Juniper rock Skyrocket

Various trees and shrubs are used to create a unique garden design. Juniper Skyrocket is widely used, as a plant that soars vertically upwards looks great among horticultural crops. There is one more advantage of this evergreen juniper rocky Skyrocket (Juniperus scopulorum Skyrocket) – releasing phytoncides, the plant purifies the air of harmful impurities.

Description juniper Skyrocket

In the natural environment, plant relatives can be found on the mountain slopes of the United States of America and Mexico. This is a winter-hardy and unpretentious evergreen coniferous crop. It was this wild juniper that was taken as the basis for creating the rocky Skyrocket variety in the last decade of the XNUMXth century.

Attention should be paid to the height and growth rate of Skyrocket juniper: in 20 years, the plant grows up to 8 m. In natural nature, juniper can reach 20 m.

The evergreen coniferous tree is very beautiful in appearance. The name itself in translation from English means “heavenly rocket”. It actually resembles a spaceship rushing up.

Rocky juniper Skyrocket has a strong but flexible trunk. The roots are close to the surface, which creates some problems in strong winds. The plant sways, which weakens the root system. As a result, the tree leans, and it is not so easy to correct its shape.

Needles with a bluish tint. The branches are located in close proximity to the base. Juniper shoots that are more than 4 years old grow quickly. Rocky juniper Skyrocket has a crown with a diameter of about 1 m. If you do not trim, the plant will lose its decorative effect, it will look untidy.

At first (2-3 years) after planting, growth is almost imperceptible. Then every year the length of the branches increases by 20 cm in height and 5 cm in width.

Differences junipers Blue Arrow and Skyrocket

If a gardener first encounters two varieties of juniper, namely Blue Arrow and Skyrocket, then it may seem to him that the plants are identical. This is what unscrupulous sellers play on. In order not to get into a mess, you need to know how these plants differ.

Juniper Skyrocket in landscape design

Landscape designers have long paid attention to the rocky Skyrocket. This plant decorates parks, alleys, squares. Many gardeners plant evergreen conifers on their plots. In the shade of a plant that releases phytoncides, it is pleasant to relax in the heat, as the diameter of the rocky skyrocket juniper crown allows you to hide from the sun.

Since the purpose of the plant is universal, landscape designers recommend rocky juniper for growing in gardens with rocky soil:

• trees can be placed singly;
• use in group plantings;
• along the hedge, like a living fence;
• on alpine slides;
• in Japanese rock gardens;
• Juniper looks great as a vertical accent in flower arrangements.

The crown of the Skyrocket juniper (just look at the photo) has a regular and clear geometric shape. If the gardens use the English or Scandinavian style, then the juniper will be most welcome.

Planting and caring for juniper Skyrocket

According to the reviews of gardeners who grow this unique plant on the plots, there are no particular difficulties. After all, Skyrocket juniper is an unpretentious and unpretentious plant with high winter hardiness. The rules for planting and caring for the conifer will be discussed later.

Seedling and planting preparation

For planting to be successful, you need to take care of high-quality planting material. When choosing juniper seedlings Skyrocket, their size should be taken into account. Planting material with a height of no more than 1 m takes root best of all. Adaptation to new conditions is faster, survival rate is high.

If you managed to get seedlings 2-3 years old, then they should be with a closed root system, they need to be grown only in containers. In living and healthy plants, the trunk and branches are flexible.

When buying plants, you should only contact reliable suppliers or nurseries. Many online stores also sell Skyrocket rockery seedlings. Private traders often offer certain varieties of juniper for a lot of money. But in this case, not knowing the description and characteristics of the plant, you can run into a forgery.

Seedlings with an open root system are laid in water. Plants in containers are watered abundantly.

For planting, a well-lit area is selected, where there are no drafts. Despite the fact that rocky juniper is unpretentious, you need to prepare a seat. Remove weeds with a well-developed root system, dig up the landing site.

Under natural conditions, the plant is found on rocks, so be sure to add broken red brick, pebbles or crushed stone of large fractions. The soil is mixed with peat, humus to provide nutrition in the first 1-3 years. Only in this case the plant will quickly take root. But it will start growing only after the development of the root system.

Rules of landing

It is best to plant plants with an open root system in the spring. With container juniper Skyrocket (the seedling is shown below in the photo), everything is simpler, it is used at any time (spring, summer, autumn). The main thing is that there is no heat.

Stages of planting juniper:

1. They dig a hole in advance, 2-3 weeks before planting. It should be spacious so that the roots in it are located freely. The depth of the planting site depends on the composition of the soil. If the soil is clayey or black earth, a hole is dug at least 1 m deep. In sandy and sandy loamy soils, 80 cm is enough.
2. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pit, and a fertile layer is placed on top.
3. When transplanting, the Skyrocket juniper sapling is taken out of the container, trying not to damage the root system. Juniper is planted along with a clod of earth.
4. It is not necessary to deepen the root collar, it should rise 10 cm above the surface level.
5. Juniper seedlings are sprinkled with nutrient soil, well tamped to release air pockets.
6. After that, the tree is watered abundantly.
7. Experienced gardeners advise installing a support in the center in order to loosely fix the trunk and give the juniper stability.
8. On the second day, you will have to pour the soil into the near-trunk circle, since after watering it will settle a little, and the roots may be exposed. And this is undesirable.
9. To preserve moisture, the surface around the rocky juniper Skyrocket (including in the Moscow region) is mulched with peat, wood chips, and dry foliage. The layer must be at least 5 cm.

Watering and top dressing

The rocky juniper Skyrocket, according to the description and reviews, does not need abundant and regular watering. He will need additional moisture only if there has been no precipitation for a long time. Dry soil can cause the needles to turn yellow and lose the external beauty of the tree.

In drought, it is recommended to spray the crown to avoid drying out the needles.

The plant needs to be fed throughout its life, as it abundantly increases its green mass every year. As food, top dressing intended for conifers is used.

Mulching and loosening

Since juniper does not tolerate drought well, it is necessary to loosen and remove weeds from time to time to preserve moisture in the soil in the near-stem circle. These activities can be avoided by mulching the trunk circle. This operation is carried out immediately after planting, then the mulch is added as needed.

Juniper Haircut Skyrocket

As stated in the description, Skyrocket rock juniper needs pruning. It must be done annually. Young flexible branches grow by 15-20 cm. If they are not shortened in a timely manner, they move away from the main trunk under the weight of the green mass. As a result, the juniper becomes untidy, as the people say, shaggy.

That is why the branches are cut, but only in early spring, until the movement of juice begins. Otherwise, the plants may die.

Preparing rocky juniper Skyrocket for winter

Judging by the description and reviews of those who deal with juniper, the plant is frost-resistant. But if it is grown in harsh climatic conditions, it is worth making sure:

1. In late autumn, before the onset of persistent frosts, the trees are wrapped with non-woven material and tied with a rope, like a Christmas tree.
2. To preserve the root system in the trunk circle, increase the height of the mulch to 20 cm.

Reproduction

The Skyrocket variety is not propagated by seeds, since the method is inefficient.

It is best to stay on the vegetative method:

1. Cuttings are cut 10 cm long. The harvesting is planned for the end of April – mid-May.
2. Within 24 hours, the planting material is kept in a root formation stimulator.
3. Then placed in a mixture of sand and peat (in equal proportions) for 45 days.

Diseases and pests of rock juniper Skyrocket

Like any plant, Skyrocket rock juniper growing in a summer cottage can suffer from diseases and pests. Damaged trees not only lose their decorative effect, but also slow down growth.

Among the pests it is worth highlighting:

• hermes;
• various caterpillars;
• shield;
• spider mite;
• mining moth.

It is advisable to start pest control immediately, without waiting for their reproduction. In case of a serious defeat, no insecticides will help, since it is not so easy to spray coniferous plants.

Although the Skyrocket is resistant to many diseases, it can be difficult to save it from rust. This is the most insidious disease. You can recognize it by swellings in the form of a spindle, from which a yellow mucous mass is released. For prevention and treatment, juniper is sprayed with preparations containing copper.

Conclusion

If there is a desire to plant Skyrocket juniper on the site, do not hesitate. After all, this plant is unpretentious and unpretentious. You just need to familiarize yourself with the agricultural technology of cultivation.

Juniper Skyrocket Reviews