vase shape |
| Ice Blue | 0,15 | bluish-green | creeping, with long shoots |
| Hughes | 0,5 | silver blue | creeping |
Chinese juniper grows naturally in China and other Asian countries. It has tree-like and creeping forms. Quite hardy, but in dry climates it may suffer from lack of air humidity. Slow growing, does not tolerate frost well when young.
| Variety name | Height, m | Needle color | Crown shape |
| Strict | 2,5 | bluish-green | narrow-pointed |
| Blue Alps | 2,5-4 | green-silver | compact |
| Spartan | 6 | green | columnar |
| Plumosa aurea | 1 | yellow | wide, spread out |
| Leeana | 10 | bright green | columnar, dense |
| Ketelerii | 10 | green | pin-shaped, dense |
| Gold coast | 1 | golden yellow | wide, flat |
| Pfitzeriana aurea | 1 | yellow-green | wide, spreading |
The most common are tall columnar shapes. Can be used to create a hedge. It grows naturally in Canada and the USA, and in Russia it is widely represented in parks due to its sustainability and high decorative value. Shade-tolerant, winter-hardy, drought-resistant. Does not tolerate transplantation well. In places where it grows naturally, its wood is used to make pencils. In plantings it goes well with deciduous trees and shrubs. It is not picky regarding the soil, grows well on loams and clay soils.
Rock juniper. It grows naturally in the USA. There are both tree and shrub forms. Close to Juniperus virginiana. Does not tolerate shading well, spreading branches suffer from snowfall and need to be tied up.
| Variety name | Height, m | Needle color | Crown shape |
| Blue Arrow | 2-3 | gray-blue | columnar |
| Globe | 2 | silver-green | round |
| Skyrocket | 3 | gray-green | narrow |
| Repens | 0,5 | blue | creeping |
| Table tor | 2 | silver blue | spreading |
Landing
Plants with a closed root system purchased from a nursery can be planted at any time of the year. It is enough to provide the seedling with good watering for the first time. Planting of rooted cuttings and seedlings in a permanent place is carried out in spring or autumn.
Choose a sunny place for planting. In the shade, plants with variegated needles will inevitably lose their decorative effect.
Although the plant is undemanding to the soil, when planting it is necessary to proceed from the area where it grows in its natural environment. The soil for Cossack and common juniper needs to be slightly alkaline (lime or dolmite flour is added to the planting site in the fall). Some species do well on rocky soils. Juniperus virginiana prefers loams and black soil. It is necessary to choose a place and neighbors taking into account the growth of the plant.
How to plant juniper correctly:
- We prepare a planting hole measuring 1 by 1 m.
- For plants that do not like stagnant moisture, we arrange drainage: pour crushed stone and broken bricks into the bottom of the hole.
- Carefully remove the seedling from the container and lower it into the hole (without deepening it).
- Cover with soil and water generously.
Planted plants need careful regular watering more than any other fertilizing. In winter, their needles may be damaged by heavy snowfall, so the branches of tall and medium-sized shrubs must be tied up. To prevent burning, creeping forms are covered with spunbond, but usually only young plants need this in the 1st and 2nd years after planting.
Important! Replanting juniper is undesirable: it is very difficult to dig up the plant without damaging the tap root.
When choosing a type of shrub, be guided by its place of growth in nature. For regions with a hot climate, the most suitable are Cossack and Virginia juniper. For the middle latitudes of Russia - Chinese, horizontal, scaly, ordinary.
The plant propagates by seeds, rooted layering and cuttings. Before planting, the seeds must be stratified (keep in the refrigerator for about a month), and before planting, scarify - cut off the hard shell. For better germination, add soil from under adult bushes to the sowing site. Shoots appear in 1-3 years.
The simplest method of propagation is by rooted layering. In creeping forms, branches often take root on their own when they come into contact with the ground. Such a branch can be carefully trimmed and transplanted to a new place with a lump of earth.
Green cuttings for propagation are taken only from young plants, cut into pieces and soaked in a solution of a root formation stimulator. Cuttings of columnar varieties are planted straight, while cuttings of creeping varieties are planted obliquely. The appearance of new buds indicates that the cutting has taken root.
Juniper diseases
1. Physiological drying of needles.
Occurs in winter, especially on the sunny side. In the needles, under the influence of the sun, active photosynthesis begins to occur, for which the roots do not provide nutrition, since the ground is frozen. Columnar crowns are especially affected. Prevention - wrapping with covering material, pouring warm water on the roots.
2. Rust.
A fungal disease that appears as orange growths on branches. Diseased branches must be cut out and burned. Prevention - treatment with fungicidal preparations (Tilt, Skor, Bayleton, Vectra), separation of plantings with fruit trees (apple, pear), since it is from them that the junipers become infected.
A fungal disease that appears at the beginning of summer: last year’s needles turn yellow, then black dots appear on it. Dried branches must be cut out and burned. Prevention: treatment with fungicidal preparations (Skor, Ridomil Gold, Strobi, Quadris).
4. Drying of branches.
Can affect junipers of all types. It appears in the spring: first small branches turn yellow, then the disease covers an increasingly larger area of the bush. Dark spots appear on the needles and bark. Caused by several types of fungi. The reason for the appearance is improper planting of the plant: thickening, heavy soil, stagnation of water. Diseased, withered branches must be cut out and burned, and fallen needles must be collected. If the affected area is large, the bush is uprooted. For prevention, it is necessary to follow planting rules and treat juniper in spring and autumn with fungicidal preparations.
Junipers in landscape design
Junipers are widely used in landscape design. Evergreen conifers are especially beautiful in the winter landscape, and in summer they highlight beautifully flowering plants. Shrubs of dwarf creeping forms are indispensable for rockeries and alpine hills. Tall specimens will create a beautiful accent in compositions with an all-round view, and a row of columnar junipers will cover the fence in the background. Pruning and shaping juniper allows you to give it almost any shape.
Examples of ready-made compositions using junipers:
1. For illuminated places.
The basis of the composition is decorative conifers. Primroses will begin to bloom in the spring, followed by spirea and daylilies in the summer. This composition will look beautiful against the background lawn grass, it includes:
- Day-lily
- Primrose
- Spiraea japonica Little Princess
- Thuja occidentalis Smaragd
- Thuja occidentalis Danica
- Juniper Andorra
2. B lilac tones for illuminated places and partial shade.
The purple leaves of bladderwrack, barberry and heuchera are set off by white clusters of spirea and a scattering of cinquefoil flowers. Blue juniper needles give the composition nobility and depth. Composition:
- Heuchera Palace Purpl
- Barberry Atropurpurea Nana
- Cinquefoil Royal Flush
- Rock juniper Blue Arrow
- Juniper scaly Blue Carpet
- Spiraea Grefsheim
- Diabolo
Evergreen junipers, which in nature spread from the polar regions to the subtropics, are recognized not only as their ancient plants, but also the most valuable crops for landscaping. Having studied common junipers, types and varieties with photos, descriptions and features, you can transform and country cottage area, and extensive gardening areas.
All existing varieties of these plants have:
- creeping, shrubby or tree-like form;
- scaly or needle-like leaves;
- fruits in the form of small dense cones with closed scales.
Thanks to the highest degree of adaptability, junipers were able to survive the climatic disasters of the past and settle in various natural zones. This property, as well as its exotic beauty, attracted attention to plants that have become indispensable in the design of rocky corners, rock gardens, and borders.
Common juniper (J. communis)
One of the most common types of juniper is found in Europe, northern Africa, Asia and even on the lands of the North American continent.
The common juniper shown in the photo has the form of a bush or small tree. In favorable conditions, a plant with dense leaves, consisting of branches covered with needle-shaped leaves up to 15 mm long, reaches a height of 3–8 meters. Sometimes junipers, divided into female and male specimens, grow up to 12 meters.
The common juniper, like all its relatives, is a long-lived and slow-growing crop. It is not uncommon for specimens to live to be a hundred years old or older. older than age. Moreover, the beauty of the plant is better revealed when high humidity soil and air.
The crown, resembling a pyramid or cone, thanks to its hard, prickly needles, remains decorative throughout the year and can withstand pruning without problems, which is important when growing juniper as a decorative culture. And the leaves themselves live for about 4 years and are gradually replaced.
The bluish-blue cones of the plant ripen only in the second year.
Location on common juniper, in the photo, has an unpretentious character, high frost resistance and undemanding nutrition. The popularity of this plant is added by the presence of many varieties with traditional green, gray-silver or golden foliage, with a pyramidal, conical or squat flattened crown.
Photos of juniper varieties of this species are striking in their diversity, and their agricultural technology is accessible even to beginners.
Juniper Depressa is a cultivated variety of the plant found in Canada. According to various sources, this species is considered independent, Canadian, or is recognized as a subspecies of common juniper. It is distinguished from the usual form by a wide, drooping or prostrate crown and a height not exceeding one and a half meters.
The needle-like leaves of the plant have a brownish color, which becomes almost bronze by winter, increasing the decorative value of the evergreen plant.
Juniper Depressa Aurea is close in appearance to the variety described above, but its hedgehog foliage is more attractive. Young shoots of the plant have a bright light green, almost yellow or golden color, which gives the name to the juniper variety of the species Juniperus communis shown in the photo.
Siberian juniper (J. sibirica)
This type of juniper was named after Siberia, where plants with small needles and a squat crown can be found in mountainous areas. In addition to the Siberian region, the culture is widespread in the northern regions of Europe, the Far East, Crimea, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Everywhere, Siberian juniper plants prefer to settle in dry rocky areas
TO characteristic features Siberian juniper can be attributed to: short stature, slow pace of development and decorative, needle-like foliage thanks to light stripes, living for about 2 years. The round, bluish berries ripen in the second year after formation.
IN wildlife Due to its slow growth and small size, Siberian juniper needs protection. The plant is more comfortable in the garden even with minimal care. Undemanding look:
- survives dry periods without loss;
- is content with low-nutrient soils;
- not afraid of frost;
- takes root in areas where there is a risk of increased gas and air pollution;
- loves light and does not need shading.
Over time, trailing juniper shoots can take root, causing the crowns to grow and create living borders. The Siberian variety is ideal for decorating slides.
Cossack juniper (J. sabina)
Another common type of juniper is interesting for the gardener because, in addition to endurance, it has two varieties of needles. The first, needle-shaped foliage up to 6 mm long, can be seen on young shoots, as well as on branches located in the shade. The second, scaly type of foliage is the needles on adult branches.
On average, the foliage with its rich, resinous aroma characteristic of juniper lives for three years. Round or oval dense berries ripen in the second year.
Compared to the common juniper, the Cossack juniper shown in the photo is not so tall and noticeable. The height of the creeping shrub with a dense, squat crown is about one and a half meters. But this did not stop juniper from being appreciated and used to decorate parks and formal gardens from the end of the 16th century.
Thanks to the breeding of varieties with dark green, gray and light needles, an undemanding, winter-hardy and drought-tolerant plant will be indispensable on the hills. It is used to secure slopes and create living borders that hold their shape well.
Chinese juniper (J. chinensis)
Among all the junipers, this plant from the Cypress family stands out for its impressive size. The crown of a native of China, Korea and Manchuria grows to a height of 25 meters. Chinese juniper, in the photo, has needle-like needles on young shoots, which, as the thin branches mature, are replaced by small scaly foliage. Small cones of the plant can be colored bluish, brown or black, and covered with a bluish coating.
The first specimens of Chinese juniper appeared in Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. In Russia, these plants were planted a little later on the Black Sea coast, where they are still found today. But unlike other species, the Chinese variety needs moist soil and air more, and therefore often suffers from drought. The frost resistance limit of the crop is −30 °C. Therefore, in the middle zone without shelter, plants can freeze out. 
It is interesting that despite the large size of adult specimens, Chinese juniper, as in the photo, is often used for.
Juniper (J. procumbens)
In Japan and other countries in the region, recumbent juniper is found with a creeping or drooping crown, covered with green or, more often, bluish-blue needles.
Plants with a height of 50 to 400 cm are adapted to a humid maritime climate, so in the Russian central zone they can suffer in dry air, as well as from frost in particularly harsh winters.
In its homeland, juniper of this species is one of the favorite plants for creating spectacular ones.
Juniperus rigida (J. rigida)
Many Far Eastern junipers are now actively used in garden and park plantings. Hard juniper - the indigenous inhabitant of this fertile region chooses coastal sandy slopes and shores as habitats. Plants settle on windy clones under the cover of larger trees. Here, junipers take on a creeping form and, at a height of up to 40 cm, thanks to two-meter shoots, form dense, difficult-to-pass groups.
In favorable conditions, hard juniper reaches a height of 8 meters. The crown, covered with yellow-green prickly needles, is thick in male specimens, female plants more transparent.
A very unpretentious species of juniper is not often found in cultivation. At the same time, the plant can be interesting for park landscaping and creating authentic, oriental corners in small areas.
When growing durum juniper, you need to take into account that on acidic soils the plant feels depressed and loses its decorative effect due to its already low growth rate.
Prostrate juniper (J. horizontalis)
The name of this species speaks volumes about appearance and characteristic features of the plant. Prostrate juniper has a squat, even creeping crown with a height of 10 to 30 cm. The plant is native to Canada, where it prefers to settle on sandy slopes, on the shores of lakes or in mountainous areas, also called. Although the species is frost-resistant, not picky when choosing soil and perfectly strengthens the slopes, when planting it you need to take into account that in drought conditions the juniper feels depressed, its needles lose their brightness and tone.
In ornamental gardening, horizontal juniper is valued for its needles with two light, almost white stripes. Based on the wild form, more than a hundred cultivated varieties have been created today, differing in foliage color and crown shape.
Juniper medium (J. x media)
During breeding work with junipers, it was found that individual species can produce resistant hybrids that are interesting to gardeners. An example of such successful hybridization is the medium juniper, obtained from crossing the Cossack and spherical varieties (J. sphaerica). The first specimens of this species were grown at the end of the 19th century in Germany, and then spread throughout Europe and throughout the world.
Evergreen plants of medium juniper, as in the photo, can have a creeping, prostrate or wide spreading crown. Depending on the variety, plants of this species grow up to 3–5 meters. The needles are scaly and needle-shaped and are colored in green and bluish tones. There are varieties with a golden crown.
Although the plants are winter-hardy, there is a risk of freezing. Therefore, in the middle zone and to the north, junipers are covered for the winter months, which is not difficult given the squat, relatively small crown of the plant.
Rock juniper (J. scopulorum)
The North American continent has given the world many shrubs. In the Rocky Mountains, famous for their rugged beauty, the rock juniper shown in the photo was discovered.
This form is distinguished by its pyramidal shape and scaly needles, which, depending on the variety, can be rich green or gray, almost blue. Slender evergreen plant in the first half of the 19th century centuries grown in parks and greenhouses. During this time, more than 20 cultivated varieties were obtained. With minimal care and protection in severe frosts, adult plants easily maintain a pyramidal shape and slowly develop, reaching a height of 12 meters.
Virginia juniper (J. virginiana)
Red cedar or Virginian juniper is an indigenous inhabitant of the north of the American continent. The plant owes its unusual nickname to its record growth for junipers. Adult specimens of this species are powerful trees up to 30 meters high with trunks whose diameter reaches one and a half meters.
The large tree-like form is not the only difference between the species. Juniperus virginiana, in the photo, has fairly rapid growth. This circumstance was immediately appreciated by the Americans, who began cultivating the crop in the middle of the 17th century.
The plant has small needles mixed type and the same small cones that ripen the same year after formation. In Russia, this species is suitable for cultivation in the southern regions; in its homeland, the wood is used for making stationery pencils and obtaining essential oil. For ornamental gardening, many compact varieties and interspecific hybrids with silver, bluish and light needles have been bred.
Scaly juniper (J. squamata)
China, Taiwan and the Himalayas are the habitat of another species of juniper with a dense, decorative crown up to one and a half meters high.
This is the scaly juniper shown in the photo, which easily tolerates dry air and poor soil, but is not winter-hardy enough for middle zone Russia.
Dahurian juniper (J. davurica)
The Russian Far East, the northern regions of China and Mongolia are the birthplace of another decorative look juniper, characterized not only by its creeping shape and slow growth rate, but also by its long life.
Dahurian juniper plants can grow and develop for more than a hundred years, while their shoots in diameter do not exceed five centimeters.
The species, described at the end of the 18th century, is called stone heather by indigenous people due to its hard wood, ability to settle on poor soils, including rocky heaps, and compact size.
The above-ground part of the juniper does not exceed 50 cm in height; the trunk is often hidden in the ground, which helps the shoots take root and makes the plant very valuable for strengthening steep slopes, hills and embankments. Light green needles take on a brownish-brown hue by winter. Ripe spherical cones have the same color. Daurian juniper is decorative, unpretentious and extremely winter-hardy.
Video about the types and varieties of juniper in the country
It is difficult to imagine modern landscape design without a huge assortment of junipers, combining almost all the main wishes of a gardener: evergreen, unusually plastic in shape, with a wide variety of colors and at the same time surprisingly unpretentious, resistant to frost and heat, undemanding to soil fertility and moisture . Junipers are one of the few that tolerate soil salinity, which is very important for part of the territory of Russia. If you are just starting to plan a new plot or want to transform an old garden, believe me, you can choose types and varieties of junipers for any corner of the garden and solution to any design problem. Among the junipers there are large trees, slender columns and lush bushes, ground cover and cascading down, cute dwarfs for a container or alpine slide and giants for wind protection and fencing the site. Junipers are great to trim and suitable for hedges and topiary. It is impossible to talk about all the diversity of these wonderful plants in one article, so let’s talk about the most popular and, importantly, those that do not require much trouble for the gardener.
Junipers on the site
One of the most resilient and unpretentious can rightfully be considered the Virginian juniper (or Virginian from the name of the state of Virginia) (Juniperus virginiana) native to North America, where it occurs naturally from Canada to Florida on windswept rocky mountain slopes and along river banks. In nature, these are large trees up to 30 m high and with a trunk diameter of up to 1.5 m. In the USA, it is called the “pencil tree” because juniper wood is resistant to rotting and, among other things, is used for making pencils. This type of juniper was previously quite often used in green construction, but now preference is given to its decorative varieties, which have retained their unpretentious appearance, are very winter-hardy (zone 4) and drought-resistant, and tolerate salinity and partial shading. This juniper trims very well and is perfect for both tall hedges and for creating nivaki. Since cone berries are large quantities ripen annually in autumn, planting material for hedges is easy to obtain by sowing the seeds immediately after collecting them in the ground or after stratifying the seeds for 3-4 months. Varieties are propagated by grafting and cuttings. The most popular varieties of juniper virginiana:
‘Glauca’ - almost columnar shape c silver color the needles, growing up to 5 m tall, are densely branched.
‘Canaertii’ - differs from the previous species in dark green needles, grows in the form of an oval-columnar dense tree 5-7 m in height, very beautiful in the fall, covered with countless bluish-blue cones.
Juniper virginiana ‘Burkii’ is a tall (up to 5-6 m), pyramidal, fast-growing variety with green-blue non-thorny needles, at the age of 10 years it reaches 3 m in height with a crown diameter of 1.5 m.
The ‘Pendula’ variety grows up to 15 m in height in the form of a tree with spreading weeping branches covered with bluish-green needles.
Red cedar 
Juniper virginiana ‘Glauca’
Several popular varieties grow wider and are often silver in color. Very resistant to almost any conditions ‘Hetz’ is a fast-growing large bush (2-3 m wide and high) with gray needles, suitable only for large gardens. The most beautiful among them, the almost shining ‘Grey Owl’ grows up to 2-3 m, the ends of the branches gracefully droop, and is also famous for its large number of cones, which give it additional decorativeness. A little more compact ‘Blue Cloud’ is a dwarf form with small bluish-gray needles 0.4 - 0.5 m high, up to 1-1.5 m wide.
Another frost-resistant species native to the mountainous regions of North America is rock juniper (J. scopulorum). Here it grows in the form of a pyramidal tree with dark green or bluish needles more than 10 m high. Its vertical varieties 'Skyrocket' - growing in the form of a massive column up to 6 - 8 m and a width of 0.8 - 1 m, more slender and blue 'Blue Arrow', as well as the wider and sky-blue 'Moonglow' and 'Blue Haven' are rightfully becoming the most sought after as an accent coniferous composition, as well as for tall hedges, especially in areas with hot, dry summers due to its exceptional resistance to adverse factors.
Rock juniper ‘Blue Arrow’ 
Rock juniper ‘Moonglow’
Common juniper (J. communis) is often found in forests of the Northern Hemisphere throughout Europe to Greenland, Asia and North America, as well as in North Africa, Nepal and Pakistan, where it grows both on dry mountain slopes and in swamps. It is clear that a plant with such a wide range is very plastic and adapted to the most different conditions. Depending on the place of growth, common juniper can be tall tree with a cone-shaped crown up to 10-12 m high or an almost creeping shrub, reaching only 20 cm to 1 meter in height. In the mountains of Central Asia, local subspecies form fantastic, sinuous forms called juniper. Common juniper has strong phytoncidal properties; its cones are used in medicine for medicinal purposes. In ornamental gardening, its varieties with different crown shapes and needle colors are used. Common juniper is not afraid of frost, but in the spring its young needles can burn in the sun, so it is worth taking measures to cover the plants with agrofibre, etc.
The popular variety ‘Hibernica’ with a narrow pyramidal or columnar crown grows up to 4 m in height. There is also a variegated variety ‘Hibernica Variegata’.
The variety ‘Suecica’ differs from ‘Hibernica’ in its wider habit and drooping ends of branches; it grows up to 8 m with a diameter of 1.5 m. Frost resistance zone -4.
The more compact and slender variety ‘Sentinel’ reaches a height of 2 m at 10 years of age and can withstand frosts down to -40 °C.
For small flower beds, on alpine slide or near the porch you can plant a narrow-columnar, compact and slow-growing variety ‘Arnold’, reaching from 1 to 2 m, also compact ‘Erecta’ and ‘Bakony’. ‘Gold cone’ and ‘Schneverdinger Goldmachangel’ are slow-growing columnar forms with golden-yellow needles.
In contrast to slender columns, the variety ‘Candelabriformis’ grows in the form of a gracefully drooping weeping tree about 2.5 m high. Also pay attention to the variety ‘Horstmann’ - the most picturesque weeping juniper, especially beautiful on the bank of a pond or on a lawn. Juniper ‘Mayer’ grows in the form of a luxurious silvery fountain up to 3 m high.
Common juniper ‘Horstmann’ 
Common juniper ‘Repanda’
Many dwarf varieties have also been bred for rock gardens and growing in containers. These are the blue-green prostrate 'Green Carpet', 'Hornibrookii', 'Repanda' and 'Depressa' with a height of only 0.2-0.7 m and a width of up to 3 m and golden 'Depressa aurea', 'Gold beach', ' Gold Coin', 'Golden Juniper', etc. ‘Berkshire’ and ‘Echiniformis’ grow in the form of a thick cushion.
Chinese juniper (J. chinensis) is found in the Primorsky Territory, Northeast China, Korea, Japan, although it grows as a large, wide-pyramidal tree up to 20 m in height, it is considered slow-growing, which is why it is most often used to form bonsai. This is also a very unpretentious species, wintering well throughout Russia and to the north (zone 4a -5a), tolerating drought and poor soil without loss, but growing better on fairly fertile and moist soils.
In ornamental gardening, several dozen varieties of various shapes and colors are known. tall plants for hedges and solitary planting: green columnar ‘Ketelerii’, ‘Ames’ and ‘Spartan’ or green-silver ‘Monarch’, ‘Obelisk’, ‘Mountbatten’. For small plots and as an accent on the flowerbed, choose more compact varieties‘Robusta Green’, ‘Stricta’ or similar, with original white and cream splashes of ‘Stricta Variegata’.
Chinese juniper ‘Keteleeri’ 
Chinese juniper ‘Spartan’
Several varieties of Chinese juniper grow in the form of a beautiful spreading bush that resembles a fountain. These are the golden ‘Kuriwao Gold’ and the bluish-silver ‘Blue Alps’ with gracefully drooping ends of the shoots and growing in height and width up to 2-2.5 m. A picturesque “fountain” is formed by the ‘Blaauw’ variety.
Chinese juniper ‘Blue Alps’ 
Chinese juniper ‘Blaauw’ 
Chinese juniper ‘Hetzii’
Plants with this habit can be planted as an accent in a flower bed or on the shore of a pond. Fast-growing large plants are also varieties with green needles ‘Kosteriana’ and silvery ‘Hetzii’. If your garden is not very large, choose more compact varieties, such as the golden 'Plumosa Aurea' or the variegated 'Expansa Variegata'.
Chinese juniper ‘Expansa Variegata’ 
Chinese juniper ‘Kuriwao Gold’
Cossack juniper (J. sabina) grows wild in the forests of Europe, Siberia and Primorye, Southeast Asia, on the rocky slopes of the Caucasus, Asia Minor and the Urals. This is an exceptionally winter-hardy juniper (zone 3), often growing as a creeping shrub 1-1.5 m high, forming dense thickets. It is also drought-resistant and light-loving, undemanding to the soil, therefore it is often used to strengthen slopes. Its varieties differ in size, habit and color of needles. The most beautiful variety can be called ‘Tamariscifolia’ with a compact creeping crown and dense green needles with a gray tint. Now in garden centers they also offer this variety grafted on a standard. ‘Rockery Gem’ with bluish-green needles reaches a height of 1m with a diameter of up to 5m. The ‘Glauca’ variety has blue-green needles, the ‘Buffalo’ variety is a real ground cover that will hang into the retaining walls in a beautiful cascade.
Cossack juniper ‘Tamariscifolia’ 
Cossack juniper ‘Rockery Gem’
Juniper medium (J. x media) is considered a hybrid between J. chinensis and J. sabina, incorporating both remarkable resistance to adverse factors and a wide variety of habit and color. The most popular varieties: prostrate green ‘Pfitzeriana’, growing up to 1 m in height and 2-3 m in diameter and more compact ‘Pfitzeriana Compacta’, silvery ‘Pfitzeriana Glauca’ and golden ‘Pfitzeriana Aurea’. Young seedlings of the ‘Mint Julep’ variety with a very beautiful bright green color are often confused with the traditional Cossack juniper, but this variety grows very quickly not only in width, but also in height and will soon become too large for a small garden. The most remarkable of the golden varieties, ‘Old Gold’ and the more graceful ‘Gold Coast’ should take their place in every garden. There is also an original variety with variegated ‘Variegata’.
Juniper medium ‘Old Gold’ 
Juniper medium ‘Mint Julep’
Scaly juniper (J. squamata), native to China and the slopes of the Eastern Himalayas, is also little demanding of soil fertility and is drought- and frost-resistant. In ornamental gardening, its varieties with wonderful silvery needles are used, the wide-spreading 'Blue Swede' and 'Blue Carpet', similar to it, but with golden growths 'Holger', growing in the form of a luxurious fountain 'Meyeri' and the cushion-shaped 'Blue Star' , which is often planted on an alpine hill.
Juniper scaly ‘Blue Carpet’ 
Juniper scaly 'Holger' 
Juniperus horizontalis ‘Blue Chip’
As a ground cover plant and for decoration retaining walls can not found best plant than another North American species - horizontal juniper (J.horizontalis). The most popular varieties: blue ‘Blue Chip’, ‘Grey Pearl’ and ‘Glacier’, blue-green ‘Wiltonii’, green ‘Prince of Wales’ and ‘Green Carpet’, golden ‘Limeglow’ and ‘Golden Carpet’. The wonderful varieties 'Andorra Compact' and 'Winter Blue' turn a fantastic purple color in the fall. There is also a variegated variety ‘Andorra Comp. Variegata'.
Victoria Roy
landscape designer
especially for the Internet portal
garden center "Your Garden"