Among all the varieties of conifers, rocky juniper stands out for its special attractiveness and endurance. A plant of the Cypress family, native to northern Mexico, southwestern Canada and the southern United States, it grows on rocky slopes at an altitude of 1.2 to 1.7 km above sea level.
Juniper Rock: description, planting and care
Short information
- Colour: The needles are soft, can be of different shades - dark green, green-gray or gray-blue.
- Height: 12 m
- Crown diameter: 2 m.
- Growing regions: South, as well as the Central and Middle lane (with good shelter for the winter).
- Landing features: For group disembarkation, a different scheme is observed: for large-sized - 3x4 m, medium-sized - 2x3 m, dwarf - 1x1.5 m. Prefers a sunny place with little shading.
- Immunity: High frost resistance, good disease and pest resistance, with proper care.
- Life span: 200-300 years old.
View characteristic
Wild conifers are capable of reaching 18 m in height with a crown diameter of 2 m. The name in Latin is Juniperus scopulorum.
The description includes several important qualities:
- presented in two options - in the form of a shrub or dioecious tree;
- the central conductor is covered with brown bark, the young growth is light green;
- needles are formed at the very bottom of the trunk, forming a beautiful conical crown in the shape of an arrow, with age it becomes spherical;
- soft needles, of different shades - emerald, green-gray or gray-blue, depending on the variety, length 1.3 cm, width 0.3 cm;
- cones are round, blue with a bluish bloom, size - 0.5-0.7 cm;
- the fruits contain dark brown or brownish red seeds with a diameter of 0.5 cm.
Life span: 200 to 300 years. The price of the skimmer is different, depending on the height it varies from 140 to 1600 rubles.
The growing regions are the southern regions of our country, as well as the Middle and Central lane, provided that the seedlings are well insulated before wintering.
The best varieties
Since 1839, breeders have done a lot of work in breeding new hybrid varieties of this crop, as a result, a variety of trees and shrubs have turned out that differ in appearance (shape, color and size).
Blue Erroy
One of the most popular junipers in Russia.
It has increased resistance to diseases, sudden changes in temperature.
The crown is narrow, pyramidal, densely covered with soft needles. The needles are blue, with a grayish tint.
The height reaches 1.5-2 m, the circumference is about 0.5-0.7 m.
The plant is winter-hardy and drought-resistant, completely unsuitable for growing in mud and gas pollution. When landing, you should choose a place with clean air - away from roads and gas-polluted areas.
Skyrocket
Forms a beautiful conical crown, densely covered with branches and needles. Shoots grow vertically and adhere tightly to the central conductor.
The needles are green-blue, with a grayish tint. The size of an adult tree is 3-6-0.7-0.8 m.
This culture perfectly tolerates gas pollution, has a high frost resistance, but weak immunity against fungal and viral diseases.
Blue Heaven
A medium-sized shrub up to 2 m high - one of the most decorative varieties with a dense pyramidal crown and light blue needles.
The aerial part of the ephedra does not change color throughout the year.
Moonglow
The colorful ephedra will add a bright accent to the garden.
Description:
- a medium-sized tree-like culture reaches 2.5 m, a diameter of about 1 m;
- the color of the needles is bluish-silver;
- forms small round or oval cones, dark brown in color.
A feature of the variety is the high decorative effect of the crown, which becomes brighter and more saturated closer to winter.
Juniper has two advantages - it grows well and develops on any type of soil, it easily tolerates drought.
Moffat Blue
A large-sized tree at a mature age reaches 3 m in height, the girth is 1 m. The needles are greenish-gray, do not change color all year round.
The plant has good resistance to severe frosts, but grows poorly in waterlogged soil.
Silver King
This ephedra differs from other varieties in a miniature compact height of 0.6 m and a lush spreading crown - about 2 m.
The dwarf tree forms dense, scaly blue needles that do not change even in winter.
Wichita Blue
Another decorative variety with a dense and dense crown up to 0.4 m high and 1.5 m in girth.
The needles with a blue color and a silver tint have found wide application in landscape design, since they have unpretentious care, good frost resistance and disease resistance.
Springbank
Rocky juniper has a pronounced central trunk covered with brown rough bark.
Branching sparse - shoots grow in a horizontal position, with soft, thin, blue needles of a silvery tint.
The mushroom tolerates cold weather, sudden temperature changes in spring, and grows on any type of soil.
Pathfinder
Various varieties and growing zones
A fast growing hybrid with silvery blue needles, ideal for beautiful hedges. It has a wide keglevid shape.
The height of an adult tree varies from 3 to 6 m, the circumference is 1-1.5 m. The aboveground part is very dense, densely covered with shoots. The annual growth is about 30 cm.
Drought tolerant and not soil demanding plant. It takes root well and tolerates the neighborhood of other decorative crops in the garden.
Silver Star
A beautiful evergreen ephedra - in adulthood it reaches 4.5-5 m in height. The main difference is the combination of needles of two tones inside, emerald green, outside cream.
The variety has a columnar crown with vertically growing branches, its circumference is 1 m.
The plant is winter hardy, tolerates drought well and grows on all types of soil.
Fischt
A multi-stemmed tree with an irregular rounded crown. The central conductor is covered with red-brown bark, the shoots are silvery or bluish-green. The needles are emerald, scaly, 12 mm long.
The plant forms beautiful cones of dark blue color with a bluish bloom, spherical, 4-6 mm in size.
It is not demanding on the soil, it has a good degree of frost resistance.
Landing rules
All types of rocky juniper are excellent for both private and industrial gardening, so they have been cultivated for more than a dozen years.
Success in this matter depends on the quality of the seedlings, compliance with the terms and rules of planting, as well as timely and properly provided care.
Selection of seedlings
It is better to buy seedlings in a gardening nursery, where you will get a real plant with all varietal characteristics.
It is necessary to inspect the aerial part - the crown must be of a uniform color in accordance with the characteristics of the crop.
The central conductor and shoots in healthy specimens do not contain cracks, breaks, mold and rot on the surface. Any yellow, brown, or black spots are a clear sign of infection.
Choose plants with a closed root system - in an earthen coma or in plastic containers. They successfully take root after transplanting to the site, since the risk of injury and drying of the roots is eliminated.
Planting is carried out in spring (in April-May) or in autumn - in September. Needles with bare roots should be planted immediately after purchase, as open roots dry quickly.
Site and soil preparation
Almost all types of this culture prefer to grow in a sunny area with little shade.
A place protected from the wind with deep groundwater is suitable to prevent rotting of the root system.
Planting rocky juniper can be carried out on any soil, the main thing is to create good drainage for the roots. When landing on loam, you will need to add a couple of buckets of sand, gravel or vermiculite.
If you plan to grow on sandy loam, you need to add 20 kg of clay per 1 m².
This culture does not tolerate the acidification of the soil, therefore, if necessary, it is deacidified - sprinkle a bed with 300 g of calcite, wood ash or dolomite flour. After that, they are dug up, leveled and spilled with water.
Landing technique
Pits for seedlings are prepared in 2 weeks so that the laid nutrients and soil have time to settle. Their dimensions should be 2-3 times larger than an earthen coma, their approximate dimensions should be 70x80x80 cm.
Half a bucket of brick chips, crushed stone, pebbles or screenings are laid at the bottom for a good outflow of moisture during irrigation.
Then it is half filled with a fertile substrate of sod land, peat, sand and coniferous sawdust in a ratio of 3: 1: 1: 1.
The underground part is lowered so that the root collar remains 4-5 cm above the soil surface, fall asleep, tamp, watered. Water consumption per seedling - 10 liters.
To retain moisture, the near-trunk zone is mulched with pine sawdust.
For a group landing, a different scheme is observed:
- for large-sized ones - 3x4 m;
- medium-sized - 2x3 m;
- dwarf - 1x1.5 m.
Care requirements
The appearance of the tree depends on your imagination
Practically, juniper species need the same care - regular moisture, pruning, loosening and fertilization.
Watering
The main care for conifers is regular but moderate watering.
- In the first few months, young conifers are watered once a week, provided that the summer is dry.
- In the rainy season, they are guided by the condition of the soil - it should dry out to a depth of 5-6 cm.
- Mature trees and bushes over 3 years old are moistened three times per season.
This culture responds positively to regular sprinkling of the crown. To do this, use warm, settled water. Irrigation is carried out in the evening to avoid burns.
Loosening and mulching
The loosening procedure one day after each watering ensures good access of moisture and oxygen to the roots.
For plants with a superficial root system, it is carried out to a depth of 3-4 cm in order to avoid damage to the roots.
Additionally, weeds are removed, the soil is weeded between the rows, and mulch is also introduced into the near-trunk zone to prevent the development of unnecessary vegetation and the rapid drying of the earth. Peat, pine chips or sawdust are used as a covering material.
Top dressing
Basic care for rocky junipers includes regular feeding with organic and mineral fertilizers.
The first top dressing is applied the next year after planting. In early spring, the near-stem zone is spilled with a solution of nitrophoska or ammophoska at the rate of 5 liters per plant. Proportions - 15 g of substance per 10 liters of water. Nitrogenous preparations promote intensive growth of roots and green mass.
The second time, conifers and shrubs can be fed in the fall, a month before the onset of cold weather, with a mineral composition of 15 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium salt per bucket of water. 5 liters are poured under each copy. These components increase immunity against diseases and the degree of frost resistance.
To accelerate growth, protect against pests, the crown is treated three times with chelating preparations - Quadris, Epin or Heteroauxin.
Pruning
Junipers must be pruned every spring. The procedure consists in removing shriveled, broken off, frozen and disease-damaged branches.
For some varieties, you can carry out a shaping haircut - a slight removal of shoots up to 3-4 cm in length is allowed.This is done annually, in combination with sanitary pruning.
For this operation, a sterile sharp object is used - scissors or pruning shears to prevent infection.
After it is carried out, the crown is irrigated with a solution of copper sulfate. Thick branches are additionally covered with garden pitch.
Shelter for the winter
Most varieties of rocky juniper have good frost resistance, but at a young age their immunity is too weak, so shelter is required.
Insulate a month before the onset of stable autumn cold weather:
- the near-trunk zone is spud with peat;
- then the branches are bent to the central trunk, tied up with twine or rope, wrapped in burlap (for trees);
- the aboveground part of the shrubs without a garter is covered with spruce branches.
They remove the shelter in the spring, when the threat of return frosts has passed.
Adult conifers, starting from three years old, do not need insulation. A month before the onset of winter, you can mulch the trunk area with pine chips or sawdust.
Transfer
If you decide to transplant a plant to a new place, it is advisable to do this at an early age, because the older the tree, the more difficult it is to take root.
During the procedure, it is necessary to preserve an earthen lump in order to eliminate the risk of injury and drying out of the roots. The best time for this is April or May.
Dig a hole slightly larger than the size of the coma. Drainage is poured to the bottom, then a nutrient substrate used when planting seedlings.
The plant is sprinkled with earth, trampled, watered and mulched. Further care is no different from the rules for growing young purchased specimens.
Reproduction methods
There are three suitable ways:
- vaccination;
- seeds;
- cuttings.
The first method is more laborious and is more often used by breeders to develop new valuable varieties and hybrid forms of ephedra.
The second option takes a lot of patience and time. In addition, seedlings do not always live up to the moment of transplantation to the site - most of them die from a lack of light, moisture, damage by diseases and pests at home. Seedlings, after they grow back, need repeated picking, as a result of which only a few specimens survive. Amateur gardeners prefer to propagate pine needles by cuttings.
Harvesting and planting
The branches are cut in the spring during a sanitary cut, and you can also prepare them in the summer. Cut off the top cuttings 15-20 cm long with a piece of lignified bark.
The cut segments are freed from needles and growths in the lower part, sprayed with one of the growth stimulants - Epin, Kornevin or Heteroauxin.
Then they are planted in a moist and nutritious substrate at an angle of 40-45 ° C to a depth of 3-4 cm. Sprinkle with warm water, cover with a film and put in a warm place with bright diffused light.
Care
Rooting can take a lot of time - from 2-3 months. In order for the seedlings to take root and not dry out, they should be ventilated every day, moistened, weeds should be removed as they grow, and the soil around them should be gently loosened.
Optimal conditions of detention are 20-23 ° С, humidity is within 70-75%.
As soon as young buds appear on the branches, you can remove the shelter, transfer the planting to a cool room with a temperature of 17-19 ° C.
Growing up the house is carried out 1.5 years from the moment of rooting, then transplanted into open ground. The best time for transplanting is early or mid-September, so that the needles have time to adapt and take root in a new place.
Diseases
Unusual tree
Usually, this ephedra, emitting phytoncides, rarely gets sick. The aromatic substance is capable of repelling many pests. But in conditions of poor care, various diseases affect him.
Rust
Signs - the appearance of growths of a reddish color with an oily bloom on the central trunk and adjacent branches.
The infection spreads very quickly, so it is urgent to cut out the infected parts, and irrigate the crown and near-stem zone with fungicides - a solution of copper sulfate, Skor or Bayleton.
Fusarium wilting
Another fungal infection that provokes the drying out of shoots and needles. At first, the affected organs acquire a brownish-red hue, then dry and fall off.
Treatment is carried out as follows - remove all damaged parts. At the end, the crown, trunk and soil under it are irrigated with Fitosporin-M, Quadris or a solution of copper sulfate.
Shrinking branches
One of the most common diseases of junipers, manifests itself in the spring - the needles turn yellow massively, the bark is covered with fungal growths.
Severely infected specimens are removed and burned. Partially infected people are freed from damaged organs, then sprayed with Tilt, Ridomil Gold or Skor.
Brown shute
It develops at the beginning of the body, leads to yellowing of the entire crown and massive shedding of needles.
Before the treatment of the disease, a haircut is performed - all infected parts are removed, then treated with Strobi, Skor or Quadris.
For prevention, it is recommended to irrigate twice with these agents in spring and autumn.
Pests
Of the harmful insects, rocky juniper annoys:
- spider mite. In the fight against it, acaricides are used - Actellik, Aktara, as well as the drug Karbofos;
- Decis helps to get rid of scale insects and miner moths;
- Fitoverm is effective against aphids.
For prevention, it is necessary to irrigate the crown and near-stem zone with Aktellik, Aktara or Fundazol in early spring and early autumn.
Application in garden design
Due to its high decorativeness throughout the year, good winter hardiness and a variety of varieties, rocky juniper has become very popular in landscape design, both in single and group plantings.
It is planted in rocky and heather gardens, along alleys, curbs and is used in decorating park areas, used to create a hedge.
Dwarf varieties are suitable for planting in tubs, pots, forming miniature bonsai.
A composition of several varieties looks beautiful in a flower bed, in a rock garden, mixborder or rabatkas.
It goes well with flowering shrubs in a flower garden - hydrangeas, roses.
Rocky juniper - grows where nothing grows!
Juniper rock skyrocket
Coniferous hedge Rocky juniper
Gardeners reviews
Gardeners who have been growing this species for more than one year are satisfied and give only a positive characteristic.
- With good care and nutrition, the plant pleases with its decorative effect even in winter.
- Some varieties do not need shaping, do not require shelter with age, which greatly facilitates their care.
- The possibility of combination with other decorative plantings allows you to create the most unusual and unique composition in the garden.