Juniper(Juniperus) is a genus of plants with over 60 species found throughout almost the entire northern hemisphere. These easy-to-grow and hardy conifers thrive in cooler climates. Thanks to the great variety, you can findjuniper varietiesfor every garden and all conditions. Meetjuniper species and varietiesbest for gardens.
Common juniper - Juniperus communis
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Common juniper
Common juniper (Juniperus communis) is one of the most widespread conifers found throughout the northern hemisphere.Common juniper varietiesdiffer greatly in form and shape. They can take both shrub and woody forms, reaching a height of up to 10 m.
Evergreen Juniperhas short, prickly, gray-green needles with a silvery tip. It blooms with small, inconspicuous flowers since June. After fertilization, they develop the typical juniper cones that look like blueberries. Since juniper is a dioecious plant, a male and a female specimen are required to produce the fruit.
Common juniper - Juniperus communis
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Common juniper requiresfully sunny or slightly shaded position. It is resistant to heat, drought and frost (plant hardiness zone 4).It can grow on any soil, also alkaline, rocky and poor. It does not require watering. It is sometimes planted on flower beds, in pots on terraces and balconies, and is used to create hedges.
For gardens, the most recommendedcommon juniper varieties :
Common juniper 'Compressa'- is a slowly growing dwarf variety with a columnar habit. It grows up to 1 m in height and 0.3 m in diameter. The dense, compact crown has an interesting steel-blue shade. Takes cut well. Recommended for flower beds, rockeries, mountaineering plants and for growing in containers. It is not completely resistant to frost (plant frost resistance zone 6A).
Common juniper 'Green Carpet'- is a short juniper variety, creating a dense carpet in a vivid green shade. It can grow both in the sun and in partial shade, it is resistant to weather conditions and frost (plant frost resistance zone 3). It looks good on flower beds and as a ground cover plant.
Common juniper 'Kalebab'- slow growing variety growing up to a maximum of 3 m in height.The crown of a conical shape is dense and compact and requires pruning. The needles are green in spring and summer, brown in autumn, and turn orange in winter. Perfect for rock gardens. It is completely frost-resistant.
Common juniper 'Sentinel'- slowly grows to reach 1.5 m in height after 10 years. It has a very narrow columnar crown. It is dense and compact, silvery in color. The common juniper 'Sentinel' prefers sunny locations and is completely frost-resistant. The variety is recommended both for rockeries and rows, and for cultivation in containers.
Creeping juniper
Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) is a versatile and popular shrub, often planted on rocky slopes and slopes where other plants will not survive. Resistant to drought and not very picky about soil, it needs sun to develop properly. Creeping juniper is frost-resistant - hardiness zone 4. The soft, scaly needles of Creeping juniper are aromatic and usually have a bluish-green shade.
Creeping juniper 'Andorra Compact'
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Creeping juniper varietiesrecommended for gardens:
Creeping juniper 'Agnieszka'- Polish variety adapted to our climatic conditions, resistant to drought, polluted air and frost. It has low soil requirements. It will fold down to form gray-blue dense carpets up to 0.5 m in height. Creeping juniper 'Agnieszka' is perfect for covering even large areas.
Creeping juniper 'Blue Chip'- a variety of creeping juniper which grows quite quickly, reaching 0.3 m in height and even 2 m in width. The silvery needles in the fall take on a purple hue. Plant frost resistance zone 5A.
Creeping juniper 'Blue Chip'
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Creeping Juniper 'Golden Carpet'- grows moderately fast, reaching up to 2 m in height.Interesting variety due to its golden color. Requires sunny locations, moderately moist and permeable soils. Creeping juniper 'Golden Carpet' has a wide range of uses.
Creeping juniper 'Golden Carpet'
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Creeping Juniper 'Lime Glow'- slowly growing variety, after 10 years of cultivation, it reaches 0.3 m in height and 0.8 m in diameter. It is characterized by an intense, golden color and a compact, dense habit. Undemanding and frost-resistant with versatile use.
Creeping juniper 'Prince of Wales'- short variety, growing up to 0.1-0.2 m high with a dense habit and a bluish color in summer, and slightly purple in winter. It is perfect for strengthening slopes and slopes and turf surfaces.
Creeping juniper 'Lime Glow'
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Chinese juniper
Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis) is native to Japan and Mongolia, but also grows in China. Depending on the variety, it can reach several dozen centimeters or several meters in height. The shoots are most often covered with both needles and scales in various shades of green. The plant gives off a pleasant, strong aroma.
Chinese juniper - Juniperus chinensis
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Chinese juniper has low cultivation requirementsand is frost hardy (plant frost hardiness zone 5A). Plants are recommended for growing in rock gardens, containers, for the creation of rows and turfing.
The most popularChinese juniper varieties :
Chinese juniper 'Blue Alps'- has a conical shape and grows quickly, reaching 2-3 m in height. Popular variety due to its unique silver-blue color. Recommended for the most difficult positions and frost-resistant.
Chinese juniper 'Blue Alps'
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Chinese juniper 'Obelisk'- it has a columnar habit, quite quickly reaches 3 m in height. The shape of this variety is quite loose, and the needles are green with a blue tint. It is frost-resistant, grows well both in sun and shade. Recommended for hedges and as a solitaire.
Chinese juniper 'Spartan'- grows quickly, has a columnar, dense habit and intense green color. It grows up to 3-4 m in height. The variety is very resistant to drought, frost and polluted air. Perfect for hedges and lines.
Chinese juniper 'Stricta'
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Chinese Juniper 'Stricta'- is a variety with a regular, blue-green, conical and dense crown. Reaches up to 3 m in height. Resilient and versatile. It is not completely resistant to frost - frost resistance zone 6A.
Scaly juniper
Scaly juniper(Juniperus squamata) comes from the Himalayas and mountainous regions of China. Its habit is variable - it can take a woody or creeping form, but most often it is an upright shrub. It is distinguished by the intense, silver-blue color of the needles. It turns brown in winter. It is a drought-tolerant species that performs best in cool, dry climates. Requires sheltering for the winter - frost resistance zone 6A.
Varieties of scale juniperrecommended for gardens:
Scaly juniper 'Blue Carpet'- is a short and widely spreading variety with a nice bluish shade. It is very popular due to its high resistance and low requirements. Perfect for turf grass.
Scaly juniper 'Blue Star'
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Scaly juniper 'Blue Star'- this variety grows slowly, forming compact domes up to 1 m high.Durable and resistant, it can grow on a flower bed, rockery and in a pot. It can take the form of a small tree with a spherical crown. Frost resistant - frost resistance zone 5A.
Scaly juniper 'Dream Joy'- a golden-colored variety of small size, after 10 years it grows up to 0.4 m in height and 1 m in diameter. Slightly raised and widely spreading shoots hang slightly. Resistant to climatic conditions, polluted air, frost resistance zone of plants 5b. Recommended for covering surfaces.
Scaly juniper 'Holger'- short variety with a wide habit. Spring growths are golden in color. Resistant to climatic and habitat conditions - frost hardiness zone of plants 5b. recommended as a ground cover plant.
Scaly juniper 'Meyeri'- grows up to 2 m in height, forms an irregular, conical crown. With a bluish tint. It is highly resistant to drought, air pollution and frost (plant frost resistance zone 5b).Recommended for planting on flower beds, for creating hedges and rows.
Juniper sabiński
The Sabine juniper (Juniperus sabina) grows wild from Southeast Europe to Siberia. It is hardy, undemanding and grows well also in partial shade. Frost-resistant in our conditions - plant frost-resistance zone 5B. Perfect for turf surfaces. For all its advantages, Sabine juniper is unfortunately susceptible to juniper rust. Thisjuniper fungus diseasespreads easily to pear trees, causing pear rust. For this reason, the planting of Sabine junipers in gardens is often criticized.
Juniper sabinski - Juniperus sabina
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Recommended varieties of Sabina juniper:
Juniper sabiński 'Glauca'- fast growing variety, reaching up to 2 m in height. Initially creeping, it begins to rise over time. It grows well in the sun, has low requirements and is frost-resistant - plant hardiness zone 5A.
Juniper sabiński 'Rockery Gem'- is a low shrub with a wide habit, growing up to 1 m in height. The needles are steel blue in color. The variety is resistant to unfavorable conditions and frost-resistant.
Sabiński juniper 'Tamariscifolia'- is a variety with a wide, low habit and a vivid green color of needles. Very resistant and undemanding, recommended for difficult positions, for rock gardens and mountaineering.
Sabiński juniper 'Variegata'- shrubby variety, growing up to 1.5 m in height. Interesting coloration, shoots with a cream color appear irregularly against the green background.
Rock juniper
Rock juniper(Juniperus scopulorum) grows in the mountainous regions of North America. Shrubs most often take a columnar or pyramidal form. The delicate twigs are usually covered with scales. This species does best in dry and warmer climates. Included in the plant frost resistance zone 5A.It does not require high cultivation requirements, but it does not tolerate excessive moisture of both soil and air.
Rock juniper - Juniperus scopulorum
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Recommendedrock juniper varieties :
Rock juniper 'Blue Arrow'- a narrow variety growing up to 3 m in height. The compact crown is gray-blue in color. Recommended for lines, hedges and as a solitaire.
Rock juniper 'Skyrocket'- the silver-green crown is conical and grows up to 3 m in height. The variety is resistant, undemanding and versatile.
Rock juniper 'Moonglow'- has a narrow, soaring, intense blue crown. Reaches 3-4 m in height and 1 m in width. Prefers sunny positions and permeable soils, light, sandy and gravelly, and sunny places.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
