Juniper rock blue arrow care. Rocky juniper Blue Arrow: description, features of planting and growing. Care after landing

Juniper rocky is a plant belonging to the genus Juniperus, the Cypress family. It occurs naturally in North America, Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. The plant prefers rocky cliffs and mountain slopes. Compared to other types of junipers, rocky juniper is quite rare in the natural environment, but is actively cultivated by people.

Rocky juniper is not a large plant, it rarely exceeds 13 m in height. The crown begins to form almost from the very base of a shrub or tree, the crown shape of young junipers is conical. As the plant matures, the crown becomes rounded. The bark is dark brown, the shoots are greenish-blue.

The needles of the plant are represented by a wide colors. There are junipers rocky bluish-blue, blue-gray, dark green. The leaves are needle-shaped and can be up to 12 mm long. Cone berries are rounded, dark- of blue color, covered with a bluish coating on top. Seeds are formed at the end of the second year of the plant's life. Each cone usually contains two seeds.

In total, there are about 20 varieties of rocky juniper, the most common of which are: Skyrocket, Blue Arrow, Blue Hafen, Mondlow, Wichita Blue, Silver Star.

The use of rocky juniper in landscape design

Rocky juniper has an attractive shape, therefore it is actively used in landscaping city parks and squares, it can often be seen near administrative buildings as well as on private estates.

This variety of juniper is planted to create a hedge, used in heather gardens, included in various compositions. Due to the fact that the color of the needles of the plant varies widely, it is used to create landscapes in all sorts of styles. Columnar and pyramidal shrubs with blue needles are especially popular.

Features of the care and planting of rocky juniper

Rocky juniper does not impose special requirements on the soil. The plant feels good in urban conditions, is not susceptible to gas pollution and smoke. Also, the shrub is not afraid of heat and requires a lot of sunlight.

Those plants that have a vertical crown must be protected from strong winds. Therefore, for planting a tree, preference should be given to quiet and sunny areas.

Perhaps a slight shading of the plant, but if you place it in a deep shade, this will negatively affect the condition of the needles. The crown of the tree will be bare, in the end, decorative qualities juniper will be lost. The plant itself will weaken and may even die.

It is good to plant juniper on stony soils with the inclusion of sand and gravel. The plant needs high-quality drainage, since even a slight stagnation of moisture will adversely affect the state of the root system, and hence the tree itself. It is important that the salt content in the soil is kept to a minimum.

If you plan to plant a plant from a container, then it must first be moistened. For this earthen clod placed in water for 2 hours. The pit for planting such a plant should be at least 2 times the size of an earthen coma.

Juniper rocky does not impose special requirements for care. Periodically, loosen the soil under the tree a little. This must be done after watering the plant. In parallel, you need to weed the ground and remove all weeds. The juniper is mulched immediately after transplantation, using peat or pine bark for this purpose. The soil for planting should consist of 2 parts of peat, 1 part of sand and 1 part of sod land.

Different breeds of rocky juniper are frost-resistant, therefore, when choosing a plant for a particular site, it is necessary to take into account climatic conditions. As for feeding, it should be carried out during active stage vegetation of the plant, which falls on April and May. You can use the Kemira-universal fertilizer. For 10 liters of water, 20 g of the product will be required.

For the period of wintering, rocky juniper must be pulled together with fishing line, which will avoid a crown fracture after a snowfall. In addition, you need to make sure that a lot of snow does not accumulate on the branches in winter.

As for pests, the sawfly, scale insect, worm and aphid represent the greatest danger to rocky juniper. In addition, the shrub is prone to rust. To get rid of this fungal disease fungicides are used.

Useful properties of rocky juniper

Rocky juniper, like other species of coniferous shrubs, has pronounced phytoncidal properties. It is able to disinfect the air around it, so such a plant will serve not only as a decor, but also as a natural deodorant.

The wood of the plant is used to make pencils. However, the main purpose of rocky juniper is the decoration of landscapes.

Expert editor: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna| Phytotherapeutist

Education: A diploma in the specialty "Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the University named after N. I. Pirogov (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Moscow University of Peoples' Friendship (2008).

Translated from English Blue arrow means blue arrow, agree, the name capaciously and succinctly describes it. rocky "Blue Arrow" is one of the most popular varieties of the Cypress family, the description of this variety and its undeniable advantages have long been appreciated by gardeners. deserve recognition and respect landscape designers. And all because beautiful shrub an ideal shape can become both the center of the composition and an assistant in creating a juniper alley. Its compact, graceful shape allows for planting even in a tiny area.

Botanical description

Juniper rocky "Blue Arrow" refers to evergreen coniferous shrubs. It grows up to 5 m in height. The branches grow annually by about 15 cm. The needles are blue, and sometimes almost blue. The plant bears fruit with cones.

Landing Features

Breeding "Blue Arrow"

This variety propagates seed way. Cuttings are considered the most effective and reliable. To do this, young shoots are cut in the spring, immediately planted in loose soil (it is advisable to clean the cuttings before planting by 3 cm).

Important! The vegetative method is best for propagating this variety.

Thus, the plant has time to get stronger and take root before wintering. When caring for a freshly baked bush, it is necessary to ensure regular watering.
As for the propagation of juniper by seeds, this method is used infrequently, since the appearance of a plant will not have to be expected earlier than after 5 years.

Diseases and pests

The most common disease of this variety is rust. If this problem occurs, the infected branches should be immediately removed and the plant should be treated with Phytocid once every 14 days until the symptoms disappear.

Landscaping with the help coniferous plants- popular modern trend. The variety of options allows you to realize even the most complex and unusual design task. That is why rocky junipers in landscape design are indispensable assistants in the creation of an original suburban area.

A plant such as rocky juniper is a close relative of cypress. Only it is characterized by growth in more severe conditions. With powerful roots, this coniferous plant is able to independently produce the necessary nutrients from the soil. Many lovers of nature and gardening are attracted by the description of the rocky juniper in that it has a very long term life is more than a thousand years. AT wild nature you can count about seven dozen species of this conifer.

Cultivated species include only 15, among which there are a variety of options:

1. dwarf and large;
2. with a compact crown or in the form of a spreading tree;
3. erect species or with creeping trunks.

Juniper is found in the most different colors, capturing all shades of green and even gray. Its difference from most other coniferous representatives is that, depending on the season, it is able to change colors. In autumn, rocky juniper Moonglow and other varieties can change the color of the crown to bronze or brownish. You can read about growing indoor juniper.

How to choose the best time and place to land?

For planting such a specimen, mid-spring or early autumn is best suited.

If it is necessary to plant a rocky juniper with a closed root system, the most good choice throughout the warm season. To determine the best place for this coniferous representative, you should know a few rules.

Experts say that planting a rocky juniper should be carried out taking into account the following requirements:

How to plant juniper?

The planting hole should be twice the size of the roots of the seedling. For dwarf varieties the distance between plants is half a meter; for planting large specimens, the interval is increased to two or three meters, taking into account the fact that in ten years the bush will begin to grow noticeably. Some species need drainage. To the bottom landing pit a layer of crushed brick or fine gravel is laid out. When placing the plant in a special substrate, it is important to ensure that the root collar is not too deep. This is especially true for young seedlings. Mature plants can be placed higher. Keeping the old earthy coma in the roots of the plant will help it settle down faster and get comfortable in a new place. After planting, the soil is abundantly watered with water, covered with peat or sawdust with a layer of eight centimeters.

Caring for a coniferous plant - juniper

Many gardeners notice that caring for rocky juniper very simple. The plant feels great with little or no human intervention. The unpretentiousness of this plant allows it to be grown even on stony soil or in sandy soil, poor in nutrients. The only environment in which Moonglow juniper and other varieties (for example, Springbank, Wichita Blue, Fisht) will not survive are wetlands or acidic places.

The attitude to the cold juniper depends on the type of plant itself, as well as its age. Most of the varieties used in landscape design adapt perfectly to cold weather easily tolerate frost. If rocky Moonglow juniper or a representative of another variety was planted recently, it must be covered for the winter. For this purpose, spruce branches or non-woven material can be used.

Some columnar and cone varieties may suffer from the severity of snow, so experts advise tying the plant late autumn so that the shoots pressed against the trunk do not break.

Watering should be carried out only during a long drought, as well as in the first season after planting. mature plant even in a very dry summer, you should not water more than three times during the entire season. In the evening, you can spray needles warm water. Rocky juniper Blue Arrow and others do not need to be fed. This species belongs to drought-resistant varieties, which does not tolerate waterlogging and stagnant excess moisture. Most junipers tolerate shearing well, which allows you to add zest and originality to the landscape. Even if the plant does not need to be given certain form dry branches must be carefully removed.

Around young specimens, it is required to periodically loosen the ground after weeding and watering. If necessary, transplant juniper, you should wait until spring before bud break or autumn.

Ideas for using rocky juniper in landscape design

When using this coniferous in the design of the territory, you can create a landscape that will resemble a natural landscape. Species such as Skyrocket rock juniper, Juniperus Scopulorum rock juniper and other varieties (for example, Blue Haven, Gray Ole, Silver Star) look very harmonious on an open lawn, even if no additional decorative elements. Many designers prefer to place several mossy boulders side by side. Experienced gardeners and lovers beautiful designs The landscape is attracted by the description of the Skyrocket juniper, which is able to become an ornament to any landscape. Its elongated and slender crown can be used as a vertical, which contrasts favorably with undersized plants.

Rose bushes of the same color planted nearby can shade the color of juniper, and placing it next to heather will create a very expressive composition. These conifers are indispensable in the construction Japanese gardens or alpine hills.

Tree junipers can be used not only as single plants, but also in group landing park plantation. They create hedge in the park or dacha territory. Low varieties and dwarf plants successfully used in rock gardens and rockeries. Check out the article:.

Rocky juniper Blue Arrow is one of the most attractive species of coniferous plants. Thanks to its original appearance and adaptability to even the most severe climatic conditions it is deservedly popular among landscape designers. This variety of juniper is undemanding to the content and feels great when planted, not only in open field in the garden, but also in a container on the terrace or balcony.

Variety Description

Rocky Juniper Blue Arrow (Juniperus scopulorum Blue Arrow) is evergreen shrub from the cypress family. Some attribute it, according to the description, not to the rocky, but to the Virginian. The name of the variety is translated as "blue arrow", which reflects appearance plants. Rigid shrub shoots are located almost vertically and begin at the very base. As a result, an elegant and narrow arrow-shaped crown is formed. At annual growth shrub by 15 cm, its height by the age of ten will be 2–2.5 m, and the crown diameter will be no more than 70 cm. Largest dimensions the height of this variety of juniper is 5 m.

The plant has soft scaly needles of intense blue color, in some cases it can be almost blue. The fruits of the shrub are blue cones. Distinctive feature juniper Blue Arrow is the long-term preservation of the lower branches, which gives it additional decorativeness and expands the possibilities of its use for the implementation of ideas in landscape design.

How to plant a juniper

This shrub thrives in a sunny area protected from the wind. Variety Blue Arrow likes wet air, it is preferable to choose places near the irrigation system. It gets along with any plants, so it can be planted next to deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs.

This variety is undemanding to chemical composition soil. It is important for him that the soil is well-drained, and moisture does not linger at the roots. Therefore, the ideal place for planting this variety of juniper is a small hill.

When choosing bushes, it is necessary to give preference to seedlings in containers that have already passed acclimatization. Their root system will not deform when planted, so the plant will take root faster and better.

Blue Arrow seedlings in containers with a closed root system can be used at any time of the year. If it is bare, then specimens are allowed to be placed in open ground only in early spring or early autumn, before the onset of frost. The roots of such plants need to be straightened horizontally. If it is necessary to place several pieces, then a distance of at least one and a half meters should be maintained between them so that they do not have to fight for space.

The step-by-step process of planting a juniper looks like this:

1. 1. A pit is prepared, 2-3 times larger than the earthen clod covering root system shrub.
2. 2. A layer of drainage is laid on the bottom.
3. 3. The seedling is placed in a hole and falls asleep free space soil consisting of an equal amount of garden soil and a mixture for conifers. You can make it yourself by mixing 2 parts of peat and 1 part of leafy soil and sand.
4. 4. When planting, it is necessary to ensure that the root neck is not buried.
5. 5. In order for the plant to take root faster, you can apply a complex mineral fertilizer.
6. 6. To give an aesthetic appearance and better development shrubs, it is necessary to mulch the trunk circle with bark, pine chips or any other material. This will protect the soil from drying out and weeds.

After planting for a week, juniper should be watered daily. This will speed up his adaptation to the new place.

Organization of care

During the dry season, adult Blue Arrow junipers need to be watered once a week. For young plants, more frequent moistening should be organized - every 2-3 days. If the trunk circles are regularly mulched, then the amount of watering can be reduced. Like other junipers, this variety responds well to sprinkling. Therefore, you need to regularly spray it with water.

In autumn, all dried juniper branches must be cut. So that the bushes do not break under the weight of snow, they are tied and wrapped with young plants for the winter with linen or spruce branches. Adult specimens are resistant to frost and do not require special shelter. At trunk circles it is necessary to lay a layer of peat 8 cm thick.

Juniper propagation

Blue Arrow is propagated by cuttings. The process is best done in the spring, so that by the autumn the young seedlings have time to take root. For cuttings, apical shoots are used, leaving part of the old bark and tree. After the cut, they are cleaned of needles by 4 cm.