The genus Juniper has 71 species. 12 of them grow in wild plantings in Russia and neighboring countries:
The remaining varieties of juniper are not found in natural plantings, but due to their decorative qualities they are actively cultivated for landscaping. personal plots and creation of landscape compositions.
Forest juniper
Common juniper (Juniperus communis) is often called forest juniper. This dioecious (less often monoecious) plant is found mainly in Europe, Asia, North America– countries of the Northern Hemisphere with a temperate climate. This species is also common in North Africa, Pakistan and Nepal. On the territory of Russia, forest juniper grows in Western Siberia (sometimes found in Eastern Siberia). It grows mainly on dry hills, limestone, along river banks and in pine forest undergrowth, as well as in mixed forests. Quite rarely, this type of juniper, photos of which are presented on this page, settles in swamps. Prefers sandy soils, excessive moisture is contraindicated for these plants.
Forest juniper, the average size of which reaches 3 m in height, has an ovoid or cone-shaped crown. In males the crown is narrow, in females it is wide and spread out. The bark is grayish-brown or dark gray, flaky. The shoots mainly have a red-brown tint. The triangular, pointed leaves are arranged in a ring shape, reaching 1-1.5 cm in length, with a whitish strip running through the middle of the leaf. The male cones of Juniperus communis are yellowish in color and almost sessile. Female cones are pale green and become black and blue with a blue tinge when ripe. Cone berries ripen in the second or third year and have 1-2 conical, yellow-brown seeds.
Juniperus pyramidalis
One of the cultural forms is pyramidal juniper. The branches of these trees with a narrow crown start almost from the ground and are tightly pressed to the trunk. The needles are short, soft, dark green. Plants by appearance resemble cypress trees and have a wide decorative use. Juniper pyramidal, like most plants of this species, is light-loving and easily tolerates slight shading. Very undemanding to soil fertility and grows well on limestone and sandstone. It is quite frost-resistant and tolerates molding well. Looks great both in single and group plantings.
Used as an ornamental garden plant. Thanks to its extended root system, it holds the soil well, so it is used as protection for slopes. The wood of the plants is reddish, has a pleasant smell, but has no industrial value. Due to the small size of the trees, the wood is used only for making canes, small parts and toys. Dry distillation produces juniper oil, the resin is used to make white varnish. Forest juniper cones are used in brewing and the alcoholic beverage industry (in the production of gin and juniper vodka). The fruits of this plant are also included in many spicy mixtures for making sauces and sweets.
Rock juniper
One of rare species– rock juniper (Juniperus scopulorum). This is a dioecious shrub or tree of medium size, reaching 5 m in height with a trunk diameter of up to 1 m. The irregularly spherical crown begins almost from the very base, tetrahedral young shoots have a bluish-green color. The leaves of rock juniper are ovate-rhombic, scale-like, with a blunt tip. Dark blue, with a bluish coating, the cones reach 4-6 mm in diameter and ripen at the end of the second year. Inside the cone berries are two reddish-brown, ribbed seeds.
Juniperus scopulorum should be planted in light, wind-protected areas. The annual growth is up to 12 cm. In the shade, the crown of the rock juniper becomes bare, and the tree loses its decorative qualities. The cold resistance of this species is low; in snowy winters, tree branches can break off. This species grows especially well in areas where annual precipitation is 150-200 mm. It has cultivars with a pyramidal crown and blue needles.
Red juniper
Red or prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) is a dioecious plant reaching 5-10 m in height. The crown is ovoid-cone-shaped, sometimes umbrella-shaped in old trees, reaching 1 m in diameter. The bark is smooth, light gray; young shoots have reddish or yellowish-brown bark. The branches are straight, triangular, widely spread. Leaves with two longitudinal stripes reach 20 mm in length and a width of 1.5-2 mm. The fruits are solitary, spherical, tightly seated on the branches, ranging in size from 5 to 12 mm, of a bright red-brown color. There are usually 2-3 seeds in a cone; they have a triangular, ovoid shape.
The distribution area of red juniper is the entire territory of the Mediterranean, the northern border reaches the south of France. Often found in the Crimea and Transcaucasia, under natural conditions it grows at an altitude of up to 300-400 m, often on cliffs and rocky slopes. Plants of this species are heat-loving and drought-resistant. Their wood is very durable, heavy, reddish in color with white sapwood, very resistant to rotting, and therefore is widely used as a building and ornamental material.
Red juniper fruits contain 1.5% essential oil and are an excellent diuretic. Dry distillation produces juniper oil, which is used as a medicinal preparation for skin diseases, in the production of some cosmetics and as an anthelmintic.
Crimean juniper
The varieties common in the Crimea are called Crimean junipers. These relict plants are extremely popular among tourists, because about them medicinal properties known since ancient times.
The needles and berries of juniper trees contain essential oils with a tart aroma that has a detrimental effect on pathogens. One hectare of juniper plantings releases up to 30 kg of phytoncides per day, which are destructive to bacteria. Once in the bronchi and lungs, phytoncides have an anti-inflammatory effect; staying in such forests is very useful for asthmatics and people with chronic bronchitis. These trees purify the air five times more efficiently than Crimean pines.
There are especially many juniper forests in the mountains of Bakhchisarai. While inhaling the aroma of these trees, the functioning of the nervous system normalizes, stress arousal decreases, mood improves, headaches subside, and arterial pressure, shortness of breath decreases, sleep normalizes and overall immunity strengthens. It has been noticed that after a walk through the juniper grove, appetite increases, and tea with the berries of this plant improves digestion and enhances kidney function.
Blue Juniper
Many trees and shrubs of this species have bluish needles, which is why they are sometimes called blue junipers. To effectively grow these plants, a number of conditions must be met.
Blue juniper grows vigorously in well-lit areas, but does not tolerate prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
Trees with bluish needles are quite frost-resistant and prefer fertile, well-drained soil. When replanting plants it follows the fate that root system blue juniper is heavily intertwined, so care must be taken not to damage the small roots. This type does not tolerate dry air well, requires regular spraying of the crown and moistening the soil. Dry branches should be trimmed with pruning shears.
Juniper creeping
IN decorative plantings Juniper creeping, a small form widespread in Ireland, is often used. These low-growing plants reach up to 50 cm in height, the diameter of the crown does not exceed 2 m. The needles of creeping juniper are very thick and prickly. The needles are usually light green, with silvery-white stripes.
Creeping juniper prefers light, well-drained soils and can grow on rocky surfaces. Quite drought-resistant, frost-resistant, light-loving, and tolerates light shading. These plants should be planted in open areas, 3 bushes per 1 m2. The needles of creeping species do not tolerate air pollution and dust, so it is necessary to resort to systematic spraying.
Columnar juniper with straight crown
Columnar juniper got its name because of the strict, straight shape of the crown.
These tall trees are widely used to create hedges.
Unlike creeping varieties, columnar plants are not too susceptible to the harmful effects of air pollution, and therefore are suitable for growing in urban environments.
They grow most actively in open, sunny places and tolerate light partial shade.
Quite drought-resistant and does not tolerate stagnant moisture. In winter, it is advisable to tie the crown of columnar junipers so that the branches do not break under a layer of snow.
Juniper - evergreen coniferous plant, which not only pleases the eye with its growth, but also has many useful properties. It is a small tree with needle-like leaves. They have a green color. The fruits of the plant are small cones of dark blue or brown color. You can see what a juniper with fruits looks like in the photo.
Types and varieties with photos
Exists a large number of varieties and varieties of this plant. The most popular of them should be considered in more detail.
This is a frost-resistant plant species that usually reaches 12 m in height. Dark blue cones can be seen already in the third year of growth. There are the following varieties of common juniper:
- Suetsika. This is a columnar shrub with dense needles. Reaches 4 m in height, has a bluish or light green tint. Grows productively in areas illuminated by sunlight. On shady areas Suetsica may become more spreading and loose. Often used in landscape design. You can see what this plant variety looks like in the photo.
- Green Carpet. A small shrub of a light green hue, which barely reaches 1 m in height. Prefers to grow on slopes. This variety is more spreading than other representatives of the common juniper, since its width can reach 2 m. The growth of Green Carpet can be seen in the photo.
- Hibernica. An unpretentious plant variety because it can grow on any soil. The tree is narrow and quite tall - can reach 5 m. Does not tolerate straight sun rays. As a result of their influence, the plant may change its color. How Hibernica grows can be seen in the photo.
- Gold Con. A narrow tree reaching 4 m in height. It has a pyramidal shape. Depending on the season, the needles may change their color. Gold Con is unpretentious to fertile soil. In shady areas it may turn dark green in color. In the photo of the tree you can see the changed color of the needle-shaped leaves.
Many people have a question: is common juniper a shrub or a tree? It actually depends on the plant variety. Too much small juniper is considered to be a shrub. As for more high grades, then they are considered trees.
This tree, which has a pyramidal shape, reaches 10 m in height. Rock juniper is especially popular in countries with hot climates. Thanks to this view landscape designers create magnificent coniferous compositions on personal plots. The most popular varieties of this type of plant are:
- Skyrocket. Tall tree– about 8 m. It has a columnar shape, reaches 1 m in width. Siroket is unpretentious to adverse conditions environment, therefore it grows calmly in windy and dry areas. But it prefers to grow in illuminated areas. What Skyrocket looks like can be seen in the photo.
- Blue Arrow. It has a rich blue tint and reaches 4 m in height. Like Skyrocket, Blue Arrow is wind-resistant, drought-resistant and frost-resistant.
Rock juniper is often used in landscape design due to its unusual bluish tint.
This is the most unpretentious type of plant compared to all the others. Virginia juniper can usually be found along bodies of water and in windy areas. It is very slightly susceptible to rotting, so the wood of this type of plant is actively used for the production of pencils. Virginia juniper bears fruit well, and seeds can be obtained from the berries for subsequent planting. There are such varieties of plants of this species that are actively used in landscape design:
- Gray Owl. A plant with needle-like leaves of a grayish tint, reaches 1.5 m in height. A special feature of this variety is the large number of berries on the tree, which gives additional aesthetic appeal to the plant.
- Strict. The bluish needle-like leaves on this tree add extra charm to any personal plot or park area. Reaches 2 m, both in width and height.
- Pendula. Spreading tree, one of the tallest varieties. Grows well in any weather and climatic conditions.
- Burki. This variety of Virginia juniper is characterized by rapid growth. Coniferous leaves have a greenish-blue tint. Reaches 3 m in height, has a pyramidal shape.
- Kanaherty. It is a narrow oval tree that reaches 7 m in height. The needle-shaped leaves are dark green in color. In early autumn, dark blue fruits appear.
- Glautz. Columnar tree, about 5 m in height. Distinctive feature is the color of coniferous leaves - they are silver-gray.
- Blue Cloud. This variety is a small shrub - about 0.5 m. The creeping bush reaches 1.5 m in width. Blue Cloud has a grayish-blue tint.
It is important to know! A distinctive feature of many varieties of Virginia juniper is the bluish-gray color of the needle-shaped leaves!
This species is a slow-growing shrub and tree that can be found in China, Japan, South and North Korea. Chinese juniper has the form of spreading bushes, so it is actively used to decorate park areas and garden plots. The trees are quite tall - sometimes reaching 20 m. The names are most popular varieties Chinese juniper:
- Variegata. A pyramidal-shaped tree that has a bluish-green tint. Reaches 2 m in height and 1 m in width. Grows well in moist, fertile soils. Does not tolerate sunlight well.
- Kuriwao Gold. A shrub that reaches 2 m in both width and height. As they grow, the green leaves become lighter in color. In shady areas, Curivao Gold loses its rich color, so it is recommended to grow it in well-lit areas.
- Blue Alps. Characteristic feature This variety of Chinese juniper has a dense crown, the shoots of which fall to the edges. When planting a plant, preference should be given to a well-lit area.
It is important to know! Chinese juniper is actively used in landscape design for decoration small plots!
This type of plant is a frost-resistant, creeping shrub. Where does Cossack juniper grow? It can be found in areas of Asia and Europe. Description of the most common varieties:
- Tamariscifolia. The spreading branches of the plant are a shrub that reaches 0.5 m in height. It is much larger in width - about 2 m. The needle-shaped short leaves can be greenish or bluish. Color saturation directly depends on the illumination of the area. The more light, the brighter the color of the plant.
- Arcadia. A rather low shrub - 0.5 m. As for the width of the plant, it reaches 2 m or more. Over time, Arcadia grows and occupies a significant part of the territory.
A characteristic feature of all varieties Cossack juniper is a significant increase in width. The height barely reaches 0.5 m.
Planting and care
- the hole should be twice as deep as the height of the entire seedling;
- after planting, the plant should be watered abundantly and covered with fertilizer;
- periodically spray the crowns;
- group planting requires a distance between plants of at least 2 m.
Despite the fact that juniper is an unpretentious plant to the soil, it is better to plant it on highly fertile soils.
As for caring for this shrub or tree, this procedure does not cause much trouble. Juniper grows normally without fertilizers. If desired, you can fertilize it monthly. The plant needs regular watering and spraying crowns.
It is important to know! This plant does not need pruning! This procedure can be carried out, but only if you want to make a hedge out of trees.
This plant can be grown at home. Indoor juniper should be small size, so for this purpose it is better to choose Chinese view. It is not necessary to look for seedlings to grow plants at home. It is enough to simply purchase it in a specialized point of sale young juniper. Caring for this plant at home has the following distinctive features:
- Moderate watering of the plant. Excessive moisture and its stagnation can lead to disease or death of the juniper.
- The shrub should be grown in a well-ventilated area. Air circulation needs to be monitored.
- Prune branches every year. This procedure is recommended to be carried out at the end of winter, when active growth of the bush is observed.
- Root pruning. It is enough to carry out such manipulation once every 4 years.
- It is better to place the plant in the coldest room. Since heating in winter can have a detrimental effect on the growth of juniper. A balcony is ideal for normal growth.
It is important to know! Juniper loves a lot of light! Therefore, it should be placed in a well-lit place.
Juniper is a popular plant in alternative medicine. It has the following beneficial properties:
- improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- diuretic;
- antimicrobial, antiseptic and antifungal action.
Juniper essential oil is actively used to treat the following diseases:
- abrasions, cuts and other damage to the skin;
- rheumatism and other inflammatory processes in joint tissues;
- convulsions;
- diarrhea and body poisoning;
- increased arterial and intraocular pressure;
- disruption of gastric juice production;
- general weakness of the body.
Juniper is also used in aromatherapy to alleviate conditions resulting from stressful situations or emotional turmoil. Relieves muscle fatigue and has a calming effect on the human body.
The use of this plant for medicinal purposes is not recommended for people with kidney failure, during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Because in some cases this may cause allergic reaction in the form of rashes on the skin. Therefore, before using juniper for treatment, you should consult a specialist.
Among the ancient Slavs, Juniper was a symbol of eternal life. The spicy smell of burning branches in the village was a sad sign. This meant that someone in the village was being escorted on their final journey, which would bestow eternal life.
Shamans used juniper smoke in ritual fumigations and ceremonies, giving the bush magical powers.
In Belarusian folklore there was a legend about an evil spirit named “kaduk” living in the trunk of a Juniper tree. In this region the bush was avoided.
At the same time, among other peoples, Juniper is a symbol of holiness, the abode of the gods.
In Christianity, Juniper deserves special mention. Many clergy still maintain the tradition of consecrating a juniper branch and hiding it behind the icon. It is believed that this measure will prevent the temple and icons from misfortune.
juniper names
IN different regions In Russia in the old days, Juniper had many names.
In some areas it was called Veres, in others – Yalovets, Morzhukha, Bruzhevelnik.
The most common name “Juniper”, according to one version, comes from the phrase “between the fir trees”. Often this shrub is found as undergrowth in spruce thickets.
According to another version, the name comes from the ancient Slavic word “mozha”, which means knot. A quick glance at the twisting trunks of old trees reveals similarities with real rope knots.
WHAT JUNIPER LOOKS LIKE
Juniper is a shrub or small tree with a thin trunk and pointed top up to 5 - 6 meters high.
The plant's needles, 1–2 cm long, are very hard and prickly.
There are female and male specimens. In male representatives, the crown is denser, narrower and pointed.
The bark has a gray-brown color and a fibrous texture.
The trunk of a tree often bends in bizarre patterns with branches smoothly turning into verticals.
Juniper grows very slowly, so hundred-year-old specimens barely reach large sizes. Even the oldest representatives of the shrub have a height of about 5 meters and a trunk thickness of 10 - 15 cm.
The maximum age of Juniper is 200 years, although there are representatives much older.
Where does Juniper grow?
The shrub is considered a relict plant, a witness to ancient times. After all, Juniper has been growing on Earth for more than 50 million years.
The shrub has 71 species. 20 of them grow in our country.
Juniper is widespread in the Urals, the Caucasus, Primorye and Siberia. Different kinds shrubs are found in Southeast Asia, America and the Mediterranean regions.
In the forests of Russia, the most common species is the common juniper.
The shrub grows in the undergrowth and in clearing areas. Cultivated in gardens and parks. Selected species plants are found in the mountains in the most inaccessible points.
When does Juniper bloom?
Juniper blooms in May, producing yellow flowers on male plants, and green on women's.
It begins to bear fruit in the fall. On the bushes you can find both green and black-purple berries. Juniper fruits ripen only in the second year and are inedible for humans.
Medicinal properties of Juniper
Juniper berries contain copper, iron, manganese, aluminum, great amount vitamins and essential oils.
A decoction of Veres fruits successfully combats problems of the urinary system, so it was used in the treatment of edema, inflammation, and even in the removal of kidney stones.
A decoction of berries improves bile secretion and enhances intestinal motility.
It is also used in the treatment of the respiratory tract. This remedy is an excellent expectorant and thins mucus.
The needles contain a huge amount of phytoncides that kill harmful bacteria.
A pillow with juniper sawdust can heal headache and a slight runny nose, relieve stress and calm nervous excitement.
IN modern medicine Diuretics, diaphoretics, painkillers and other medicines are made from Juniper.
Applications of Juniper
Green berries of Juniper are used to make natural golden-yellow paints. Black - for the production of brown and black paint.
Juniper fruits are not edible and are used as one of the ingredients in the food industry in the manufacture of sweets, baked goods, fruit drinks, and gingerbreads.
Dried juniper is an excellent material for woodworkers and carvers. The wood is perfectly dried and will never crack. Without large resin passages, the wood is easily stained and polished. Having a high density, this material allows you to apply fine threads.
Valuable resin is extracted from Juniper, which is used to make high-quality natural white varnish.
Veres wood is widely used for making pencils.
Contraindications
Medicines and preparations that contain Juniper are contraindicated for people with kidney problems.
Juniper is an inedible berry. Particular care should be taken when handling Juniper Cossack, as it is poisonous and can cause vomiting, damage to the kidneys and nervous system. In some cases, death can occur.
Juniper - interesting facts
Juniper thickets form near coal seams. This property is used by geologists when searching for coal deposits. Thus, the Moscow Region coal basin was opened.
Before pickling mushrooms, in the old days, peasants treated barrels with boiling water and a juniper broom, killing putrefactive microbes.
The oldest Juniper grows in Crimea. According to one version, its age is approximately 400 years. According to another – 2 thousand years. Determining the exact age of a living Juniper is extremely difficult.
Moths never appear in cabinets made from Juniper.
Photos used in the material: sereja.serjio2015, Zekkadrb , angruzinov valerius66 , Fl1983 (Yandex.Photos)