The most popular varieties of juniper

A truly unique plant belonging to the cypress family, for a long time has earned the attention of summer residents and has found its place in some garden plots. Many people appreciate it not only for its presentable appearance, but also for its useful properties. Juniper varieties are different, but they are all capable of producing a rich harvest.

Juniper has long been famous for its ability to purify the air by producing special volatile substances - phytonicides. However, turning to the variety of species of this plant, you can simply get confused - just your eyes run up!

We will try to consider specific examples, juniper varieties and characterize them in more detail.

Juniper varieties: Common.

The most common species known to gardeners is a shrub or tree, reaching up to 12 meters in height. Trees are distinguished by the presence of a strong and dense crown, shaped like a cone.

In shrubs, the crown is more like an egg from the side. The needles of a presentable appearance, soft green shades, giving a shine. Juniper cones are small, bluish, in most cases solitary.

Against the background of the crown itself, they look the most effective and harmonious. The common juniper grows rather slowly, however, this does not distinguish it from other species for which this feature is also characteristic.

This species does not impose any supernatural requirements on the soil, although the ideal option for it would be a soil of a calcareous and sandy type, which, moreover, must be properly moistened, have the ability to have good air and moisture circulation.

Juniper does not tolerate strong soil salinization, therefore, this should be prevented in a timely manner.

As a rule, the plant has a sufficient level of resistance to low temperatures and dry weather. Partial shading is allowed, but still not recommended.

Ornamental forms of the Common juniper are subdivided into weeping, pyramid-shaped, ball-shaped, and so on.

It adapts to the pruning process quickly and tolerates it well. You can use this type to create both single and group plantings, as well as arranging hedges.

Juniper Chinese.

The stunted forms of the Chinese juniper are most popular among gardeners due to the practicality of planting even in the smallest areas.

It is they that differ from all other needles of a unique shade that combines green and yellow tones. One of the most common is the Old Gold variety, which is capable of reaching a radius of 1 meter from the center at the age of 5.

Also worth noting is the Blue Alps variety, characterized by remarkable trees of short stature, as well as shrubs, the crowns of which can be either columnar in shape or resembling a pyramid from the side.

Young shoots and needles are dark green in color. Cones are small enough, they are present in large quantities, in young trees they are whitish, and subsequently they are sharply painted in a solid black color.

The main feature of the variety is its rather slow growth, especially at the initial stage. So, a tree or shrub reaches a height of about 3 meters only at the age of 10.

The requirements for the soil are quite standard, one should only note the required level of fertility and moisture. It is best if the soil is deep enough.

Chinese juniper is a fairly frost-resistant species and can withstand temperature extremes of up to -30 degrees, and it also undergoes a dry period well. Again, planting in shaded areas is not recommended, although there is some tolerance.

The decorative forms of the species are subdivided into golden, which is characterized by the presence of shoots of color from yellow to golden, and also into white - the ends of the shoots are white, and the variegated form of low growth - branches of an arched shape, drooping shoots of a greenish tint or golden.

Weeping, spherical and other forms, subdivided according to the form of growth, can also boast of an extremely presentable appearance.

Chinese juniper is suitable for both single and group plantings. There is a moderate need for moisture and unpretentiousness in soil selectivity.

Juniper varieties: Cossack.

A shrub of a creeping type and short in stature, has open branches, as well as needles of bright green color. There is a fairly large number of small spherical cones, brown black color, with a bluish protective bloom on the surface.

This species is not particularly picky about the type of soil, the intensive dynamics of growth and development is characterized for calcareous and chalk soils, as well as those belonging to the stony and sandy type.

Highly saline and wetland areas are not suitable for the cultivation of Cossack juniper, since in such conditions it will not be able to take root in the long term.

The species is quite resistant to low temperatures and winter frosts, tolerates dry weather well.

In relation to this species, in no case should even the slightest shading be applied - the plant should be intensely and regularly illuminated by the sun throughout the day.

There are a number of decorative forms of the Cossack juniper, one of which should be especially emphasized - this is the white-bordered form, which is characterized by white ends of the branches.

It is she who has enough catchy and at the same time noble showiness.

Juniper Horizontal.

A species that can be easily distinguished from others by a short, almost dwarf growth, which is inherently creeping.

It has quite graceful branches of impressive length, which in turn are densely covered with needles of blue-green shades. Ideal for growing in small areas due to its compactness and space saving.

Cones are almost black in color and small in size are present in large quantities, harmoniously combined with the coniferous background. The species gives the greatest preference to well-moistened soils of sandy loam and sandy type.

The advantage of the horizontal juniper is its good level of frost and drought resistance. Like the Cossack juniper, this species is extremely sensitive to shading, so it should be grown in open, well-lit areas.