Juniper plant in the photo
Decorative species of junipers, both on private plots and in Russian gardens, are still relatively rare. And not at all because they are not worthy of due attention. On the contrary, judging by the description of juniper species, among conifers these trees are perhaps the most beautiful. They are distinguished by their varied shape, graceful needles and decorative fruits.
In addition, it is unlikely that there will be another such natural air ozonizer that cleans it of harmful organisms in a short time and over a significant radius. It is not for nothing that there is an aura of benevolence and peace among junipers. This plant is rightfully medicinal.
The homeland of juniper is the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, less often - the mountains of the tropical part of Central America, the West Indies and East Africa. Juniper thickets live in the undergrowth of light-coniferous or light-leaved forests on sandy and even rocky mountain soils.
More than 20 species of juniper trees are known in Europe and Asia; no more than five or six are common in Russia. They are very different in both appearance, and according to biological requirements.
Juniper is an evergreen coniferous plant belonging to the Cypress family. These can be trees with a height of 12 to 30 m. There are also decorative juniper shrubs - creeping (up to 40 cm in height) and erect (up to 1-3 m). The leaves (needles) of this plant are needle-shaped or scale-like.
Look at the photo what juniper looks like different types:
Juniper 
Juniper
The plant is monoecious or dioecious, depending on the species, age and environmental conditions. Male spikelets are yellowish with scaly stamens, female cones are berry-shaped, with a bluish coating, bearing 1-10 seeds. Flowering - in April-May. Cones usually ripen in the second year after flowering.
What do the roots of a juniper plant look like? The root system of these trees and shrubs is taprooted, with developed lateral branching. Powerful roots are sometimes located in the upper soil horizon.
When describing the juniper tree, it is especially worth noting the strong coniferous smell emitted by these plants and due to the content of essential oils in the needles. Volatile substances have a pronounced phytoncidal effect. The pine smell kills microorganisms and repels insects, in particular mosquitoes.
The smell of juniper can improve the well-being of those suffering from angina pectoris and relieve insomnia. The beneficial role of sleeping pads with dry juniper bark and steam bath brooms, which relieve joint and neurological pain, is well known.
Branches of all types of coniferous juniper trees with live needles are popularly used to fumigate an infected room or simply freshen the air.
The berries of this plant are an excellent raw material for the confectionery, alcoholic beverage and perfume industries.
Common juniper in the photo
Common juniper- a plant in the form of a bush or tree (up to 12 m in height) with a cone-shaped crown.
Young shoots of this species are initially green, then reddish, bare, and round. The bark of the branches and trunks is grayish-brown, dark, scaly-flaky. The needles are in whorls of three, shiny, lanceolate-linear, 1-1.5 cm long, dark green or bluish-green with a hard, spiny tip.
The plant is dioecious. Male flowers- yellow spikelets consisting of thyroid scales with 4-6 anthers. Female ones - resemble green buds of three scales and three ovules. Blooms in May - June. It begins to bear fruit at the age of 5-10 years. Cone berries are single or several pieces, spherical, up to 10 mm in diameter.
As you can see in the photo of the juniper, the fruits of the tree in a mature state are dark blue with a bluish waxy coating:
Common juniper 
Common juniper
The berries have a resinous smell and a sweetish-pleasant taste. Contains up to 40% sugar. A bountiful harvest is repeated after 3-4 years. The cones are collected by shaking them onto a film or cloth spread under the plants and dried under a canopy.
This juniper is undemanding to soil, cold-resistant, and does not tolerate drought well. When transplanted without a clod of soil, it takes root with difficulty. It is propagated by seeds, which mature within 2-3 years and have an oblong shape and a brownish-brown color.
Known decorative forms of common juniper:
Juniper "Pyramidal" in the photo
"Pyramidal" with a columnar crown,
"Pressed"- low-growing shrub with dense dark green needles,
"Horizontal"- a low creeping shrub, densely covered with blue-green needles, sharp and prickly.
Look at the photo of varieties of this type of juniper:
Juniper 
Juniper
These plants are propagated by cuttings and grafting. Common juniper and its decorative forms grow very slowly. They cannot tolerate excess salt in soils and often die when transplanted, which must be taken into account when growing them.
The medicinal properties of the common juniper were known and used in Ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece and Rus'. It is a good diuretic, choleretic, expectorant and antimicrobial agent. And the North American Indians, for example, kept patients with tuberculosis in juniper thickets, not allowing them to leave until they fully recovered.
In the 17th century in Russia, oil and alcohol were made from juniper fruits. The latter was used to produce a special vodka, which was considered a reliable remedy for almost all diseases. The oil was used as effective antiseptic in the treatment of wounds, burns, frostbite.
The fruits of this juniper are used as a seasoning. They add a special forest aroma to poultry and game dishes. The fruits are also used as a coffee substitute. They are still used to make jelly, marmalade, and syrup, which are added to jelly, confectionery and baked goods.
Common juniper cones contain essential oils and 20-25% glucose; they are not inferior in sugar content to grapes. They are used in medicine as a diuretic, in the liquor industry for the production of gin, and in the confectionery industry for the production of syrups. This type of juniper is widely used in homeopathy, as well as in Tibetan medicine.
Pay attention to the photo - this type of juniper in dachas and personal plots is used in single and group plantings, as well as for hedges:
Juniper in dachas and garden plots
The name of this type of juniper is more often heard than others, since it is the most studied and used as a medicinal plant.
In autumn, juniper fruits are harvested. They are aromatic, black-brown in color and have a sweet-spicy taste. Infusions and decoctions are prepared from them (1 tablespoon of crushed fruits per glass of water), which are prescribed as a diuretic and disinfectant for diseases of the kidneys, bladder, kidney stones and liver. Decoctions are also used for gout, rheumatism, arthritis, helping to remove mineral salts from the body.
Both berries and pine needles are used for external use - for skin diseases, gout, arthritis.
You can also be treated with fresh fruits, taking them only after consulting with your doctor, first 2-4 on an empty stomach, then increasing by 1 berry daily, up to 13-15, after which the dose is also gradually reduced to 5 pieces. Fruits are contraindicated in acute inflammatory processes in the kidneys.
Cossack juniper in the photo
Juniper Cossack- a low creeping shrub with recumbent or ascending branches covered with dense needles with a silvery tint.
Unlike the ordinary juniper, the Cossack juniper has poisonous berries. They are small, spherical, brown-black in color with a bluish coating and a very unpleasant odor.
By touching the ground, the plant's branches can take root. As it grows, juniper forms large clumps up to 3-4 m in diameter. This species is very drought-resistant, light-loving and winter-hardy, loves calcareous soil, but grows on all types of soil. Thanks to its unusual appearance, this juniper is indispensable in landscaping, for strengthening rocky slopes, and in decorative groups on lawns.
When propagating this type of juniper by green cuttings, standard planting material will be obtained 2-3 years earlier than from seeds, and the characteristics of the mother plant will be completely preserved. Reproduction by layering is the fastest and most easy way vegetative propagation Cossack juniper, but very unproductive.
Such are known garden varieties this type of juniper, like
Juniper "columnar" 
Juniper "erect"
“columnar”, “erect”,
Juniper form "cypress-leaved" 
Juniper form “variegated”
"cypress-leaved", "variegated"
Juniper form "tamarixolia"
And "tamarixolifolia".
The most interesting is the “white-edged” one with almost white needles at the ends of the branches. Each is decorative in its own way and differs in the shade and shape of the needles.
Juniper Cossack comb-leaved- dioecious, low, almost creeping shrub with smooth, reddish-gray bark. Cones up to 7 mm in diameter, brown-black, with a bluish coating, contain 2-6 pieces. seeds Frost-resistant, drought-resistant.
Chinese juniper in the photo
Chinese juniper- trees or shrubs with a columnar or pyramidal crown. Young shoots are grayish or yellowish-green, round, later brownish. The bark of the trunks is brownish-gray. The needles are predominantly opposite or in young specimens partially whorled (crosswise opposite and needle-shaped in whorls of three), on the shoots they are scaly, rhombic, blunt, tightly pressed to the shoot up to 1.5 mm in length. Propagated by seeds and cuttings.
Cone berries are single or in groups, spherical or ovoid, 6-10 mm in size, mature blue-black.
This type of juniper prefers fertile, well-moistened soils. Does not tolerate drought well. Withstands temperatures down to -30° without visible damage.
As you can see in the photo, this decorative juniper is used for single, group and alley plantings:
Juniper on the site 
Juniper on the site
From the numerous decorative forms on summer cottages They grow the “variegata” form - with whitish tips of the shoots, the “fitzeriana” - with spreading, upward-pointing branches and drooping branches. The variegated, low-growing form is interesting - with arched branches and drooping greenish and golden shoots.
This type of juniper can be grown as a bonsai.
Here you can find photos, names and descriptions of other varieties of juniper suitable for growing in the garden.
Siberian juniper in the photo
Siberian juniper- a low-growing (up to 1 m) creeping shrub with short, sharp, dark green, prickly needles. It is characterized by winter hardiness and unpretentiousness to growing conditions.
Juniperus virginiana in the photo
Red cedar- monoecious evergreen tree. This juniper looks like a real giant - its height reaches up to 20 m. Its homeland is North America. The crown is narrowly ovoid, the needles are long (up to 13 mm) and prickly. The cones ripen in the fall, already in the first year. They are dark blue, with a waxy coating, up to 5 mm in diameter, sweet in taste, and contain 1-2 seeds. Grows quickly, especially with sufficient moisture. Less frost-resistant than Siberian and ordinary. Easily propagated by seeds when sown in autumn or stratified in spring. It tolerates pruning well, but does not tolerate replanting.
Among the common garden forms of juniper virginiana are plants with columnar and pyramidal crowns; with drooping and spreading branches with bluish needles, a rounded spherical crown and bright green needles.
Long-coniferous juniper- tree or shrub. Young shoots are greenish, later - brown, round, bare. The bark is scaly-flaky, dark gray in color. The needles are pointed, three in whorls, 15-20 mm long, dark green or bluish, hard, prickly, shiny.
This type of plant has juniper cones, single and in groups, spherical or oval, 5-10 mm in diameter, ripe ones are black, with a faint bluish bloom. Triangular shaped seeds.
This type of juniper is suitable for group and single plantings, for decorative design slopes and rocky places, because it is not picky about soil and moisture. Propagated by seeds.
Forms with a spherical crown and a compact pyramidal bush are known.
Juniper dwarf- it is mainly a shrub up to 1 m tall. Stems are recumbent, rooting. Young shoots are green and bare. The bark of the branches and trunks is brown, on older ones it is scaly and flaky. This variety of juniper has needles in whorls of three, prickly, hard, up to 1 cm long, bluish-green.
Cone berries are single or in groups, almost spherical, 5-10 mm in diameter, mature - black with a bluish coating, seeds including 2-3, wrinkled, tetrahedral.
In garden design, it is suitable for single plantings on lawns, ridges, rocky hills, and for landscaping slopes. It is undemanding to soils.
Among natural forms stunted The most popular is “Glauka” with recumbent branches and bluish-gray needles, as well as the “Renta” form with obliquely upward directed arched branches with slightly bluish-gray needles. Propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering.
Juniper reddish- tree or shrub. Young shoots and needles are green, and later acquire a yellowish color. The bark is brown-gray, flaky. There are two original white stripes on the top of the needles. The shape of the needles is grooved, prickly and shiny.
The cone berries are spherical, 10 mm in diameter, ripe - reddish-brown, shiny, without a bluish coating.
The species is decorative with yellow colored needles and reddish cone berries. It differs from other species in its lack of cold resistance. It is propagated by seeds, of which there are 2-3 per coneberry. They are brown and slightly triangular.
Juniper tall- a tree up to 15 m high. Young shoots are bluish-dark green, compressed tetrahedral, glabrous. The bark of the branches and trunks is brownish-red, peeling off with age. The needles are crosswise opposite, 2-5 mm long, pointed, ovate-lanceolate in shape, rarely needle-shaped, bluish-green.
The cone berries are single, spherical, 10-12 mm in diameter, mature - black with a bluish coating, brown seeds.
Pay attention to the photo of this variety of juniper - it is very decorative, has a beautiful, dense, wide-pyramidal or ovoid crown. Suitable for single and group plantings, grows well on dry rocky slopes.
Like most other types of juniper, it is winter-hardy, drought-resistant, undemanding to the soil, tolerates pruning well, so can be used in borders. Propagated by seeds.
Juniper squamosus- a slow-growing shrub with an oval crown. When young, the crown is rounded, the branches are raised, bluish-green. The needles are needle-shaped, prickly, gray, short, dense, collected in whorls. The fruits are red-brown cones; When ripe in the second year they become almost black.
Various forms of this juniper are grown, among which there are plants with a spherical, vase-shaped, and spread-out crown.
In our gardens this type Juniper is most often found in the form:
"Blue Star" is a shrub 40-45 cm high and a crown diameter of 50 cm with silver-blue and very prickly needles. He looks good on alpine roller coaster, as well as in containers.
It is quite frost-resistant, but often suffers from the spring sun.
Methods of juniper propagation and growing conditions (with photo)
The method of juniper propagation is chosen depending on the species - seeds, green cuttings, layering.
The seeds ripen in cones a year or two after flowering. The cones are left hanging on the tree until sowing. It is better to sow in the fall (November) in the seed furrows, into which it is necessary to add soil from under an adult juniper plant, keeping in mind the introduction of mycorrhiza into the new soil. If sowing is done in the spring, then preliminary stratification of the seeds is necessary in wet sand, in the first month at a temperature of +20...+30°, and then 4 months - at +14...+15°. Substrate for sowing - 1 part sifted turf soil and 1 part pine sawdust.
As shown in the photo, when propagating juniper, good results are obtained by planting green cuttings in greenhouses, and in summer - in greenhouses:
Juniper propagation 
Juniper propagation
Green cuttings are indispensable for propagating garden forms. Cuttings are taken with the “heel” only from young plants.
The substrate - 1 part peat, 1 part juniper needle - is placed on a layer of compost, covered with a layer of turf soil, taken from under the juniper plant. Cuttings are sprayed 4-5 times a day. The most suitable time for cutting cuttings is April. For better rooting, cuttings should be treated with a growth stimulant, immersing them for 24 hours in a solution of Epin, Zircon, Ukorenit, Kornevin, Kornerosta or another drug.
One of the main conditions for growing junipers is compliance temperature regime. The optimal air temperature during cuttings should be +23...+24° with a relative humidity of 80-83%.
After 1-1.5 months, a thickening appears on the juniper cuttings - callus. Immediately after this, they are transferred to the ridges, where they overwinter.
Caring for and growing junipers is not difficult, since all types of these plants are unpretentious, growing well on a wide variety of soils, including sand and wetlands, but preference is given to light nutrient substrates.
Most species are light-loving, resistant to drought, sudden temperature fluctuations and damage by diseases and pests.
Considering the peculiarities of growing junipers, you cannot dig up the soil under these plants in the fall to avoid damaging the roots. The tree trunk circle should be covered with a layer of fallen pine needles.
When growing juniper in the garden, all types of these plants are unpretentious, that is, they are able to withstand frost and drought, and practically do not require fertilizers or pruning. However, there are certainly secrets to the agricultural technology of growing junipers in culture, as evidenced by their frequent loss of decorativeness, and sometimes sudden death.
Planting a seedling on permanent place is fraught with difficulties, since juniper does not like transplants. The tree for transplantation is dug in a circle and, together with a lump of earth, is transferred to a new place. In this case, the goal is to minimally injure the root system.
For successful care For juniper, planting dates are determined by root growth. Juniper has two growth periods: early spring (March) and mid-summer (June-July). However, according to weather conditions, the second, summer period is not suitable due to drought. At the same time, planting in the fall may be considered advisable. During the winter, the plant is dormant, and with the beginning of spring it begins to actively take root.
These photos show planting and caring for juniper in a personal plot:
Juniper in the garden
Junipers are worthy of widespread use in the design of summer cottages. Their decorative forms are especially picturesque. They are not only beautiful, but by releasing phytoncides, like all conifers, they improve the health of our habitat.
Each of the most common types of junipers has its own specificity and value.
Low-growing forms of junipers are successfully used as ground cover.
Juniper as a silver-blue carpet
Forms such as "Glauka", "Blue Star" And "Old Gold", are capable of creating a beautiful silver-blue carpet under trees and tall bushes.
Pyramidal juniper species are usually planted as single plants or in small groups near various architectural structures, as well as on lawns and alpine hills. They are good in a quiet corner formed by trees, herbs and perennials.
In some botanical reference books, the coniferous juniper tree is referred to as heather, and among the Turkic peoples this plant is called juniper. By tracing the etymology of the genus name in Slavic literature, we can associate this word with the ancient verbs “to weave” and “to knit.” This is one of the longest-living plants, but it renews itself very poorly - human help is required to preserve trees. Coniferous tree juniper ( Juniperus) belongs to the Cypress family (Cupressaceae). The genus includes more than 60 species, distributed mainly in the mountains of the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. The appearance of plants is very diverse - from large trees to creeping bushes. A characteristic feature of many species is variability depending on growing conditions: in the lowlands they have a tree-shrub crown shape, and in the mountains - an elfin one. On this page you can see photos, names and descriptions of different types of junipers, as well as get tips on growing them in the garden.
What juniper looks like: description of the plant and its photo
The leaves (needles) of junipers are very diverse: opposite or whorled, needle-shaped, scale-like, or both. The leaves of young (juvenile) plants are always needle-shaped. Varietal forms of the same species can have needles of any type. The color of needles of different species can vary from green to bluish. In junipers of the subgenus Sabina, the needles change color in winter, acquiring a protective brown tint.
Junipers are dioecious plants, less often monoecious.
Male “flowers” are ovoid on short branches, female flowers are rounded, on short scaly branches, formed at the ends of long shoots. The fruits are in small, round semi-dry berries (cone berries), ripen in the second, less often in the first year. The genus Juniper is divided into three subgenera, uniting closely related species. The largest of them is the subgenus Sabina, which, in particular, includes such popular species in gardens as:
- Cossack juniper ( J. sabina)
- Chinese juniper ( J. chinensis)
- Rock juniper ( J. scopulorum)
- Juniper scaly ( J. squamata)
- Juniper virginiana ( J. virginiana)
- Common juniper ( J. communis)
- Coastal juniper ( J. conferta)
- Juniper hard ( J. rigida)
Creeping species of juniper conifers define the landscape of the highlands. High-mountain dwarf junipers are characterized by an unusual crown development pattern associated with the harsh climate - plant trunks are pressed to the ground, bend between scree stones, and eventually die off completely, passing the baton of life to the branches rooted in the rubble. Such populations form vast carpet clumps that live for hundreds of years. Coastal elfin trees are formed in a similar way, but, unlike mountain ones, their trunks and branches are buried not in crushed stone, but in sand. Typical dwarf species are:
- Juniper horizontal ( J. horizontalis)
- Siberian juniper ( J. sibirica)
- Juniperus daurica ( J. davurica)
- Juniper crowded ( J. conferta)
Types and popular varieties of juniper: photos, names and descriptions
Juniperus chinensis- Chinese juniper.
Grows in China. Mongolia and Japan. In nature, it is a tree up to 20 m high or a shrub with a freely growing, broadly pin-shaped or creeping crown. Naturally, the size and type of crown depend solely on growing conditions - the more favorable they are, the more larger plant. It is not surprising that Chinese juniper has a huge number of cultivars. The branches of natural forms are thin, simultaneously with two types of needles on the same plant - scaly and needle-shaped. The scaly needles are tightly pressed to the branches and have a rhombic shape, while the needle-shaped needles are collected in whorls. The ends of the branches of young growth are straight and covered with scaly needles. As you can see in the photo, the juniper of “wild” forms is dark bluish-green, while the varietal ones have the most varied, including golden:
Male and female plants may vary. The fruits (cone berries) are brown with a mealy ring, round, 6-8 mm in diameter. They ripen in the second year. Natural varieties are quite frost-resistant, but in severe winters they freeze slightly. The degree of frost resistance of varieties varies, but most of them are quite resistant.
Many cultivars of the coniferous juniper plant have a controversial origin, are considered hybrids with Cossack juniper (J. sabina) and are called medium juniper (J. media). Often these varieties are classified as one or another species, but most often varietal group Pfitzeriana, including such popular cultivars as Gold Coast and Old Gold.In the conditions of the Moscow region they can actively grow. But in unfavorable snowy winters, fractures and broken branches are quite common. When growing these junipers, even well-rooted and overgrown specimens can suffer from the spring sun and drying winds. In conditions with high humidity air feel more comfortable. Popular varieties of Chinese juniper:
Juniperus chinensis Expansa Aureospicata
Wide, tiered growth form. The needles are needle-shaped. Grey-green. The branches are pointed, some of them ending in creamy-golden growths. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 1.5-1.8 m; height 40-60 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Parsonii
Widely spreading, tiered growth form. The needles are needle-shaped. Grey-green. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 3.0 m; height 50-70 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Pfitzeriana Aurea
Widely spreading, tiered growth form. Look at the photo - the needles of the juniper plant are soft, needle-shaped, golden:
The vegetative shoots are bright and turn green over time. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 2.0-2.2 m; height about 1 m. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Pfitzeriana Blue and Gold
Tiered, pot-like growth form. The needles are soft, needle-like. Gray-blue, with golden spots. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width up to 1.5 m; height 1 m. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Pfitzeriana Compacta
Tiered, creeping, flattened growth form. The needles are soft, needle-shaped, gray-blue. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 1.5-2.0 m; height about 50 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Pfitzeriana Gold Star
Widely spreading, tiered growth form. The needles are soft, needle-shaped, golden. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 2.0-2.2 m; height is about 1.0 m. When describing the juniper plant of this variety, it is worth noting its complete frost resistance. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Pfitzeriana Golden Saucer
Widely spreading, tiered growth form. The needles are soft, needle-like. Light green-golden. Vegetating shoots are bright and turn green over time. The branches are pointed. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 2.0-2.5 m; height about 1.0 m. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible.
Juniperus chinensis Plumosa Aureovariegata
Dwarf form. The needles are green-blue. The branches have white-cream tips and have a somewhat vertical growth direction. Estimated dimensions at 10 years of age: width 60-80 cm; height about 50 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Damage to the needles from the rays of the spring sun is possible. These photos show varieties of Chinese juniper, the names of which are given above:
Juniperus communis- Common juniper
A highly variable species, distributed in the forests and mountains of Europe, Northern Asia to Northern China and North Africa. A columnar or pin-shaped tree or a multi-stemmed shrub with a height of 2 to 20 m. Just like many other junipers, the type of crown depends on the growing conditions, so in mountainous areas you can find forms with an elfin crown spread on the ground. The diversity of natural types has led to the emergence of a huge number of cultivars - varieties with different strength and type of crown growth. Pay attention to the photo - this type of juniper has green, triangular young shoots with longitudinal grooves:
The bark of adult plants is gray-brown and fibrous. The needles are needle-shaped, hard, prickly, collected in whorls of 3 pieces. The length of the needles is 10-15 mm, the color is green with a white stripe in the center. Male and female plants do not differ in appearance. The fruits (cone berries) are dark gray, as if covered with frost, round, 6-9 mm in diameter. They ripen in the 2-3rd year. Common juniper is one of the most frost-resistant of its kind. Most varieties are also completely frost-resistant, but many columnar forms suffer greatly from the spring sun and require shading. Recommended varieties of common juniper:
Juniperus communis Berkshire
Mini variety of common juniper. The needles are prickly, pointed, gray-blue. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus communis compressa
Mini variety of common juniper. Columnar shape. This variety of juniper ordinary type the needles are prickly, pointed, green-blue. The branches fit tightly to the trunk. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. On the south side, it is desirable to shade the plant from the rays of the spring sun. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus communis Dr.U.
A narrow-columnar variety of common juniper. The needles are prickly, pointed, green. The branches fit tightly to the trunk. The crown is very dense. Annual growth is within 15-20 cm. It is desirable to shade the southern part of the plant from the rays of the spring sun. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus communis Spotty Spreader
A dwarf variety of common juniper. Widely creeping, shrubby form. The needles are soft, green, with irregular white staining. It is desirable to shade the south-facing part of the plant from the rays of the spring sun. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus communis Sterling Silver
A dwarf variety of common juniper. Creeping form. The needles are prickly, gray-blue. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus communis Suecica Aurea
Mini variety of common juniper. Columnar shape. The needles are prickly, pointed, green-golden. The branches fit tightly to the trunk. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. It is desirable to shade the southern part of the plant from the rays of the spring sun. Completely frost-resistant, covered with frost, round, 8-12 mm in diameter. They ripen in the 2nd year. Completely frost-resistant. It has a few varietal forms. Recommended variety of juniper crowded:
Juniperus conferta All Gold
A dwarf variety of crowded juniper. Creeping form. The needles are prickly and golden. Annual growth is within 5-8 cm. Frost-resistant.
Juniperus conferta- Juniper crowded
It grows on the sands in Japan and on Sakhalin Island, forming dense thickets. Creeping, strongly creeping shrub, similar to the elfin form of common juniper. When describing this type of juniper, it is worth noting its very long, red-brown branches. The ends of the branches are straight. The needles are light green, needle-shaped, hard, prickly, collected in flat whorls of 3 pieces. Male and female plants do not differ in appearance. The fruits (cones) are dark blue, exactly
Juniperus horizontalis- Juniper horizontal
It grows in the mountains and along the sandy shores of large lakes in North America. Creeping shrub with long branches tightly pressed to the ground. The branches are numerous and flat. The needles of the natural form are scaly, tightly pressed to the branches; in cultivated forms they are different: scaly, needle-shaped or combined. The color of the needles of the natural form is bluish-green, while the varietal ones are very diverse: green, bluish, golden, variegated. The fruits (cones) are blue, as if covered with frost, round, 5-6 mm in diameter. Recommended varieties of horizontal juniper:
Juniperus horizontalis Blue Pygmy
Micro variety of horizontal juniper. The needles are prickly, green-blue, sometimes silvery, densely located on the branches. Annual growth up to 1 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus horizontalis Golden Carpet
Creeping form of horizontal juniper. The needles are scaly, golden, light green at the base of the branches. In winter it turns brown. Annual growth within 10 cm, completely frost-resistant. The decoration of the garden will be both a juniper grown on a trunk and hanging from it, and a specimen spreading along the ground.
Juniperus horizontalis Mother Lode
Creeping form of horizontal juniper. The needles are scaly, golden, slightly light green at the base of the branches. During the summer it gradually acquires brownish tones, turning completely brown in winter. Annual growth within 10 cm. Completely frost-resistant. The decoration of the garden will be both a juniper grown on a trunk and hanging from it, and a specimen spreading along the ground. Considered one of the most golden junipers.
Juniperus horizontalis Neuman
Micro variety of horizontal juniper. The needles are prickly, blue-green, sometimes silvery, densely located on the branches. Annual growth up to 1 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Almost indistinguishable from Juniperus horizontalis Blue Pygmy. Look at the photo - this variety of juniper is considered the smallest:
Juniperus horizontalis Prince of Wales
Creeping form of horizontal juniper. The needles are scaly, green-blue. Annual growth is more than 10 cm. Crown diameter at the age of 10 years is more than 2 m. Completely frost-resistant. The decoration of the garden will be both a juniper grown on a trunk and hanging from it, and a specimen spreading along the ground. Below are photos, names and descriptions of other varieties of junipers.
Other varieties of junipers: photos, names and descriptions
Juniperus sabina- Cossack juniper
It grows in the mountains of Southern and Central Europe, Siberia, the Caucasus and Asia Minor. Very variable. In nature, it is a shrub that forms extensive clumps up to 4 m high. The trunks are inclined, the branches are more or less creeping with raised branches of young growth. The old bark is reddish-brown, falling off in patches. The needles of their natural shape are bluish-green, tightly pressed to the branches, combined - needle-shaped and scaly on the same plant. The needles of varietal forms are the most diverse in both shape and color. Male and female plants differ not only generatively, but also in the type of needles - in female specimens the needle type of needles is dominant, and in male specimens the scaly type is dominant. Some varieties are nature-selected forms of either female or male plants, such as the varieties Femina and Mascula.
The fruits (cone berries) are bluish-black, as if covered with frost, round, 5-7 mm in diameter. They ripen the first year in autumn or the second year in spring. Completely frost-resistant.Ten to fifteen years ago, varieties of Cossack juniper were quite common in our gardens. The plant was unpretentious, and most importantly, almost the most affordable. But soon many owners of small plots cooled somewhat towards its acquisition: firstly, it turned out that this juniper high speed growth and significant crown diameter, secondly, others appeared on the market, not so aggressive and at the same time more interesting, rare species and conifer varieties. Recommended varieties of Cossack juniper:
Juniperus sabina Variegata
Natural form. One of the branches has a mutating, variegated color.
Juniperus sabina Blaue Donau (synonym - Blue Danube)
Dwarf variety of Cossack juniper. Shrubby, spreading, funnel-shaped form. The branches are pointed and have a vertical direction of growth. When describing this variety of juniper, it is worth noting its beautiful green-blue needles. Annual growth is 20-25 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus sabina Cupressifolia
Dwarf variety of Cossack juniper. Creeping, spreading form. The branches are pointed, have a vertical direction of growth, and subsequently fall down. The needles are green-blue. Annual growth within 20 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus sabina Blue Forest
Dwarf variety of Cossack juniper. Dense, creeping, densely apical form. This is one of the best varieties Cossack juniper with short, pointed branches and blue-green needles. Annual growth within 10 cm. Completely frost-resistant.
Juniperus scopulorum-Juniper rocky
It grows in the western regions of North America, on dry spurs of rocks from Texas and Oregon to British Columbia. The species is closely related to Juniperus virginiana, which leads to constant confusion with the identification of varieties of these species.
In nature it is a tree 10-13 m high, often multi-stemmed. The crown is broadly columnar, pin-shaped or unevenly rounded. The bark is dark red-brown. The needles are scale-like, opposite, tightly pressed.The color of the needles is dark, light or bluish green. The fruits (cone berries) are dark blue, as if covered with frost, round, 5-7 mm in diameter, sweetish. They ripen by the end of the second year. Both natural and cultivated varieties of this juniper are completely frost-resistant. Recommended rock juniper variety:
Juniperus scopulorum Moonglow
Columnar form of rock juniper. The branches fit tightly to the trunk. The needles are hard, prickly, gray-blue. Dimensions of the plant at 10 years of age: width within 40 cm, height 3.0 m. Frost-resistant. At a young age, it can be damaged by the rays of the spring sun.
Juniperus sibirica- Siberian juniper
A typical dwarf species of the highlands and polar regions of Eurasia. Systematically close to M. vulgaris. In nature, it forms extensive carpet thickets, in garden culture- a squat shrub with a wide dense crown. Young shoots are green, triangular with longitudinal grooves. The bark of adult plants is gray-brown and fibrous. As you can see in the photo, this variety of juniper has needle-shaped, hard, prickly needles, collected in whorls of 3 pieces:
The length of the needles is 5-8 mm, the color is green with a white stripe in the center. Male and female plants do not differ in appearance. The fruits (cone berries) are dark gray, almost covered with frost, round, 6-9 mm in diameter. They ripen in the 2-3rd year. Rare in cultivation, but promising for securing slopes and decorating large rockeries. It has no cultivars or hybrid varieties.
Juniperus squamata- Juniper scaly
Grows in the Himalayas, Central and Western China. In nature, it is a highly branched, often creeping shrub that forms extensive but loose clumps. The trunks and branches are hard, elastic, covered with gray-brown exfoliating bark. The branches of young growths are long, raised, bluish-green. The needles are needle-shaped, gray, short, dense, prickly, collected in whorls. The fruits (cone berries) are red-brown, turning black over time, ellipsoidal, 6-8 mm long. They ripen in the second year. It is quite frost-resistant, but often suffers from the spring sun. It has a few but varied cultivars, mainly with bluish-blue needles. The crown shape of varietal forms is very diverse: “vase-shaped” in the Meyeri variety, spherical in Blue Star, creeping in Blue Carpet. These varieties are the most common in cultivation and are “typical” for this type of juniper. Also recommended varieties: Holger, Meyeri, Tropical Blue. Recommended varieties of scaly juniper:
Juniperus squamata Blue Carpet
Wide, creeping form of scaly juniper. The branches are dense, whip-like. The needles are sharp, hard, gray-blue. Annual growth within 10 cm. Frost-resistant. In damp winters it is often damaged by a fungal infection, which can result in damage to the needles of the branches. The spring sun makes the damage worse. Loss of both individual branches and the entire plant is possible.
Juniperus squamata Holger
It is possible that this is a hybrid of scaly juniper and Chinese Pfitzeriana Aurea. Wide, flattened shape. The needles are sharp, turning yellow in spring, later turning gray-blue. At 10 years of age, possible sizes are: 50-70 cm in height and 2.0-2.5 m in width. Frost-resistant. In damp winters it is often damaged by a fungal infection, which can result in damage to the needles of the branches. The spring sun makes the damage worse. Loss of both individual branches and the entire plant is possible.
Juniperus squamata Meyeri
Wide, creeping form of scaly juniper. The branches are dense, whip-like, and raised. The needles are sharp, hard, gray-blue, collected in whorls. Annual growth within 10 cm. Frost-resistant. In damp winters it is often damaged by a fungal infection, which can result in damage to the needles of the branches. The spring sun aggravates the damage. Loss of both individual branches and the entire plant is possible.
Juniperus squamata Tropical Blue
Dwarf form of scaly juniper. Very compact, round shape. The needles are sharp, hard, rich silver-blue color. Annual growth is within 5-7 cm. Frost-resistant. In damp winters it is often damaged by a fungal infection, which can result in damage to the needles of the branches. The spring sun makes the damage worse. Loss of both individual branches and the entire plant is possible.
Juniperus virginiana- Juniper virginiana
The name of this variety of junipers is given by the name of its main distribution area. Trees in natural environment habitats grow on the dry, rocky soils of Virginia. They can also be found in wet swampy places in North America - from Canada to Florida. The species is close to J. scopulorum (M. rocky), which leads to constant confusion with the definition of varieties of these species.
The bark is peeling and varies in color from gray to reddish-brown. The needles are gray, combined - both needle-shaped and scaly on the same plant. Scale-like needles dominate, but needle-like ones are also quite noticeable, especially on old trees, where they reach a length of 10 mm. The scaly needles are opposite, lanceolate or ovate-rhombic, 1-2 mm long.In nature it is very variable, but most often it is a tree up to 30 m high. The shape of the crown changes with age - first narrowly columnar, and later pin-shaped with drooping and horizontally spaced branches. The trunk is up to 1 m thick.
The flowers are monoecious (male and female on the same specimen). The fruits (cones) are dark blue, shiny, as if covered with frost, almost round, 6 mm in diameter.Both natural and varietal forms are completely frost-resistant. It has a few cultivars, but varied in growth type. The most common are the columnar Skyrocket and the spread out Gray Owl. Recommended variety of juniper virginiana:
Juniperus virginiana Gray Owl
A medium-sized variety of Virginian juniper. In youth, it has a prostrate-raised form, which with age becomes very wide and multi-tiered. The branches are whip-shaped, raised. The needles are prickly, gray-blue. Annual growth is within 15-20 cm. Completely frost-resistant. Next, you will learn how to grow juniper in the country and how to propagate these trees.
How to grow juniper in the country: agricultural technology for planting and caring in open ground (with photo)
To plant and successfully care for juniper, you need to take care of the loose, slightly acidic loamy soils, sandy loam soils are also quite suitable. Dwarf varieties should not be grown in overly rich soils - they may lose their typical crown shape. When caring for junipers, adult specimens do not require feeding. Young plants can be fed in the spring after the snow melts on wet ground with complex or combined mineral fertilizer in reduced concentration. Fresh manure and feces are strictly excluded. These photos show the agricultural technology of planting and caring for junipers:
Junipers are replanted either in the spring before buds open, or in the fall. Deepening the root collar is possible, but undesirable. Young plants and varietals garden forms They tolerate replanting easily, but those taken from nature are extremely bad. Large specimens can be replanted only after preliminary preparation of the root ball. In order to care for junipers as proper agricultural technology suggests, you need to ensure the absence of stagnant and groundwater. Frost resistance of species varies. Adult specimens are more resistant than young ones. It is possible to build a shelter from frost only for low-growing varietal forms. As shown in the photo, when caring for junipers, medium-sized specimens are insulated with coniferous spruce branches; for dwarf ones, a “hut” is arranged:
To avoid breaking by heavy snow and loss of shape, lightly tightening the branches of multi-stemmed varietal specimens is necessary.
The use of junipers in garden landscape design (with photo)
It is not surprising that these beautiful and various plants have become one of the main ones for the formation of compositions of decorative gardens in almost all regions of the Earth. Depending on the nature and strength of growth, the type and color of the needles, each of the types and varieties of junipers in landscape design used in its own way. They are good as dominants and solitaires, for creating groups and borders, for planting in mixborders and rockeries. Junipers are indispensable in garden design and for maintaining the constant color of the garden - none of the coniferous genera has such a rich variety of needle colors: all honey mushrooms are green, bluish-white and golden-yellow. Junipers tolerate formative pruning absolutely painlessly throughout the year. To restrain growth and make spreading and creeping varieties more compact, it is possible to cut out any branches. Look at the photo - in garden design, bush junipers and varieties are good for forming trimmed hedges:
In many species, at the end of winter - beginning of spring, the shoots of the previous year get burned. Shading with pine spruce branches or gauze can help prevent this. In spring, abundant watering is recommended to ensure uniform awakening of plants. It is especially important after severely frosty winters that freeze the soil. Below is how to grow juniper from seeds.
Basic conditions for growing juniper from seeds
One of the main conditions for growing juniper from seeds is to use only freshly harvested planting material. When stored in normal conditions germination is lost after 1-2 years.Seeds should be collected in the fall, as soon as the pine cones ripen. To improve germination, they must be removed from the fruit and washed. The seeds have very hard shells, without breaking which they cannot germinate. In addition, the seed embryo is not ready for germination, as it is at rest. In nature, the process of breaking the integument takes place in the stomach of birds that swallow the seeds, and the awakening of the embryo occurs after a long stay in the soil.
In garden culture for growing juniper, the seeds are scarified, that is, the integument is artificially disturbed. For junipers, the best method is chemical, in which dry seeds are placed in sulfuric acid for 30 minutes and then carefully washed. After this treatment, the seeds are sown in open ground. They germinate by spring.Another method of seed germination is possible, based on combined stratification, creating ideal conditions to awaken the embryo. Immediately after collecting and cleaning the seeds, they are mixed with coarse, clean, slightly damp sand, sawdust or sphagnum moss, placed in plastic bags and stored for 2-3 months at a temperature of +20 to +30 ° C. Subsequently, the seeds are stored for 3-4 months in the refrigerator or basement at a temperature of +3...+5 °C. During the stratification period, it is necessary to maintain an even, moderate level of substrate moisture and avoid temperature fluctuations.
In spring, stratified seeds are washed and sown in boxes or bowls. The crops are placed in a warm (+18…+23 °C) place, where they germinate. The seedlings are kept in the light, but not in the bright sun, and watered moderately, if necessary they are planted. After hardening in the fresh air, they are planted in a ridge.To simplify the process, seeds after stratification can be immediately sown in ridges open ground. The combination of chemical scarification with further stratification guarantees a higher germination percentage.
Varietal varieties with seed propagation weakly repeat the characteristic signs, and it is very difficult to determine them in the first year. To propagate varietal forms, vegetative propagation is used.
Propagation of junipers in the garden by cuttings (with video)
The method of propagating junipers by horizontal layering does not guarantee the preservation of the crown shape of columnar plants, but it is very good for dwarf forms. Rooting occurs throughout the year. Cuttings most fully ensure the repetition of all varietal characteristics. However, not all junipers are equally easily propagated by cuttings. Cuttings from young ones take root relatively well varietal plants, even better - cuttings taken from plants with an elfin crown type. Cuttings of many wild species, especially those taken from old specimens, root very poorly.Cuttings are carried out in the spring before or at the very beginning of the awakening of the buds. You can do this in the summer, when the young growths have hardened, but in this case the cuttings do not have time to form roots and overwinter only with an influx of callus.For spring and early summer rooting, mature shoots from last year are suitable; in mid-summer, the growth of the current year is cut off. From columnar and narrow pyramidal forms, only shoots tending upward, but not the strongest, are taken; from creeping ones, everything except vertical ones are taken; from plants with a loose, oval or spherical crown, any cuttings can be taken. The best cuttings are short side branches, torn from the main branch with a piece of old wood - with a “heel”. They are prepared in the morning or in cloudy weather. To propagate junipers in the garden, cuttings are rooted in boxes filled with a special substrate consisting of coarse washed sand with the addition of perlite in a ratio of 1:1 or 2:1 or high acidic peat (3:1). The cuttings are immersed in the substrate at an angle of 60-70, and in no case should they be turned over with the back side of the branch facing up.
When cutting cuttings in spring, in the initial period, before the buds open, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of +15...+18 ᵒC, and then bring it to +20...+23 °C. It is undesirable to allow sudden temperature fluctuations and raise it above +25 °C. Direct sunlight is especially dangerous for cuttings, so they need to be shaded.Excessive substrate moisture leads to the death of cuttings. To avoid this, good drainage is needed. However, the combination of a slightly moist substrate with high air humidity stimulates rooting. To improve results, you can use preparations for root formation, strictly adhering to the instructions included with them.
If you care for junipers in your dacha garden as proper agricultural technology suggests, then spring cuttings can take root by mid-summer, and summer cuttings by the end of autumn. But sometimes by autumn the cuttings do not form roots, having only a thickening at the cut site - callus. In this case, they need shelter for the winter. Well-rooted plants are not covered. Watch the video “Propagation of juniper by cuttings” to better understand how this agricultural technique is performed:
Latin name Juniperus communis L. s. l.
incl. J. depressa Stev.,. /. hemisphaerica J. et C. Presl, J. oblonga Bieb., J. pygmaea C. Koch
Cypress family
Genus Juniperus - Juniper
The genus Juniper belongs to the noble cypress family and unites more than 70 species distributed in Eurasia and North America. In Siberia and Far East There are 8 species
Description
Common juniper(Juniperus communis L) is an evergreen coniferous dioecious shrub 1-3 m high or, less commonly, a tree up to 8-12 m high. Accordingly, fruits are formed only on female plants. This must be remembered when growing it on the site.
Crown cone-shaped with branches pressed upward or ovoid with shoots lagging in different directions.
Bark trunks are gray-brown, young shoots are reddish-brown.
Needles needle-shaped, dense, 1-1.5 cm long.
Are developing coneberries(fruits) slowly, their full maturity occurs in the second year. When fully ripe, they are bluish-black in color, with a bluish, waxy coating.
It blooms in May, the seeds ripen in the fall of next year.
Spreading
Common juniper widespread in forest and forest-steppe zones. Grows in the undergrowth of pine, spruce, larch, coniferous-deciduous forests.
In the Teberda Nature Reserve on rocks and rocky places from the forest to the alpine belt, on open slopes in fir-spruce and mixed forests. Especially often near the upper border of the forest, where it forms continuous thickets, 1350-3100 m above sea level.
Growing on site
Recently, many species and cultural forms have been grown in ornamental gardening. Common juniper can also be used not only as a medicinal plant.
Highly winter-hardy (5 points) and drought-resistant (4 points), can be severely damaged by diseases and pests (2-3 points). Cone berries ripen in the fall of next year (4 points). It grows slowly. Light-loving, undemanding to soil fertility.
When choosing a place to plant it, you should remember that it practically does not tolerate exhaust gases: the plant begins to wither, quickly sheds its needles and dies. You should not buy dug plants from the metro or railway stations. As a rule, their roots are severely damaged, and they most likely will not survive transplantation, even with the most meticulous care. If you decide to dig up a plant in the forest yourself, then first of all do not be greedy, choose a young and small plant. It will better withstand moving to a new place. Besides, he doesn't have a very big root system and there is a chance of not damaging it too much when digging. Wrap the dug up plant with a damp burlap and deliver it to the planting site as quickly as possible. Before planting, the roots must be dipped in clay mash and dusted with root (a root former based on indolylbutyric acid). And after planting, wrap the plants in burlap or agril for a month when planting in spring and for the whole winter when planting in autumn, until they take root.
Juniper is relatively undemanding to soils, but prefers light soil texture. It is better to choose a well-lit area.
Reproduction
The plant can also be propagated by seeds. They are harvested in the fall slightly unripe and sown before winter. Seeds require preliminary cold stratification for 3-4 months at a temperature of 2-4 °C. There are also indications of seed stratification when high temperature(20-30 °C) for 1 month, and then 4 months at 13-15 °C.
Shoots appear in spring. To facilitate further transplants, it is better to grow them in pots or containers dug into the ground, so that in the future they can be transferred to a larger volume of soil or to a permanent place. The plant responds very well to spraying with epi-n (prepare the solution according to the instructions for the product).
In winter, it is advisable to tie the plants so that they do not fall apart under the weight of snow. The plant tolerates pruning well, and in the spring its shape can be corrected.
Juniper is cut from cuttings only with the use of growth regulators, the same root. It is best to harvest cuttings in April or February. When rooting it is required high humidity air with moderate substrate humidity.
Advice. Common juniper, as well as other species of this extensive genus, is recommended for landscaping in single and group plantings.
Medicinal raw materials
The fruits are harvested in September-October, when they acquire their characteristic dark color, A tarpaulin or matting is spread under the bush and ripe cones are shaken off on them, and then they are cleared of pine needles and twigs
You cannot hit the trunk with a stick, as the green fruits will also fall off, which should not be allowed. Firstly, they contaminate the raw materials, and secondly, this is next year’s harvest, because it takes 2 whole years for the cones to form. You cannot cut down plants or cut branches. The plant begins to bear fruit in the 5-8th year of life. The frequency of fruiting is 3-5 years.
After collection, the raw materials are cleaned, especially from grass bugs, which spoil its quality. Dry in dryers at temperatures up to 35 ° C or in the shade under a canopy. If you dry raw materials at high temperatures, the precious essential oil, which is one of the main active ingredients, evaporates. The fruits dry out twice as much.
The finished raw material must contain at least 0.5% essential oil.
Shelf life at proper storage 3 years.
Vvimaiie! The raw materials must not contain the poisonous Cossack juniper (J. sabina), common in the Crimea, the North Caucasus and the Southern Urals. It is distinguished by a creeping growth habit and flat scaly leaves. Its cone berries are lumpy and usually have two seeds inside.
Useful substances of common juniper
Common juniper fruits contain sugars: glucose, fructose (30-40%), organic acids(3%), pectin substances, essential oil (2-5%), glycosides, resins of poorly studied composition (up to 9%), coloring matter uniperin, fatty oil, wax, phytoncides. Tannins (up to 8%) and essential oil (0.5%) were found in the bark; in stems and needles - ascorbic acid (266 mg), essential oil, phytoncides.
Active ingredients
Up to 2% essential oil was found in the fruits, the main components of which are pinene, cadinene, terpineol, borneol, sabinene, unipercamphor, ced-rol, phellandrene. In addition to essential oil, there are sugars (up to 40%), resins (up to 9%), pectins, organic acids, and the coloring matter uniperine. The needles contain up to 5% essential oil, the main components of which are a-pinene (42-91%), (3-pinene (0.3-4.2%), camphene (1.7-7.2%), sabinene ( 2.8-20.2%), myrcene (1.6-3.1%), p-phellandrene, a-terpinene (0.7-12.2%), cineole (0.4-6.5% ); quinic and shikimic acids; more than 250 mg/% vitamin C. The essential oil of wood consists of thuiarene, cuparene, humulene, cedrol, calamenene, cadinene and a number of other components. Tannins (up to 8%) and essential oils are found in the bark. oil (up to 0.5%).
Applications of Common Juniper
Decorative
Decorative with the shape of the crown and the color of the needle-shaped needles. Decorative durability 30-35 years.
Medicinal
WITH therapeutic purpose Common juniper cones are used.
The plant is used for asthenia, anemia, joint diseases, as a diuretic for cardiac edema, ascites, inflammation of the bladder, and in homeopathy for salt metabolism disorders. Juniper preparations are prescribed as a disinfectant and diuretic for chronic diseases of the genitourinary system, without signs of renal failure.
Application in official and folk medicine
Juniper berries have a tonic, restorative, anti-inflammatory, phytoncidal, expectorant, laxative and strong diuretic effect. They are used as a diuretic for edema, kidney stones, inflammation of the bladder, the presence of protein in the urine, edema associated with renal failure, chronic pyelitis, cystitis, and dropsy. In European medicine, the infusion is used as an expectorant. Sometimes as a blood purifier for eczema, dermatitis, scabies, skin rashes, furunculosis.
In scientific medicine, an infusion of juniper berries (1 tablespoon of crushed raw materials per 1 glass of boiling water, heated in a water bath for 15 minutes, infused for 45 minutes, filtered and taken 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day after meals) is prescribed mainly as a diuretic for edema associated with renal failure and circulatory disorders, and also as a disinfectant for chronic pyelitis, cystitis, Urolithiasis etc. Cone berries are also used in combination with other plants - for chronic diseases of the respiratory tract (tracheitis, laryngitis, bronchitis) - to thin mucus and improve its expectoration. In addition, they are recommended to stimulate appetite, enhance bile formation, improve digestion and intestinal motility, and are used for gastroenteritis, hepatopathy associated with bile stagnation, and a tendency to form gallstones.
In modern traditional medicine, juniper berries are widely used; they are used for asthenia, anemia, furunculosis, joint diseases, chronic skin diseases, gallstones and kidney stones, gout.
In gynecological practice, a decoction of cones is used for douching for colpitis and leucorrhoea of bacterial origin.
The essence of fresh ripe fruits is used in homeopathy.
Use at home
Recommended for diseases of the respiratory tract, liver, gastrointestinal tract, various diseases kidneys and bladder (chronic nephritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis, uro- and nephrolithiasis, acute and chronic urethritis).
If there is sand in the bladder, take 60 g of common juniper fruit, chop it, add 10 g of lemon peel, pour in 1 liter of white wine and leave for 10 days. Drink 100 g 2-3 times a day.
A cold infusion of berries is used as a diuretic (1 teaspoon of crushed raw materials is infused for 2 hours in 1 glass of cold boiled water and take 1 tbsp. spoon 3-4 times a day).
For hypertension, take 10 g of juniper fruits and 5 g of oat seeds and wheatgrass rhizomes, pour in 1 liter of boiling water and simmer over low heat until 0.75 liters of liquid remains. The resulting decoction is drunk little by little throughout the day.
You can use fresh fruits as a blood purifier: on the first day, carefully chew 6 berries (spit out the seeds), each subsequent day, for 2 weeks, increase the dose by
1 berry, thus reaching 20 fruits, and then reduced by 1 berry daily - up to 6.
There is evidence that an infusion of juniper bark stimulates sexual activity in men. For impotence, to stimulate sexual activity, it is recommended to take a decoction of the bark of young branches of common juniper: 1 tbsp. pour 2 cups of boiled water over a spoon, leave for 10-12 hours, boil for 15 minutes in a tightly sealed container, cool, filter and then drink */2 cups 3 times a day before meals.
And in Croatia, female infertility is treated with juniper decoction. To do this, take three tops of juniper branches (4-5 cm long), growing on dry calcareous soil, and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Boil for 5-8 minutes. Drink 50 g in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before bed for 20 days of each month.
Traditional medicine recommends juniper essential oil for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (gonorrhea): 2-5 drops per dose 3 times a day. There is another recipe: pour 20 g of dry crushed thuja shoots with 1 cup of boiling water, leave in a warm place in a tightly sealed container for 5 minutes, strain. Drink 1 glass 3 times a day. Before drinking, add 1-3 drops of juniper essential oil to the glass . This infusion follows "
Take for chronic gonorrhea as an addition to antibiotics. However, it should be remembered that thuja is poisonous.
Externally, a decoction of fruits and branches (at the rate of 50 g of raw material per bucket of water) is used for baths for rheumatism, gout, and eczema. The decoction is prepared in a sealed container for half an hour. Take a bath for 20 minutes a day at a temperature of 38 °C. Rub juniper oil or tincture for rheumatism on painful joints and muscles.
Attention! Internal use of juniper preparations is contraindicated in acute inflammatory kidney diseases (nephritis, nephroso-nephritis).
In ancient times, the berries were used to treat malaria, nervous and other diseases. Since juniper has disinfectant properties, surgical suture material was sterilized with juniper oil, and wooden barrels were evaporated with branches. The fruits have choleretic, antipyretic properties, stimulate digestion, have a tonic, restorative, anti-inflammatory, and expectorant effect.
Pine berries- an integral part of diuretic teas. Raw berries are eaten for stomach ulcers, a decoction of berries and branches is drunk in the absence of menstruation, a decoction of the roots is drunk for diathesis. Infusions and decoctions of dried berries are used to improve appetite in case of insufficient secretory and motor activity of the stomach and intestines, flatulence, cholelithiasis and cholecystitis. They are used externally for baths (prepare a decoction of 200-300 g of berries and branches per 1 liter of water) for diseases of the joints (obliterating endarteritis), trophic ulcers of the legs, for fumigation of rooms in which there were infectious patients, for inhalations and rinsing of the oropharynx.
Essential oil has antibacterial properties, 10% ointment is effective for the treatment of long-healing purulent wounds, promotes the rejection of dead tissue and the growth of new ones; used in the treatment of psoriasis and scabies. Oil from pine needles in the form of an alcohol solution and ointment is prescribed for rubbing for rheumatism, neuralgia, as a painkiller; in the form of tampons - for trichomonas colpitis. In case of spring vitamin deficiency, juniper berries are chewed (starting with four berries, add one every day and, having reached fifteen, again reduce to the original four).
Food
In some European countries and Russia, juniper berries have long been used for food purposes, mainly as a spice to impart a characteristic aroma to kvass, beer, soft carbonated drinks, pickles, marinades, and canned fish. Juniper adds a special taste and forest aroma to poultry and game dishes (take 7-8 berries per 1 kg of meat). Moreover, he beats bad smell, characteristic of meat of wild animals. Hare meat with juniper berries turns out especially delicious.
Due to the high sugar content of cone berries, sweet syrup was previously obtained from them. In Russia in the 17th century. syrup was distilled from juniper berries and the intoxicating drink “juniper wort” was prepared, which was served to the tsar and boyars on fast days. Juniper alcohol was used to make “apoplektika” vodka, which was considered a cure for almost all diseases.
Extracted from ripe dry fruits juniper sugar, they make sugar syrup, beer, kvass, fruit drinks, molasses, marmalade, and candies. In some national cuisines, berries are used as a spice: they are added for flavor to soups, soft drinks, and to meat and poultry dishes (domestic and game) - 7-8 berries per 1 kg of meat.
In Russian cuisine, berries are added to sauerkraut, pickles, and marinades. Fruits collected during the period of full ripening (September-October) and well dried are consumed as a coffee substitute. Shishkoyagoda is in demand in the confectionery and alcoholic beverage industries.
Contraindications : neuroses, acute and chronic inflammation of the kidneys (nephritis and nephrosonephritis), gastritis, colitis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. Large doses and prolonged use irritate the renal parenchyma, causing hematuria.
Preparing the infusion. 10 fruits (1 tablespoon of crushed cones) are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water (in a thermos) and left for 6 hours. Take 1 tablespoon 30-40 minutes before meals 3-4 times a day to thin and facilitate expectoration of mucus in diseases of the respiratory tract, as a mild choleretic agent.
Preparation of the decoction. 50 g of dry cones are poured into 1 glass of water and boiled for 30 minutes, allowed to cool, and filtered. Add honey and sugar until a syrupy consistency is obtained. Take a teaspoon before meals to improve digestion, for diseases of the liver, bladder, kidney stones, inflammation of the tubal appendages, rheumatism.
In England, juniper berries are still used to make gin, a traditional, purely British alcoholic drink. Gin has not received recognition among Russians due to its strong “perfumery aroma.”
Other uses
Juniper branches with needles are used in villages for steaming barrels and tubs before pickling cucumbers, mushrooms and cabbage.
Juniper brooms in the bathhouse for joint diseases can do a good job. Juniper wood is dense, with a beautiful texture and a characteristic odor. It is used for the manufacture of small carpentry and turning products, smoking fish and various meat products. With its subtle pleasant aroma, preserved for decades, juniper wood is in no way inferior to the famous sandalwood.
A genus of evergreen coniferous trees and shrubs of the cypress family. OK. 60 species, mainly in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; numerous in Wed. Asia (where juniper is called juniper) and the Caucasus. They have soil protection and... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
JUNIPER- JUNIPER, juniper, husband. Coniferous shrub from the cypress subfamily with fragrant berries. “Sometimes only the wind whistles and the juniper moves.” Baratynsky. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
JUNIPER- cedar, cypress. Mythopoetic ideas about M., cedar, cypress and other similar plants, reflected in ritual practice, are most often focused on their properties such as evergreen, coniferousness, characteristic “balsamic” smell... ... Encyclopedia of Mythology
juniper- veres, archa Dictionary of Russian synonyms. juniper noun, number of synonyms: 17 ardish (2) arsa ... Synonym dictionary
JUNIPER Modern encyclopedia
JUNIPER- JUNIPER, ah, husband. Coniferous tree or shrub family. cypress | adj. juniper, oh, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
JUNIPER- (Juniperus), genus of evergreens, b. including dioecious plants of the family. cypress Small trees tall up to 10-12 m, less often up to 20-30 m, or shrubs, sometimes creeping. Leaves are opposite in pairs or less often in whorls of 3, needle-shaped in young and... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary
Juniper- (Juniperus L.) A genus of coniferous plants from the cypress family. (Cupressaceae). These are evergreen aromatic shrubs or trees covered with ring-shaped or opposite leaves (in the section Sabina Endl.); in each ring there are three-needle... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
Juniper- JUNIPER, a genus of evergreen coniferous trees and shrubs (cypress family). Over 60 species, mainly in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; in Russia there are about 15 species, in the European part, in the North Caucasus, in Siberia and in the Far ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
JUNIPER- (Juniperus), a genus of coniferous evergreen aromatic plants of the cypress family (Cupressaceae), widespread in the extratropical part of the Northern Hemisphere. About 40 species of various life forms from tall slender trees to... ... Collier's Encyclopedia
Books
- Juniper. Myths and reality, Neumyvakin Ivan Pavlovich. A new book by Professor I.P. Neumyvakin is dedicated to the healing properties of juniper, a plant that has been used in medicine since ancient times. folk medicine, in particular for rheumatism, gout,... Buy for 148 rubles
- Juniper will withstand dry land, Yulo Tuulik. The novel JUNIPER WILL STAND THROUGH DRY by the Estonian prose writer and journalist Yulo Tuulik tells the story of the fate of the inhabitants of the Sõrve peninsula on the island of Saaremaa, taken to Germany, where they died in...
Coniferous evergreen shrubs and trees, of which there are more than 70 species, belong to the cypress family. Juniper is a plant that is well known in our country. It is widely used in landscape design.
Many summer residents and owners of country houses would like to see these original, exquisitely beautiful plantings on their plots. True, not everyone knows how juniper grows and what conditions it needs. In this article we will try to answer many questions regarding this culture.
History of the name
There are two versions regarding the origin of the name of this plant. Some researchers are sure that it came from the phrase “between spruce forests,” since in the north the plant prefers areas between spruce plantings. The second version says that it comes from the Old Russian word “moloka”, meaning “knot”. Perhaps this hypothesis also has a right to exist, since juniper is distinguished by knotty branches and trunk.
Where does juniper grow?
Representatives of this genus are quite widespread - from the Arctic to mountainous subtropical regions. The only exception is Juniperus procera (East African). This species is distributed on the African continent up to 18° south latitude.
As a rule, most junipers have a small distribution area. Usually these are certain mountain systems and countries. Widespread, perhaps, only Where does tree juniper grow, which can reach fifteen meters in height? These trees form the light forests characteristic of the Mediterranean, Central Asia, southern North America and the arid regions of Mexico. True, they do not occupy large territories.
If you are interested in where smaller species of juniper grow, then we hasten to inform you that it can be found in the undergrowth or in the third tier in light coniferous and deciduous forests. When they are destroyed, clean thickets are formed. The shortest, creeping species can be seen on rocky slopes and cliffs, at the upper border of the forest.
Description
Juniper can be either a shrub growing up to three meters or a tree up to fifteen meters high. Specimens up to thirty meters high are much less common. In more severe climatic conditions, the plant can take on an elfin form. Male plants have a dense and columnar crown, while female plants have a denser and oval-shaped crown.
Juniper has two types of needles: young plants are covered with green and needle-shaped, very sharp ones, the length of which is about one and a half centimeters. The branches of mature trees are covered with both needle-like and scale-like needles.
Bloom
Juniper blooms in May. Male yellow cones are elongated or spherical in shape, while female (green) cones are collected in small groups. After fertilization, in the first year, female flowers resemble hard brownish balls, and already in the second year they take on the appearance of berries, filled with juice. By autumn they become dark blue or black-violet, much less often - red-brown, with a slight bluish tinge.
You already know where juniper grows - in undergrowth and light deciduous forests (or forms independent thickets on the sands). Now let’s discuss what conditions are most comfortable for him.
It is not at all picky about soil, since its powerful roots can extract nutrients and water from the depths of the poorest soils. It is drought-resistant, shade-tolerant and frost-resistant plant, which can withstand frost down to -40 °C. Juniper grows slowly, but is distinguished by its longevity - scientists claim that some specimens live up to 3000 years.
Landing
Many summer residents are interested in how to plant juniper correctly. First of all, you need to prepare a sunny place for the seedling. Depending on the type of plant, soil requirements may vary, but generally this is not the most important factor.
Fill in landing hole a mixture of sand, peat and turf soil. On wet soils, drainage will be required when planting. In this case, it is necessary to increase the depth of the hole. Broken brick or crushed stone is poured onto the bottom. When planting, do not bury the root collar.
Watering
In dry and dry weather, junipers require rare but abundant watering so that the water wets the soil well. In addition, sprinkling (spraying) is necessary in hot weather. This is best done in the evening.
Preparing for winter
Junipers with an erect crown shape are tied with a rope in late autumn to prevent deformation of the branches under the weight of snow. Other species do not need special preparation for winter.
Juniper: types and varieties. Gold Coast
This is a low shrub whose shoots are arranged horizontally. The needles are decorative - golden-yellow in color, darkening in winter. The bush loves lighted places; in the shade, development slows down. The crown is dense and spreading. Not picky about soil and moisture. The plant's growth per year ranges from five to fifteen centimeters.
Mint Julep
This species has a spreading crown located at an angle to the soil of approximately 45°. The name of the coniferous shrub comes from mint julep, which translated from English means “sweet mint cocktail.” The Mint Julep juniper was first bred in a nursery in Saratoga Springs (USA).
The advantage of this variety is that it easily tolerates droughts and severe frosts. The plant can be planted singly or in a group, creating an original Juniper Mint Julep has a medium size and a wavy crown. By the age of ten it can reach three meters in width. Another advantage is the very pleasant mint aroma of pine needles. In the USA, this variety is considered to be industrial: it thrives in the city, serving as a hedge.
Juniper Blue (scaly)
This is a fairly large group. It includes more than two dozen species. They refer to ornamental plants, which are ideal for landscape decoration. In this article we will present you the most common of them.
Blue Carpet
An unpretentious, fast-growing shrub. Its height does not exceed one and a half meters, the branches are distinguished by prickly silver-blue needles. The crown is wide and flat. The fruits (cones) are dark blue with a whitish coating. Relatively fast growth allows the crop to be used to strengthen slopes and hills.
The bushes love the sun, are resistant to gas pollution and smoke, and tolerate pruning well.
Blue Star
The name of this plant translates as " blue Star". Decorative juniper Blue Star is a shrub with needle-shaped, scaly needles of a beautiful silver-blue hue. The crown is dense, semicircular. Blue Star grows very slowly - by the age of ten it gains no more than forty centimeters in length and diameter.
The bush is drought-resistant, frost-resistant, undemanding to soil, grows in all dry and well-drained soils, as well as in poor soils.
Blue Arrow
Blue Arrow got its name (translated as “blue arrow”) due to interesting shape crowns Narrow, columnar, it really resembles an arrow. The shoots are tough, tightly pressed to the trunk, growing vertically, growing by fifteen centimeters per year. At the age of ten years, the plant reaches two and a half meters in height with a width of 0.7 meters.
The needles are scaly, soft, bright blue. The fruits are bluish-blue cones. The advantage of the variety is its low-growing lower branches (almost at the base of the trunk).
Andorra Variegata
A dwarf shrub with shoots diverging from the center, with slightly raised ends. The main advantage of the species is the bright green needles with creamy white dots, and in winter they have a striking purple-violet hue. An adult plant no more than one and a half meters high loves sunny areas and is not picky about soil.
Blue Chip
Another blue juniper. Shrub height from thirty centimeters to two meters. It is a creeping plant. This variety belongs to the best in its category. Graceful shoots creeping along the ground spread out in different directions, covering the ground with a thick carpet.
The needles are silver-blue, small. In winter it amazes with its delicate lilac hue.
Cossack junipers. Arcadia
Medium-sized bushes (2.5 m), creeping crown. The needles are light green and soft. It grows well in sunny areas, but can also tolerate light partial shade. Withstands frosts down to -40 o C. At first it grows in the shape of a pillow, but gradually turns into a magnificent carpet, occupying ever larger areas.
Glauca
The gray-blue needles of these small shrubs (1.2 m) in winter will surprise you with a rare bronze tint. Against the background of a thick head of pine needles, brown cones with a waxy coating look very harmonious. The variety is unpretentious and frost-resistant.
Chinese junipers. Blaauw
This is a very beautiful plant with a cushion-shaped crown. Loves sunny areas, although it grows well in light partial shade. Soils that are most suitable are drained, light, nutritious, moderately moist and with a neutral reaction. Plant height is 1.2 meters.
Variegata
It's more tall plant(2.1 m). It has distinctive feature- light yellow spots scattered throughout the blue-green pyramidal crown. Prefers well-drained, moist, fresh soil. Does not tolerate stagnant waterlogging. In early spring requires shelter from the sun.
Kuriwao Gold
An adult bush 2.2 meters high is clearly visible from a distance, and all thanks to the bright golden young shoots, which contrast with the dark green needles of older branches. This creates the impression of airiness and lightness. The crown is wide, sometimes asymmetrical, rounded. Looks great in single landings. Such bushes are no less beautiful in mixed groups.
Common junipers. Gold Cone
The plant grows up to four meters in height. IN summer time During active growth, young shoots are painted bright yellow, which becomes yellow-green in autumn, and in winter the plant acquires a bronze color. The variety does not tolerate stagnant waterlogging of the soil.
It is not picky about soils, although it is better not to allow them to become compacted. For the first three years, the bush needs good care: watering and shelter from the spring sun are necessary.
Green Carpet
Small (1.5 m) with soft, non-thorny, light green needles. Excellent for planting on slopes and rocky gardens.
Hibernika
Quite tall bushes (3.1 m) with soft bluish-green needles. The variety is frost-resistant and feels comfortable in illuminated areas. Branches should be tied together in winter to prevent them from breaking.
