Juniper Cossack (Latin name - Juniperus sabina) gained popularity due to its unpretentiousness: of all members of its family, it is the easiest to care for it.
Juniper Cossack: a variety of varieties for any garden
The variety is grown both outdoors and at home. It is used to create bonsai and stem topiary.
Brief information about the species
- Needle color: blue, green, gray.
- Height: up to 1.5 m on average, most varieties are lower.
- Crown diameter: depends on the variety, maximum - 8 m.
- In which regions is it growing:
- Landing features: light-loving culture, resistant to air pollution. Poorly tolerates salty soils. Cannot be planted next to roses and plums.
- Immunity: the strongest among the junipers. The main diseases are fusarium, brown shute, biotorella cancer. Mesh Rust Carrier.
- Life span: over 20 years.
Growing regions
Cossack juniper grows almost everywhere due to its high resistance to various temperatures, droughts and air pollution.
Natural areas of distribution:
- Asia Minor and South-East;
- Caucasus;
- Ural;
- Siberia;
- Primorye;
- South and Center of Europe.
Description of varieties
Today there are about 70 varieties of Cossack juniper, some are listed in the Red Book.
Any of them is useful in the fight against moths: its branches have a pungent odor that insects cannot tolerate.
The plant is poisonous, therefore it is used in pharmacology in the form of medicinal ointments and tinctures used externally. The plant is suitable for making crafts and handicrafts (for example, fishhooks).
For landscape design, the following varieties are often chosen.
Tamariscifolia (Tamariscifolia) - a dwarf bush with long branches. By the age of 10, it has a height of up to 0.3 m and a crown width of up to 2 m.
It grows on the ground, creeping shoots at a young age. It has dense needle-shaped needles of a grayish-green color, sometimes with a bluish tint.
Tamaris has low soil and moisture requirements; it grows well both in the sun and in partial shade. Per sq.m. planted up to 3 plants
Glauca - a sprawling bush. The maximum height is 1 m, the width is 2 m. The needles are blue-green, scaly, red in winter. has bluish cones-berries.
Arcadia - perennial dwarf plant. By the age of 10, it reaches a height of 0.3 m, in width - up to 2 m. It has a dense crown and scaly needles from light green to blue and gray shades.
Cossack juniper has more than 70 varieties
Shows its decorative properties in abundant light and well-drained soil.
Hicksii - a lush, open bush up to 1.3 m high. The needles are mostly blue-green, sharp.
Blue Danube - sprawling low shrub, moderately fast growth. By the age of 10, the height is 1 m, the crown diameter is 1.5 m.
The ends of the branches rise up, the crown is in the form of a bowl, loose. The needles are scaly, pointed, gray-blue or green-blue. Prefers light, loses its decorative effect in the shade.
Rockery Gem bred in Holland. Height by 5 years up to 0.5 m, width - over 3 m. The branches are straight, the needles are green and sharp.
Blue Sparkle... By the age of 10, height up to 1 m, width up to 1.5 m. The needles are green-blue.
Broadmoor... Up to 0.5 m in height, up to 3.5 m wide. The needles are gray-blue, curly, with a strong odor. The crown is very dense and easily survives pruning.
Blaue Donau... Height up to 1 m, width up to 2 m. The recumbent branches rise to the end. The needles are green-yellow in spring, in winter they acquire a gray tint.
Mas (Mas) - poisonous juniper. Height up to 2 m, crown width up to 8 m. Average growth rate, grows well horizontally: up to 20 cm annually. By the age of 10, it has a crown 1.5 m wide and 0.5 m high.
According to the description of gardeners, this is a spreading bush with a beautiful crown. The color of the needles is gray, in winter it acquires a purple bloom.
It tolerates frost well, but does not like soil salinity and stagnant water. Prefers light, it is there that it shows its decorative properties.
Variegata. Its name is translated from Latin as “variegated”.
Differs in slow growth, by the age of 10 it has a height of 0.4 m and a crown width of 1 m. The needles are scaly, greenish, the ends of the shoots are yellow or cream. Their tops bend and rise.
With heat and cold, the needles sometimes acquire a brownish color. Demanding to light, but does not like the midday sun, does not tolerate the wind, the plant must be covered for the winter.
Erecta. Differs in a pyramidal shape, grows over 2 m. The needles are dark, green, scaly. Easily tolerates heat and drought. Propagates well by cuttings at home.
Femina (Femina). Up to 1.5 m in height, up to 5 m in width. The needles are dense, dark green, exudes an unpleasant odor and are poisonous. Growth is slow. Cold-resistant, durable.
Knap Hill... Up to 1.5 m in height and width. The needles are soft, blue-green. There is resistance to frost, diseases and salt, shade-tolerant.
Tam no Blight... Height up to 1.5 m, diameter up to 2.5 m. The needles are gray-green, occasionally with a bluish bloom.
Muna (Moona)... Undersized, with green-blue soft needles. prefers sun and moderate humidity.
Landing
The plant does not take root well, so it is worth paying special attention to the preparation of the seedling and the place.
Selection and preparation of a seedling
Good seedling:
- Has no dead branches.
- The bark is intact, without growths or suspicious inclusions.
- It has a dense earthen lump.
Sometimes, instead of Cossack juniper, they can sell false Cossack juniper. You can distinguish it by the color of the needles: in the real one it is brown, in the other it is gray.
An easy way to root a healthy seedling is to pre-soak its root system in growth stimulants.
Before planting the plant, it is kept in a pan with water for 2-2.5 hours so that the earthen lump grabs.
Site preparation
Juniper needs sunlight
Most plant varieties prefer places without stagnant moisture with good lighting. The minimum distance between shrubs is 0.5 m.
The planting hole is made 3 times more of an earthen coma. Its bottom is lined with drainage, a mixture of sand and brick fragments is used for it. Drainage height - 20 cm.
Sprinkle the roots with a mixture that is prepared by hand. It consists of peat, turf and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1.
Landing technology
It is recommended to plant in open ground in April or September, while maintaining high humidity.
When planting adult plants, the root collar is not buried. For the young, it is left at ground level
After the procedure, the juniper is watered abundantly.
Plant transplant
If possible, do not transplant to another location. An adult plant does not tolerate this procedure extremely well.
If there is a need, then you must follow the recommendations.
- Examine the juniper for diseases or mechanical damage. They weaken the immune system and significantly reduce the rate of survival in a new place.
- Dig in the plant 6 months before transplanting, cutting to the crown diameter. Varieties with vertical growth dig in along the diameter of the double crown, if possible.
- Having dug a bush, its roots are watered with a growth stimulant.
- After that, you can plant the plant in another place, prepared in advance.
- The juniper is watered abundantly. Do not allow the codes to hit the crown, which is especially true for creeping varieties.
Care
Cossack juniper is not picky about care, however, it must be cut so as not to breed dense thickets on the site.
Watering
Watering is required only in dry weather, but do not water more than 4 times per season. 10-30 liters of water are poured under one bush, depending on the size of the plant.
The juniper is sprayed once a week. The procedure is carried out in the absence of the sun.
Top dressing
The plant is fed with nitroammophos in mid-April-late May. You can use the Kemiru station wagon.
If the bush turns yellow, then additional fertilization is allowed.
Mulching and loosening the soil
Peat, wood chips, pine bark are used as mulch. An 8 cm layer is sufficient to protect the root system.
The soil of young plants must be superficially loosened. Additional air flow to the roots helps the young to gain a foothold in a new place.
Haircut and trim
Juniper does not require pruning, it is mainly done for sanitary purposes. Dead or diseased shoots are removed with garden shears.
Also, the formation is carried out in order to:
- change the direction of plant growth;
- suspend growth;
- create a decorative look.
Cossack juniper reacts well to a haircut in order to change its appearance.
All dry shoots must be removed in the spring.
Shaping is planned for spring or autumn. It is important that the average air temperature per day does not exceed 4 ° C. The removal rate is no more than 2 cm.
It is not necessary to cover the cut points. For severe or extensive damage, the branches are sprayed with Epin. Sometimes resin treatment is carried out.
Gardeners advise using pinching rather than pruning. This method is considered to be softer and preferable, it enhances branching, due to which the crown becomes more luxuriant.
Please note that garden gloves must be worn before trimming the juniper, as the juice is poisonous.
Reproduction
There are four ways of breeding Cossack juniper.
- With the help of seeds. The method is little used outside nurseries, since the seeds require mandatory stratification.
- Cuttings. Gardeners advise to carry out the procedure in mid-April or early August. It is best if cloudy weather lasts for a couple of days before. Then the sunlight will not harm the mother plant and will facilitate the whole process. It is important to remember about the toxicity of juniper: they work with cuttings only in protective gloves.
- Layers. The method is suitable for creeping plants with new shoots. Branches close to the soil are pressed with hairpins or wooden forks, sprinkled with earth and occasionally watered. Rooted cuttings are cut from the mother tree and transplanted to another place.
- Vaccination. With this method, the required variety is grafted, fixed with a film and awaited engraftment.
The whole process is complicated by extremely slow growth. In this regard, gardeners prefer to purchase seedlings from nurseries.
Diseases and pests
Compared to other members of the genus, the Cossack juniper has the strongest immunity. However, he is also susceptible to certain diseases.
- Rust fungus. The tree is its intermediate host, the disease is chronic and almost impossible to treat. When damaged, the needles begin to dry, acquire a brown tint. Fungicides are considered the main method of control - they are used twice with an interval of 15 days.
- Brown shute. It is also a disease caused by fungi and occurs with high humidity. To prevent the disease, it is recommended to remove all affected needles and spray in a timely manner with 1% Bordeaux liquid in spring and autumn.
- Biotorella cancer. It appears when branches are broken or the bark is damaged, young plants and seedlings are at risk. For prevention, gardeners are advised to pay attention to the quality of planting material. If a problem occurs during planting, the fractures are treated with 1% solution of copper sulphate, after which they are lubricated with linseed oil, varnish or oil paint. The affected parts are cut off and burned.
- Fusarium. Under its influence, the root system decays. It spreads along with planting material or infected soil. To prevent the disease, the seedlings are soaked in Baktofit solutions or a similar preparation, adult plants are watered with 0.2% Fundazol and sprayed with the crown. Prchva is treated with Fitosporin-M, or Gamair.
Cossack juniper is resistant to pests.
Use in landscape design
Cossack juniper has a pleasant crown color and small size, due to which it is used by landscape designers everywhere.
- It is planted as a tapeworm.
- They are used to decorate lawns, slopes, rocky hills and flower beds.
- A hedge is formed from it.
- It is used to create complex compositions and shade other plants in group plantings.
Landscape designers note that this juniper goes well with brightly colored perennials.
At the same time, against the background of lush vegetation and with massive flowers, it does not look attractive. The situation does not change during the flowering period of the latter.
Large varieties are planted when creating a landscape style, which is also called English.
In this case, it is important to choose a shrub with a calm tone of needles and the correct crown. When composing a composition, this juniper is placed in the background, without making a special emphasis on it.
For restrained Japanese gardens, strict varieties are used that create a contrast for bright and unusual plants.
When decorating, it is advised to plant an ephedra not far from ordinary heather of various shades, or use Sabina to decorate rocky hills.
Cossack juniper is a bad neighbor for plums and rosaceae, as it is a carrier of fungi that cause net rust.
In addition to the traditional planting in open ground, a topiary is formed from it. The application of the form is different: from decorating attics and gazebos to growing at home.
It is necessary to cut them to form a crown with gloves.
Topiary, like nivaki (bonsai), is an attractive piece, but they cannot be kept indoors all the time. Gardeners advise taking plants out into the air as often as possible.
Reviews
Landscape designers speak positively about the Cossack variety.
Nurseries set low prices for seedlings, but the decorative properties of the plant are very high: it can be planted throughout the site in a variety of compositions.
Juniper is used as a ground cover crop to decorate hills, along with a variety of flowers as a background.
When planting, it is important to understand that it must be trimmed regularly: it grows extremely quickly and forms dense thickets.