Juniper scaly

The scaly juniper is an evergreen plant that is very popular among gardeners and gardeners. They also use this plant in order to carry out work in the framework of landscape design, since the juniper, in principle, has very pronounced decorative features. In fact, landscape designers love juniper not only because it is evergreen, but also because, in principle, it is completely unpretentious when we are talking about various grooming activities.

Scaly juniper is a compact bush that is very easy to form (if necessary) and in general it is very widely used for decoration and creation of topiary.

Juniper scaly: photo

In this article, we will talk in more detail about junipers of this type and variety, about their features, characteristic features. We will also tell you how to properly care for this variety of juniper, and what is required in order to protect this plant from pathogens and microorganisms.

Characteristics of the grade Juniper scaly

Like many others, the scaly juniper belongs to the cypress family, which originally grew in the highlands in the region of East Asia. In the framework of horticultural activities, as well as, in principle, for decorating personal plots, these plants began to be used only in the 19th century. As a rule, if a plant is in the most favorable conditions for itself, then it can grow for a hundred years or more, while not being capricious at all and not showing signs of any particular whimsy.

Over time, varieties that are distinguished by a creeping crown have gained particular popularity. They are quite undersized, and their aroma is less pronounced than that of many other varieties. These bushes are distinguished by the fact that they have very short and tough needles, their length varies from five to eight millimeters. A little higher, the shade of the needles changes slightly, it becomes light, even slightly silvery, but below it is saturated green, sometimes very dark.

Juniper scaly has one feature - they grow very slowly. Typically, the size of a scaly juniper can increase by only a few centimeters over the season. On older bushes, oval-shaped cones may appear. They ripen around the end of spring, with one seed inside. One way or another, no matter how unpretentious the juniper is, it may not withstand severe frosts. Because of this, some junipers need shelter. In particular, these are those plants that grow in central Russia, where the climate is not particularly stable, can change dramatically, the heat changes to cold, which has a very negative effect on the plant itself.

Juniper scaly: varieties and types

In Russia, several varieties of scaly junipers are known, more than ten, for sure. All of them have their own characteristic features and characteristics, the specifics of care and growth in the territory of different regions. Differences also lie in what shape the crown grows, as well as in how it is colored. Among the most popular varieties that receive a large number of positive reviews, the scaly juniper stands out. Holgeras well as some creeping blue juniper busheswhich also have an excellent decorative appearance.

Meyeri (meyeri) - a scaly juniper that grows into a fairly tall bush.This variety belongs to the Chinese selection, was bred, respectively, by Chinese breeders who sought to create a beautiful and, at the same time, completely unpretentious plant that can grow in any conditions and delight gardeners with its external qualities, decorative features. The plant can grow more than five meters in height, and in a year the shoots can grow by about ten centimeters, making it one of the fastest growing of all scaly junipers.
But there is also a more modern version of this variety of junipers - this is a compact juniper Mary, which is stunted. As a rule, it stretches to a height of no more than 60-70 centimeters, so it is quite convenient to grow it in various areas and use it to decorate flower beds and landscapes. The compact bush is also distinguished by its color - the needles have a pleasant bluish tint, while there are absolutely no requirements for the soil and its composition, the current state. If we talk about frost resistance, then the bush is very winter-hardy - it can easily withstand temperatures down to -23 degrees, does not require additional shelter at this time. The shoots extend slightly obliquely, while their edges fall off very nicely, which gives the plant even more decorative effect.

Juniper scaly Meyeri: photo

Juniper scaly Loderi - this is another variety. The plant has a very graceful cone-shaped crown, and usually reaches a height of no more than one and a half meters. The branches are very thickened, rise up beautifully, occupy no more than one meter in a circle, but it all looks very decorative and attractive. The juniper of this variety develops, one way or another, very slowly. When a juniper reaches ten years of age, its growth is only about 80 centimeters, no more. The needles have a greenish-gray tint, while it is quite short. The variety tolerates excessive drought very calmly, it treats very well with heat and sunlight, which also distinguishes it from many other ornamental plants. But even with such warmth, the variety tolerates frosts and temperature changes quite calmly.

Juniper scaly Holger - one of the famous scaly junipers. The crown can rise up to one meter in height, but the crown in a circle can vary from one and a half to two and a half meters, which makes it very extensive. In fact, of all the junipers of this type, this mouth is the largest, it was bred in Sweden around the middle of the 20th century, and since then it has become immensely popular among gardeners and designers from all over the world. This is due to the fact that the bush is very decorative, it is really picturesque and can fit into absolutely any landscape design. The needles are gray, green, young twigs have a pleasant golden hue. Holger junipers can grow by about ten centimeters in height over the summer. It can grow in width by about a quarter of a meter. The bush is spreading, wide, shaggy branches, very well refresh the personal plot, decorate it. Thanks to the phytoncides contained in the plant, there is always clean air around it, which is also a huge advantage. In fact, this juniper releases six times more phytoncides than many other conifers.

Juniper scaly Holger in landscape design: photo

There are some similarities in a juniper called Holger with the next hero of our article - a scaly juniper Golden flame... The plant also reaches a height of one meter, but this variety is slightly weaker. It is not so sprawling, not so susceptible to temperature extremes, droughts or severe frosts.One way or another, the crown of the variety is very decorative, and this decorativeness can, in principle, be preserved throughout the whole year. This is due to the fact that on the plant separate golden pieces-islands are visible, which fit perfectly into the general bluish background of the juniper itself and its needles. The variety prefers to grow in warm and illuminated areas, since it is in such an environment that it can fully reveal its features and characteristics, in particular, decorative ones.

Juniper scaly Dream Joy (dream joy) - another variety of juniper, which differs in that the bush has really very elegant external features. The color is bluish-green, very similar in color to those varieties that we considered before. At the same time, the shades can be slightly muted, and not as strict as in some other varieties, so it can fit into a wide variety of flower beds. The variety was bred by English breeders, in ten years the bush can stretch up only half a meter, sometimes it reaches a height of 60 centimeters, and then grows a little slower.

Juniper scaly Dream Joy: photo

The bush is cushion-shaped, symmetrical and very compact, so it can even be planted on miniature islands and plots. It is also worth noting that this variety has the best frost-resistant performance - without additional shelter, the bush can withstand frosts down to -28 degrees, while it feels great, no disease, the upper part and roots also remain in absolute order.
There are several varieties of blue scaly juniper that have been bred by Dutch and Swedish breeders. These are varieties such as scaly juniper Blue Carpet (blue carpet), scaly juniper Blue star, juniper scaly Blue Swede... The common feature of these varieties is that they all differ in a bluish silvery shade of needles, which is very attractive to designers and gardeners. Bushes grow successfully both in the shade and in a sunny environment, in height they can reach from sixty centimeters to one meter, it all depends on the conditions in which they grow. These varieties look very impressive on boles, therefore it is recommended to grow them in a standard way, and then they will become a real decoration of any personal plot.

Horizontal juniper scaly Floreant (floreant) - this variety was created thanks to its progenitor - the variety Blue Star, and he was bred by a Dutch breeder. The bush is very slow in growth, it can stretch by only six centimeters per season, this is a very small figure. The height of the flaked juniper of the Floreant variety is about forty centimeters, it is very miniature, even more dwarf than any other varieties. At the same time, the needles look very decorative: against the general background, you can see beautiful creamy areas.

Juniper scaly Hannetorp (hunnetorp) - the bushes of this juniper variety differ in that the tips of the shoots fall from a very open crown. The growth of the bush is very moderate, in height it can reach about one and a half meters in twenty years. The crown diameter is approximately 2-2.5 meters. A very strict bush, it can withstand temperature extremes and lowering. Typically, this variety is used to grow hedges or small living fences, and is also used to create discreet landscaping.

Juniper scaly: how to plant? Scaly juniper care

Typically, scaly juniper can reproduce in two main ways. The first is by seeds, and the second is by cuttings. How to propagate scaly juniper by cuttings or seeds? It is important to know that in both cases, the planting material needs to be treated with disinfecting drugs, as well as growth stimulants, since they are necessary for this plant. Berries can be harvested in the autumn, they are soaked in warm, settled water for one week. After that, the seeds are carefully removed from the berries, they are scarified and sown in prepared boxes, which, when covered, are then exposed under the snow. The planting of scaly juniper is best done at the onset of spring and warm weather.

As practice shows, and as experienced gardeners say, it is always much easier to purchase seedlings with a closed root system. This is much easier, and the preparation of the site is organized in accordance with the following agrotechnical requirements:

• a hole is dug in a warm and sunny area, when the soil has already warmed up. You can also use areas that are located in partial shade, while the area of ​​the pit should be approximately twice the size of the container itself, in which the juniper grows
• if the juniper grows on loamy or clayey soils, then it is best to make drainage at the bottom of each pit, broken brick or expanded clay is perfect for this
• as for the soil, for this it is necessary to mix peat and garden soil in equal proportions
• it is also necessary to add a mineral complex to the soil. So it will be more saturated and suitable for growing crops.
• the com is installed in such a way that the root collar is at the same level with the ground, then this will be the most favorable condition for growing a juniper, it will be easier to care for it, give it all the necessary mineral components and substances
• the hole is watered very abundantly, and then it must be mulched. To do this, take sawdust or hay.

As for the care procedures, here it is necessary to remember that, in general, the scaly juniper is not very whimsical. They need sufficient watering in moderation according to the schedule. Watering the plants either early in the morning or late in the evening is not recommended during the day.

Mulch is required from about three to four centimeters, this is the only way to preserve moisture as much as possible, which will have a good effect on the plant.

Top dressing - here for junipers it is recommended to use both organic fertilizers and mineral complexes so that there is comprehensive support for the plant. In the spring, it is best to bring nitrogen-containing preparations under the bush; in July, they feed with phosphorus complexes. When autumn comes, the plant needs a calcium supplement. Foliar dressing is necessary not only to support the juniper, but also to prevent certain diseases.

Sanitary pruning of scaly juniper is an important condition that ensures the successful existence of the plant. If desired, the gardener can also perform formative pruning, and it is recommended to cover the bushes for the winter, especially if these are regions that differ in that the climate there is very harsh. In the middle lane and in the south, you can, in principle, not cover the juniper for the winter.

Juniper horizontal scaly, despite its resistance, can suffer from some fungal diseases. In order to prevent diseases, it is recommended to treat juniper bushes with fungicides. Best suited for this are drugs such as quadris, switch or Maxim... Also, juniper bushes can be attacked by pests - scale insects, aphids and moths, ticks. In order to fight them or prevent these attacks, you should use drugs called match, actellik, engio... Only thanks to such treatments can negative manifestations from the bushes be avoided and strengthened.

With care and careful selection of the juniper variety, the gardener can really beautify his garden. The bushes have an original appearance and color, so they become a real original decoration of backyard territories. Scaly junipers have some specific features, but at the same time their own flavor, which is why they are so in demand today among modern gardeners and landscape designers.It is also worth noting that in general, only due to the fact that the plants are not particularly whimsical, they can perfectly take root in a wide variety of latitudes, and can also withstand sudden temperature changes and frosts.

Some varieties need additional shelter, but in general, gardeners note that junipers are conifers that are not at all capricious when it comes to site selection and care procedures. Agrotechnical measures are also, in principle, quite standard, watering and feeding are carried out in accordance with an individual schedule. This is the only way to achieve an excellent result and grow on your site not only a beautiful, but also a very useful bush: plants secrete substances that are able to effectively purify the air.