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Siberian juniper is rarely referenced in reference literature. Jan van der Neer, popular among amateur gardeners, does not have it; Kryussman, revered by experts, does not mention the culture. And the thing is that botanists cannot agree on whether the Siberian juniper is a separate species.
By and large, for amateurs, this does not matter much. They should take note of the information, and since there is little culture data, provide the same care as the Common Juniperus (Juniperus Communis).
Description of Siberian juniper
Siberian juniper has been in cultivation since 1879. In 1787, it was described by a forester from Germany, Friedrich August Ludwig von Burgsdorf.
It is a coniferous plant, the taxon of which is not fully defined. It is absolutely certain that the Siberian Juniper belongs to the Cypress family (Cupressaceae), the genus Juniperus (Juniperus). But it is a separate species of Juniperus Sibirica or a form (subspecies, variation) of Common Juniper Juniperus communis var. Saxatilis, scientists are still arguing.
This is a very hardy plant, widespread, able to withstand low and high temperatures. Moreover, the appearance of the Siberian juniper varies little depending on the habitat and climatic zone. It is considered one of the most frost-resistant conifers.
Siberian juniper is a coniferous plant with an open, creeping crown. Very rarely grows in the form of a low tree. The height of the Siberian juniper at 10 years old usually does not exceed 50 cm. In an adult plant, it can reach 1 m, but only if the branches partially grow upwards.
It is difficult to judge the diameter of the crown of the Siberian juniper, since the shoots lying on the ground tend to take root, and over time capture a large area. It is difficult to control whether branches grow. Culture in natural conditions often lives in places with very difficult conditions for survival. Siberian juniper can take root through agrofibre, reach the ground through mulch.
Shortened internodes are characteristic of thick trihedral shoots. Usually they are located more or less in a horizontal plane, but sometimes some randomly stick up. The bark on young branches is light brown, bare, on old shoots it is grayish.
Saber-shaped curved needles are green, on top – with a clearly visible grayish-white stomatal stripe, does not change color in winter. The needles are pressed against the shoots, densely arranged, collected in 3 pieces, prickly, hard, 4 to 8 mm long. Live 2 years.
Rounded cones with a diameter of up to 8 mm, mounted on short legs. They ripen 2 years after pollination in June-August. When fully ripe, Siberian juniper cones become dark blue, almost black, with a bluish bloom, each contains 2-3 seeds.
Under adverse conditions, the root can go as deep as 2 m. The winter hardiness of Siberian juniper is maximum. It will grow where most other conifers would die from the cold. Lives long. In Our Country, botanists have found a specimen that is over 600 years old.
Registered varieties of Siberian juniper:
- Viridis (Viridis);
- Glauka (Glauca);
- Compact (Compacta).
Distribution area of Siberian juniper
Despite the name, the range of Siberian Juniper is extensive. In the north, it grows in the arctic zone, in the temperate zone and regions with a warm climate – in the mountains at an altitude of up to 4200 m above sea level.
Culture can be found in Siberia, the Crimea, Greenland, inner Mongolia, the Himalayas, the mountains of Central and Asia Minor, the Far East, Tibet. It grows throughout the Urals at the upper edge of the forest, and in the Caucasus – not lower than 2400 m above sea level. Distributed in the Kuril Islands and in the mountains of Central Europe up to Montenegro. Found in eastern North America.
In the north, the habitats of the Siberian juniper are extremely cold regions. In regions with a temperate and warm climate – highlands, mountain slopes and placers, wasteland meadows. It forms pure plantings, grows in deciduous woodlands, often in association with elfin cedar and Middendorf birch.
Planting and caring for Siberian juniper
Siberian juniper has exceptional hardiness, can grow even on peaty soils, stones, rocks with minor inclusions of soil. Caring for him is easy.
When planting, do not forget that the Siberian juniper grows in breadth. For him, you need to leave enough space, and so that not only the seedling, but also the adult plant, which has captured a large area, is fully illuminated.
Seedling and planting preparation
Siberian juniper is planted in an open area, it is possible on a crumbling slope or poorly cleaned construction waste, sprinkled with earth on top. The main requirement of the plant for the soil is that it should not be dense and too fertile. The matter can be corrected by adding a large amount of sand.
The Siberian juniper will not grow on soils that are blocking, especially with a close standing of groundwater. The way out is a thick layer of drainage, a bulk hill or a terrace.
The landing pit is prepared in such a size that drainage and an earthen clod or root fit there. In rich, dense soils add a lot of sand. It is very good if there is gravel or screenings on the site – they are mixed with the soil before planting.
The Siberian juniper is unpretentious, but the choice of a seedling must be taken carefully. First, you should not buy a plant with an open root system. You can dig a bush in the mountains, bring it home, soak the root for 12 hours, plant it, and everything will be in order. But this way the owners know for sure that the juniper was taken out of the ground recently, and not a week ago.
Secondly, you need to buy local plants. The Siberian juniper brought from the Crimea in the tundra will immediately die from the cold. The northern seedling will not endure the southern heat. These, of course, are extreme cases, but a plant cannot be moved from one climatic condition to another without long-term adaptation. And since the Siberian juniper is not such a rare crop, it is better to take it on the spot.
Rules of landing
On loose, moderately fertile or poor soils, a landing pit can not be prepared at all. They simply dig a pothole of a suitable size, as many beginner gardeners like, lay drainage, cover the root, and water the crop.
But, if you do everything according to the rules, the landing is done in the following sequence:
- The pit is prepared in 2 weeks. Its depth should be equal to the height of the earthen coma plus 15-20 cm for drainage. It is covered by 2/3 with earth or a prepared substrate, poured with water.
- Immediately before planting, part of the soil is removed and set aside.
- A plant is placed in the center. The root neck should be at ground level.
- The hole is filled, the soil is compacted.
- Water and mulch the near-trunk circle.
Watering and top dressing
Water regularly only a young plant until it takes root. As soon as it starts to grow, moisture is reduced to more than moderate. After 3-4 years of stay on the site, if the culture feels satisfactory, watering is stopped. Make them only in dry summer. At the end of the season, carry out abundant moisture charging.
Crown sprinkling is useful. They can be done once a week at sunset.
Be sure to feed the Siberian juniper in the first 2-3 years after planting. In the spring, he is given a complex fertilizer with a predominance of nitrogen, in the fall, and in the north at the end of summer – phosphorus-potassium.
In the future, if the Siberian juniper feels good on the site, up to 10 years of age, you can limit yourself to spring top dressing. And then stop fertilizing altogether. But when the plant is sick and often affected by pests, it needs to be fed twice a season.
Foliar fertilizers are important for the health and decorativeness of the plant. They supply through the juniper needles those substances that are poorly absorbed by the root.
Mulching and loosening
It is only necessary to loosen the soil under the plant for the first 1-2 years after planting in order to break the crust formed after rain or watering. Then it becomes inconvenient to do this – the branches of the Siberian juniper lie on the ground, and there is no need.
But mulching with pine bark, peat or rotted sawdust is very useful for culture. To pour covering material, the branches are gently lifted.
Trimming and shaping
Sanitary pruning for Siberian juniper is required. Its branches lie on the ground; when decomposed, dead wood can become a breeding ground for diseases or a haven for pests that will surely move to healthy shoots.
But the plant does not need a shaping haircut. But only when the garden design is built in a free style. If you need to give the juniper clear contours, or prevent the branches from sticking out in different directions, you can cut it as you like. It is better to do this in spring or late autumn.
Preparation for winter
It is necessary to cover the Siberian juniper only in the year of planting, preferably with spruce branches. And then to clear the conscience. The culture is one of the most frost-resistant, in a temperate climate and in the south there is no need to even mulch the soil for the winter.
Reproduction of Siberian juniper Juniperus Sibirica
You can grow Siberian juniper from seeds, cuttings, specifically root layering or separate sprigs that have grown to the ground. It reproduces easily, it is on this culture that one should learn the reproduction of other, more whimsical cultures.
It is important not to let the planting dry out, protect it from trampling, loosen the soil and remove weeds.
Siberian juniper seeds need long-term stratification, and it is better for amateurs not to mess with them. But cuttings can be taken all season. They take root well, take root in 30-45 days. Then young plants are transplanted into individual containers or shkolka, and the next year – to a permanent place.
Diseases and pests
Pests and diseases of Siberian Juniper are common with Ordinary Juniper. This is a healthy crop, but the branches lie on the ground. This is where the root of most of the problems lies. You should pay attention to the following points:
- Rotting soils, or if Siberian juniper grows next to crops that require frequent watering, may develop rot. Irrigation needs to be adjusted. And if this is not possible, lay a thick layer of treated pine bark under the branches so that a layer forms between the shoots and the ground. Another mulch will not help.
- Dry air is the reason for the appearance of spider mites. Still, the crown of the Siberian juniper needs to be sprinkled. Hot dry summer – at least once a week.
- Sprinkling should be approached responsibly, and carried out in the early morning or early evening. If the needles do not have time to dry before the night, there is a danger of rot, and in a hot climate also decay.
- In the spring, after the snow melts, a specific disease can develop on the Siberian juniper – juniper schütte, whose spores survive at low temperatures.
- In warm climates, mealybugs may appear. It is difficult to fight him on junipers.
So preventive treatments can not be neglected. Moreover, they must be carried out especially carefully, carefully lifting the branches in order to spray from the side pressed to the ground.
Pests are destroyed with the help of acaricides and insecticides, fungicides will help fight diseases.
Conclusion
Siberian juniper is a culture that residents of the northernmost regions can decorate the site with. It is easy to care for, undemanding to soils and resistant to drought. The decorativeness of the culture is high, besides, the color of the needles in winter remains green with a silvery sheen, and does not change to brown, grayish or yellowish.