Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina) is a dioecious shrub, usually up to 1 m tall with horizontally spreading or obliquely ascending branches. The bark is smooth, reddish. Shoots are 0.8-1 mm thick, rounded. The needles are dark green with a pungent odor, mostly scale-like, 1-2.5 mm long with a noticeable gland on the back. Young plants and old branches have needle-shaped leaves in whorls 3 to 8 mm long, with a whitish stomatal stripe on the inside, keeled along the back, with a gland, soft, not spiny. The cones are drooping, on short stalks, round, 5-7 mm in diameter, brownish-black with a bluish bloom. There are usually 2 seeds.
This is one of the most poisonous species of the Juniper genus. It is found in the mountains of Western Europe, in the southern regions of Eastern Europe and Western Siberia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Mongolia and China.
In the photos of Cossack juniper presented in our photo gallery, you can see the habitats of these plants: mountain slopes, sandy river banks, southern mountains at the upper border of the forest.
It has been known in cultivation since 1580. There are about thirty varieties in total, the most popular of which are “Tamariscifolia”, “Blue Danube”, Rockery Gem and Variegata.
Cossack juniper "Blue Danube" ('Blaue Donau', 'Blue Danube' was bred in 1956 in Holland. This is a female clone with a dense crown. Reaches up to 1 m in height and 1.5 m in width. The branches are prostrate or obliquely ascending. The needles are mostly scale-like, needle-shaped - in the center of the bush, gray-blue.
Juniper variety ‘Glauca’. Same as the wild form, but with bluish needles.
Cossack juniper ‘Rockery Gem’(J. chinensis ‘Rockery Gem’) cultivated in 1967 in Holland. A shrub with straight branches widely spread above the ground, up to 0.5 m high and up to 2 (3) m wide. Lateral branches and shoots are obliquely ascending and short. The needles are grayish-green, of two types, like the wild form.
Juniper Cossack "Tamariscifolia"(‘Tamariscifolia’) has been known since 1730. Prostrate shrub up to 1 m tall and 2 m wide with a flat top. The skeletal branches are spread out and ascending obliquely. Lateral branches ascending with dense, short, vertical shoots. The needles are dark green, mostly needle-shaped, semi-adpressed. Scale-like needles with a sharp, prickly tip. A form found in the mountains of Western Europe.
Cossack juniper ‘Variegata’ was bred in 1855. Shrub about 1 m high and 1.5 m wide. The crown is compact, funnel-shaped. The branches are obliquely ascending, arched at the ends. Side branches and shoots are dense, ascending and erect. The needles are mostly scale-like and green. On individual shoots and sections of branches - white-cream.
Juniper is one of the most popular plants, which is often used in the landscape design of city parks, gardens and gardens. It has earned such love for its unpretentiousness in care, undemandingness to the soil and due to its high decorativeness. In addition, juniper has the unusual property of disinfecting the air in the places where it grows. This happens thanks to the substances that it constantly releases - phytoncides. They have the excellent property of destroying pathogenic bacteria and fungi in the surrounding air.
Today there are a huge number of plant varieties, but the most common of them is the Cossack juniper, scientifically also called Juniperus sabina. In addition, there are other names of the plant - Cossack mozha, bloodgon, Don juniper. In its natural environment, it lives in steppes, rocky slopes, and sandy hills. Its distribution area is Asia, Europe (center and south), Russia (Siberian and Ural latitudes).
In many ways, the description of the Cossack juniper coincides with the botanical characteristics of most creeping shrubs of this genus of coniferous, evergreen plants. 
The height of the bush reaches 1-1.5, it grows horizontally in relation to the ground level. Forms beautiful, lush thickets of branches covered with needles in the form of scales located on the stems like tiles. In younger plants, the coniferous cover is slightly different: it resembles green needles with a bluish coating. The peculiarity of this variety is considered to be the rather bright aroma that the shoots emit when crushed.
In addition to shrubs, the species also includes trees that do not grow above 4 m in height. Their trunks are twisted, and the bark is brown with a reddish tint. But they are quite rare; most often, Cossack juniper is represented by perennial shrubs.
Numerous varieties of Cossack juniper allow you to choose the right variety, since their total number is about 70 variations. For example, Juniperus sabina, Rockery Jam and others. They are cold-resistant, do not require much care, tolerate drought well, and love well-lit areas. Their growth rate is quite high. By creating the necessary conditions for the plant, you can get a healthy, fluffy bush with spreading branches. He will delight you with his noble appearance for 30 years. An evergreen shrub will help you easily decorate your garden in an elegant and noble style for many years, and also provide a kind of “air purifier and disinfectant.”
Ground cover juniper Cossack Arcadia is an evergreen coniferous bush that decorates household lands throughout the year, as it almost never loses its high decorative value. Its shoots grow parallel to the ground. At the age of ten, the dimensions of the plant are 30 cm in height and 1 m in diameter. At a more mature age, its volume reaches its maximum value: height is 50-60 cm, and diameter is 4 meters.
Cossack juniper is highly respected by landscape designers, as it requires virtually no care. Prefers well-lit areas, but can also grow in partial shade. It is better to choose neutral or slightly acidic soil for it. Planting is carried out in deep holes, about 70 cm. Their volume should exceed the dimensions of the root system, taken together with a lump of earth, by two to three times. If the soil is heavy, then it is necessary to organize high-quality drainage. To do this, when planting, lay a thick layer of gravel (about 20 cm) at the bottom of the hole. For drainage, you can take brick broken to the size of gravel or coarse sand. The root neck should remain flush with the ground when planting.
The main thing you should pay special attention to when caring for juniper is organizing proper watering. The fact is that Arcadia juniper reacts poorly to dry weather and dry air caused by heat. In hot weather, it must be watered, preferably by sprinkling.
Another nuance is shelter for the winter period. In autumn, the root part of the bush is sprinkled with a layer of peat. Its thickness should be at least 10 cm. If the plants are very young, then they are completely covered, along with the shoots, using spruce “paws”.
Another variety that grows horizontally, Cossack juniper Rockerygem is an excellent choice for those who want a well-branched shrub with beautiful green (with a bluish tint) needles. It is prickly, thin, scaly, juicy in color. Forms small (5-7 mm) green cone-berries, the color of which gradually turns blue.
It grows quickly; per year its dense crown grows 20 cm in width and 2 cm in height. At the age of ten, the height of the bush will be about 20 cm, and the width will reach 2 m in diameter. Older shrubs are larger: their height is 50-80 cm, and their width can reach a maximum of 2.5 m. First, the shoots branch upward, spreading horizontally, then they begin to cover the ground, bending under their own weight . Although this variety does not make too high demands on the soil, it is advisable to select nutritious, well-drained and moist soil for it.
The peculiarity of the variety is that it can be planted in large cities where industrial complexes are located, and the air is not characterized by high levels of cleanliness.
Juniper of the Rockerygem variety will take root well there and will withstand even significant environmental pollution. Moreover, it will help improve the composition of the air by destroying harmful microorganisms and giving it a light spruce aroma.
Unlike the previous variety, Cossack juniper Tamariscifolia grows slowly. When he turns 10 years old, he grows up to 2 m in diameter and up to 30 cm in height.
The variety enjoys well-deserved respect in European countries. And this is not surprising, because its green needles with a refined gray coating, blue-green cones and berries, as well as its small size, make it an attractive crop for planting in rock gardens, around garden ponds, along paths. Its needles saturate the air with a pleasant juniper scent, which not only perfectly refreshes the garden, but also protects the health of its owner.
The juniper Tamariscifolia is undemanding to the soil, as it can grow even on soils strewn with stones and sandy substrates. Tolerates cold and slight shade. The juniper Tamariscifolia also shows enviable patience with drought. Loves moderate watering, but reacts negatively to marshy soil.
The Cossack juniper Blue Danub, which has become popular for its ability to grow quickly, beautifully spreads its branches along the ground. Its shoots grow by 20 cm throughout the year. Inside the bush, the needles resemble bluish-green needles, and on the outside the stems are covered with scaly green coniferous cover. Having reached a decade, the plants are characterized by the following dimensions: height - 0.5-1 m, width - 1.5-2.5 m in diameter.
In order for the Blue Danube juniper to form a dense crown, it needs to organize spring pruning. Otherwise, the variety is unpretentious. Feels calm in soils with a large amount of sand and clay in the composition. It tolerates urban conditions perfectly, saturating the air of the metropolis with phytonicides. It is cold-resistant, but does not like dry air, so in particularly hot weather it needs to be irrigated. Thanks to its rich color, the plant has excellent decorative properties, which allows it to be used in single plantings or as an element of a flower arrangement.
The fast-growing juniper Cossack Mas has extraordinary growth energy. The annual growth of stems in diameter is 20 cm, and in height over the same period they grow by 10 cm. The volume of an adult plant cannot be called compact: its height is 2 m, and the diameter of the bush is about 8 m. Such a giant requires a large plot of land, which is necessary take into account when planting it.
In shape it resembles an ordinary truncated cone, turned upside down. But this appearance is preserved only in young plants. Later it grows horizontally and becomes a wide bush, spreading out in breadth. The needles are needle-shaped, prickly, green in color with a bluish-blue tint, which becomes slightly lilac in winter.
Copes well with cold and drought. But it’s still better to help it a little to overcome unfavorable weather conditions, especially in the first two years after planting: mulch it with peat for the winter, and sprinkle it on hot days. The shrub can even tolerate drastic pruning of the crown caused by excessive growth rates. It loves watering, but moderately, without an excessive amount of water that swamps the soil around the bush.
Best suited for planting in large parks or gardens where the area allows it to grow undisturbed and show off the beauty of its spreading branches.
The horizontal Cossack juniper Glauka puts all its growth power into the growth of creeping shoots. Its average dimensions are 1.5x1.5 m, but in some cases the bushes can grow to a diameter of 3 m. This variety is an excellent option for creating green areas in large city parks and residential areas. But it is also perfect for small gardens located near a private house.
Externally, the Glauka variety is very attractive. Its branches with blue-green, scaly needles, as if floating above the ground, give an unusually impressive look to any garden. Fruits with a blue tint are formed on the shoots, something between a cone and a berry. The crown is formed very lush and beautiful; if desired, you can trim it, thereby limiting the excessive growth of the plant.
Creeping along the ground will also leave few people indifferent. It is an unusually flattened bush, with branches looking upward and an asymmetrical crown. It is completely easy to care for, tolerates drought, light shade, cold, air pollution, and is undemanding to the soil composition. The spreading branches of the plant form a flat-round bush, 0.3-0.4 m tall and 1.5 m in diameter. At the same time, the coniferous shrub grows quite slowly - it grows 10-15 cm of crown per year.
As a rule, Cossack juniper is not picky: planting and caring for it will not take much time and effort. But the result will exceed all expectations. A few years after planting, it will delight you with its outstretched juniper “paws” of green and blue shades. But in order for the bushes to look their best, a few rules should still be followed.
The simplest and most common way to propagate the variety you like is to propagate by cuttings of Cossack juniper using shoots of the mother plant. Before propagating Cossack juniper, you need to select the branches most suitable for these purposes. 
They should be young, healthy, not elongated, symmetrical, not dull.
The selected shoot should be tilted towards the ground and secured with a wire pin. Further care consists of constantly loosening and watering the soil around the place where the cuttings take root.
The rooting process lasts a long period of time - six months or a year. After the young bushes have formed their own root system, transplanting to the site becomes possible. Check out the article: .
(Juniperus virginiana Hetz)
Juniperus virginiana Hetz is attractive with its spreading crown shape, gray-blue needles and a large number of spherical dark blue cones. Tolerates haircuts well. In especially snowy winters it can be broken by the weight of the snow cover, so it is recommended to tie the branches for the winter. It develops normally both in the sun and in partial shade. Does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil. In landscape design it is used in rocky gardens, in single and group plantings.
(Juniperus horizontalis Icee Blue)
Juniper horizontalis Ice Blue is an evergreen shrub with long creeping shoots forming a bluish-green carpet. The growth rate is slow. Drought resistant. Grows equally well in sun and partial shade. Winter-hardy. The plant is used as a ground cover, as well as in rock gardens and rocky slopes.
(Juniperus horizontalis Andorra Compact)
Juniper horizontal Andorra Compact has a creeping form. Prefers fairly moist soils, but without stagnant water. Frost-resistant, light-loving. The growth rate is slow. Used in small gardens in group plantings, as well as in rock gardens and rockeries.
(Juniperus horizontalis Andorra Compacta Variegata)
Juniper horizontal Andorra Compacta Variegata is an evergreen shrub with variegated needles. It is not picky about soil composition, light-loving, and frost-resistant. Looks great in composition with low-growing coniferous plants.
(Juniperus horizontalis Blue Forest)
Juniper horizontal Blue Forest is a creeping form with vertically raised shoots. It grows slowly. Unpretentious to soils. Prefers a sunny planting location or light partial shade. Has high winter hardiness. Despite this, shelter for the winter is recommended due to the fragility of the shoots from the weight of the snow. Looks great in rock gardens, rockeries and heather compositions.
(Juniperus horisontalis Blue Chip)
Juniper horizontalis Blue Chip is a creeping coniferous shrub that forms a dense carpet. The growth rate is slow. Frost-resistant, light-loving. Does not tolerate severe waterlogging. Looks great in rocky and heather gardens.
(Juniperus horizontalis Wiltonii)
Juniperus horizontalis Wiltonii can be grown as a ground cover plant or on vertical supports. This juniper is perfect for decorating slopes, ledges, and terraces. Photophilous, tolerates light partial shade, frost-resistant.
(Juniperus horizontalis Limeglow)
Limeglow horizontal juniper has golden-yellow needles that are not afraid of sunburn in the spring. Grows well in all types of soil. Frost-resistant. It is resistant to diseases and pests. Looks great in rocky gardens.
(Juniperus horizontalis Prince of Wales)
Juniper horizontalis Prince of Wales is a slow-growing coniferous shrub. Its crown is so dense that entire juniper lawns can be created using this species. Frost-resistant, shade-tolerant. In landscape design, this variety is popular as a ground cover plant for planting in rocky gardens, for creating juniper cover in the lower tiers of tree and shrub compositions.
(Juniperus sabina)
Cossack juniper is capable of growing in width. Grows on all types of soils. Photophilous, drought-resistant, frost-resistant. Easily tolerates pruning. Decorative throughout the year. Suitable for planting in urban areas. Recommended for single and group plantings.
(Juniperus sabina Blaue Donau)
Juniper Cossack Blau Donau is a coniferous shrub with a wide, fire-like crown. Photophilous, frost-hardy. Resistant to urban conditions. Does not tolerate stagnant moisture. Recommended for large gardens and urban landscaping.
(Juniperus sabina Variegata)
Juniper Cossack Variegata is a dwarf variety of juniper with an original variegated color. It grows slowly. Photophilous, frost-hardy. Prefers sunny planting sites; in the shade the needles lose their decorative properties. Resistant to polluted urban conditions. Recommended for single and group plantings.
(Juniperus sabina Glauca)
Juniper Cossack Glauka is characterized by the ability to grow greatly in width and cover large areas. Grows on any soil. At a young age it grows slowly, then develops faster. Frost-resistant, light-loving, resistant to urban conditions. Recommended for strengthening slopes, landscaping cities and residential areas.
(Juniperus sabina Mas)
Juniper Cossack Mas is a frost-resistant coniferous shrub. It grows quite quickly in width. It is not picky about soils, but does not tolerate waterlogging. Prefers sunny planting locations or light partial shade. Decorative in single and group plantings in rocky gardens.
(Juniperus sabina Rockery Gem)
Cossack juniper Rockery Jam is a rather low coniferous shrub with a spread-out crown shape. The growth rate is fast. Prefers fertile and moist soils. Frost-resistant and light-loving. Used as a ground cover plant for alpine landscapes.
(Juniperus sabina Tamariscifolia)
Cossack juniper Tamariscifolia is widely used in landscape design. The growth rate is slow. Photophilous, frost-resistant and drought-resistant. Susceptible to rust and sawfly. Prefers a sunny planting location. Looks great in single and group plantings. Used to decorate rocky and heather gardens.
(Juniperus sabina Hicksii)
Cossack juniper Hixie is a coniferous shrub with a wide-spread crown. The growth rate is fast. Prefers a sunny planting location or partial shade. Unpretentious to soils. Frost-resistant. Feels great in urban conditions. Used in alnaria and rockeries.
(Juniperus chinensis Blaauw)
Chinese juniper Blauw is a coniferous shrub with a dense crown and bonfire-shaped branches. The growth rate is slow. Not picky about soil composition, frost-resistant, light-loving, drought-resistant. Susceptible to rust and sawfly. Used in single and group plantings.
(Juniperus chinensis Blue Alps)
Chinese juniper Blue Alps is a fairly large coniferous shrub with silver-blue needles. The growth rate is slow. Frost-resistant, light-loving. Not picky about soil fertility. Used in compositions with other coniferous plants, goes well with large rose bushes.
(Juniperus chinensis Ketelerii)
Chinese juniper Keteleri is a narrow-columnar coniferous tree. Grows moderately quickly. Light-loving, tolerates partial shade, suitable for growing in urban conditions, frost-resistant. Low demands on soil fertility and moisture. Used singly, in groups, hedges.
(Juniperus chinensis Kuriwao Gold)
Chinese juniper Kurivao Gold is a medium-sized coniferous shrub with an unusual crown shape. It is not picky about soil fertility, prefers sunny planting locations, and is frost-resistant. During dry periods, sprinkling is necessary. This variety of juniper is widely used by landscape designers when landscaping Japanese-style gardens. The shrub also looks great in rocky gardens.
(Juniperus chinensis Obelisk)
Chinese juniper Obelisk is a vigorous coniferous shrub, reaching three meters in height. The growth rate is fast. It remains decorative only in well-lit areas. Winter-hardy, undemanding to soils. Suitable for creating low alleys, as well as for use in rocky and heather gardens.
(Juniperus chinensis Plumosa Aurea)
Chinese juniper Plumosa Aurea is recognized as one of the best varieties with yellow colored needles. Photophilous, undemanding to soil composition. At a young age, it requires shelter in harsh winters, but over the years it becomes more frost-resistant. Burning in the spring sun. Used in group plantings, to create decorative tree and shrub groups, landscaping rockeries, rocky slopes.
(Juniperus chinensis Spartan)
Chinese juniper Spartan is a fast-growing variety, reaching three meters in height by the age of ten. Grows on any soil. Photophilous, wind-resistant, winter-hardy. In the shade it loses its decorative appearance, so its planting location should be sunny. May burn in the spring sun. Serves as a wonderful background for roses. It is used for landscaping rocky and heather gardens in single and group plantings.
(Juniperus chinensis Stricta)
Chinese juniper Stricta is a shrub with a narrow-nosed crown. It is unpretentious to growing conditions, undemanding to soil composition, and frost-resistant. Prefers sunny places for planting. Suitable for growing in containers. Looks great in heather gardens and rocky compositions.
(Juniperus chinensis Expansa Variegata)
Chinese juniper Expansa Variegata is one of the variegated varieties of juniper with numerous inclusions of soft cream color. The growth rate is slow. Unpretentious. Photophilous, frost-resistant, drought-resistant. Can be an excellent decoration for rocky gardens and oriental style gardens.
(Juniperus procumbens Nana)
Juniper recumbent Nana is a beautiful creeping variety of juniper with a very dense crown, forming a beautiful uniform carpet. Prefers moist, well-drained soils. Frost-resistant. Prefers a sunny planting location. Used as a ground cover plant and in the art of bonsai.
(Juniperus communis Arnold)
Juniperus common Arnold has a narrow columnar crown shape and low growth. Photophilous and frost-hardy. It grows slowly. Requires regular spraying during dry periods. Perfect for decorating an alpine hill, rocky, heather or Japanese garden, hedge.
(Juniperus communis Gold Cone)
Common juniper Gold Con has a columnar crown shape, turning into a cone at the very top. Its golden-yellow needles take on a bronze hue by winter. It grows slowly. Sun-loving and frost-resistant. Does not tolerate stagnant water in the soil. Does not tolerate transplantation well in adulthood. Burning in the spring sun. It is sensitive to snow pressure, so in winter it is recommended to tie the shoots to prevent them from bending. It is used in landscaping city parks and country gardens in single and group plantings.
(Juniperus communis Green Carpet)
Common juniper Green Carpet is a ground cover coniferous shrub. Its shoots creeping along the ground form a dense bluish-green carpet. The growth rate is average. Grows equally well in sunny and semi-shady places. Frost-resistant. Does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil. An excellent choice for planting in rocky gardens and on slopes.
(Juniperus communis Meyer)
Common juniper Meyer is a tall coniferous shrub with a wide columnar crown. Thanks to its multi-vertical structure, this juniper variety looks fluffy. Grows well in sun and partial shade. It burns a little in the spring. Frost-resistant. It is undemanding to moisture and soil composition. Tolerates haircuts well. Used in rocky gardens, group or single plantings.
(Juniperus communis repanda)
Common juniper Repanda is a ground cover coniferous shrub with incredibly fluffy needles. Undemanding to soils. Light-loving, but tolerates light partial shade. Frost-resistant. During dry periods it requires artificial irrigation. An excellent choice for planting in rock gardens and on slopes.
(Juniperus communis Suecica)
Common juniper Suetsica is a dense coniferous shrub with a slender columnar crown shape. The growth rate is slow. The variety is unpretentious and frost-resistant. Prefers a sunny planting site; in the shade it becomes loose and spreading. Tolerates pruning well. Its slender shape allows you to create vertical lines in garden compositions. Widely used in single plantings and in groups.
(Juniperus communis Hibernica)
Common juniper Hibernika is a small coniferous tree with a dense columnar crown reminiscent of cypress. The growth rate is slow. It is undemanding to soil fertility. Light-loving, but suffers from spring sunburn. Drought-resistant, frost-resistant. Looks great in single and group plantings on the lawn, in small compositions.
(Juniperus conferta Schlager)
Coastal juniper Shlyager is a dwarf shrub with creeping shoots and very beautiful needles. The growth rate is slow. Shade-tolerant, but it is preferable to plant the plant in the sun. Looks great on rocky hills, in rockeries, in compositions with shrubs and herbaceous perennials.
(Juniperus scopulorum Blue Arrow)
Rock juniper Blue Arrow is a slow-growing coniferous shrub that forms a bright blue vertical in garden compositions. Thanks to its narrow crown, Blue Arrow juniper can be used in almost any garden, even in small gardens. Prefers sunny planting locations. It is frost-resistant, but in severe winters young shoots may freeze. In landscape design, the use of this type of juniper is very diverse. It is used in alley plantings, hedges, and also in compositions with other trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants.
(Juniperus scopulorum Moonglow)
Juniper rock Moonglow is a pyramidal shrub with a wide silver-blue crown. Prefers a sunny planting location. Not picky about soil, drought-resistant. The variety is average in winter hardiness. Requires fixation of branches for the winter to avoid breaks and shelter from spring sunburn. Used as a vertical element in compositions, suitable for creating hedges.
(Juniperus scopulorum Skyrocket)
Rock juniper Skyrocket has a slender blue-green crown. The plant is light-loving, but tolerates partial shade. Frost resistance is average. Prefers dry soils. The growth rate is fast. In snowy winters, the crown cannot be broken, so gartering for the winter is recommended. Looks good in group plantings and in tree and shrub compositions.
(Juniperus chinensis (media) Pfitzeriana Aurea)
Juniper Pfitzeriana Aurea is a coniferous shrub with a wide, spreading crown. Unpretentious to soil composition. Resistant to urban conditions. Has high frost resistance. Prefers a sunny planting location. It grows wide, so it is not suitable for small rockeries or rock gardens. Used as a lower tier in large landscape parks and compositions.
(Juniperus media pfitzeriana Glauca)
Juniper Pfitzeriana Glauka is a large coniferous shrub with a spreading crown. Grows relatively slowly. Unpretentious to soil composition. Shade-tolerant, but it is preferable to plant the plant in the sun. Frost-resistant. Used in large gardens and city parks.
(Juniperus media pfitzeriana Gold Coast)
Juniper Pfitzeriana Gold Coast has a wide, spreading crown. Prefers a sunny planting site; in the shade the needles lose their golden-yellow color. Tolerates city conditions well. The growth rate is slow. Frost-resistant. Excellent as a tapeworm against the background of lawn grass.
(Juniperus media pfitzeriana Gold Star)
Juniper Pfitzeriana Gold Star is a coniferous shrub with a spreading crown. The growth rate is average. Photophilous, frost-hardy. Used in single and group plantings on rocky hills and lawns. Can be used as a tapeworm, as well as in various decorative groups.
(Juniper media pfitzeriana Goldkissen)
Juniper Pfitzeriana Goldkissen is a slow-growing coniferous shrub. It becomes especially decorative in spring and early summer, when its needles acquire a golden color. Winter-hardy, drought-resistant, light-loving. Pairs well with decorative cereals and roses. Resistant to urban conditions. Used in group and single plantings, in landscape compositions.
(Juniperus pfitzeriana King of Spring)
Juniper Pfitzeriana King of Spring is a branched coniferous shrub that has the brightest spring color among the yellow-colored varieties. It grows slowly. Unpretentious, drought-resistant, frost-resistant. Tolerant to urban conditions. Looks great on rocky hills, rockeries, in compositions with shrubs and perennial herbaceous plants.
(Juniperus media pfitzeriana Pfitzeriana Compacta)
Juniper Pfitzeriana Compacta is a coniferous shrub with a beautiful, open, dense crown of gray-green color with gracefully hanging tops. Low demands on soil fertility. Prefers a sunny planting location or partial shade. It does not tolerate dry air, so additional sprinkling is recommended during dry periods. Shade-tolerant. Frost-resistant. Used in rocky gardens, in compositions with ornamental shrubs and perennial herbaceous plants.
(Juniperus media pfitzeriana Mint Julep)
Juniper Pfitzeriana Mint Julep is one of the most popular varieties of juniper in landscape design. It has a very bright green needle color that does not fade in winter. The shrub is unpretentious and grows quite quickly. There is no need to worry about its large size, as this is one of those juniper varieties that tolerate pruning well. The plant is also interesting because it can be modeled and molded. The height and width of the plant can be changed - for example, by pinning branches to the ground, the bush will become more spread out and low, and by creating a vertical support for it, it will begin to develop upward. Prefers a sunny or semi-shade planting location. Frost-resistant. It goes well with barberries, rhododendron, cotoneaster, dogwood and conifers. A wonderful plant for any garden.
(Juniperus media pfitzeriana Mordigan Gold)
Juniper Pfitzeriana Mordigan Gold is a low-growing spreading shrub with horizontally arranged shoots. The growth rate is slow. Frost-resistant. Prefers well-drained soils and sunny planting locations. Perfect for single and group plantings, rock gardens, rocky hills, and shrub compositions.
(Juniperus media pfitzeriana Old Gold)
Juniper Pfitzeriana Old Gold is a slow-growing coniferous shrub with a dense yellow-green crown. Not picky about soil fertility. Prefers a sunny planting location or partial shade. Frost-resistant. Recommended for single and group plantings in rockeries, for use in tree and shrub compositions.
(Juniperus squamata Blue Carpet)
Juniper scaly Blue Carpet is a blue ground cover shrub. Frost-resistant. Prefers a sunny planting location. Does not tolerate waterlogged soil. Resistant to urban conditions. Tolerates haircuts well. One of the most spectacular varieties used in gardening and landscape design. Used as a ground cover plant on slopes and retaining walls. Suitable for container growing.
(Juniperus squamata Blue Star)
Juniper scaly Blue Star is a dwarf coniferous shrub with a cushion-shaped crown. Its needles are almost blue in color, and the pattern created by the needles resembles blue stars. It grows slowly. Not picky about soil composition. It grows slowly. Photophilous and frost-hardy. Recommended for single and group plantings, for rocky gardens, alpine slides, heather gardens, and for decorating slopes.
(Juniperus squamata Meyeri)
Juniper scaly Meyeri is a low-growing coniferous shrub, although when favorable conditions are created it can reach three meters in height. Photophilous and frost-hardy. Does not tolerate stagnant waterlogging. In especially snowy winters, the crown is likely to break, so planting in places where snow piles are possible is not recommended. The growth rate is slow. Looks great in single and group plantings, rock gardens, rock gardens, and heather landscapes.
(Juniperus squamata Holger)
Juniper scaly Holger has a very interesting color of needles - whitish-blue. Young shoots have a golden hue. The growth rate is moderately fast. Shade-tolerant. Frost-resistant. Like all junipers, it does not tolerate stagnant waterlogging. Resistant to urban conditions. Used in single and group plantings.
Cossack juniper has more than 20 varieties, differing in the shape and color of the needles. Some of them, barely rising, spread along the ground, others form lush thickets taller than human height. The following cultivars are most valued by gardeners and landscape designers.
Cossack juniper “Rockery Gem” (Juniperus Sabina Rockery Gem) is a dwarf, creeping form with a dense, dense, widely spread crown of an asymmetrical shape. The height of shrubs of this variety reaches 50 cm, while the crown diameter varies from 2.5 to 3.5 m. It grows slowly, the growth does not exceed 8-10 cm per year. The skeletal branches are powerful, thick, strongly branched at the ends, and grow unevenly. In young trees, the branches extend from the center of the bush at an acute angle upward, and with age they lie horizontally.
The needles of plants of the Rockery Jam variety are thick, prickly, and rich, blue-green in color. In the center of the crown the needles are needle-shaped, on the periphery they are scale-like. The shade of young growth differs little from the needles on last year's branches.
The Rockery Jam cultivar is undemanding when it comes to soils and grows well in both nutritious garden soils and depleted soils. Pruning is only required if horizontal growth needs to be stopped.
Due to its frost resistance and shade tolerance, the creeping form of the Rockery Jam juniper is widely used in landscape design as a ground cover plant for the design of alpine slides, retaining walls, rocky slopes, heather and Japanese gardens, and walking paths.
Cossack juniper "Tamariscifolia" (Juniperus Sabina Tamariscifolia), sometimes called Cossack juniper "Tamaris", is a low, evergreen shrub, reaching 1 m in height with a crown diameter of up to 2 m. Short shoots are overlapping and grow vertically upward, with age the form is prostrate the crown becomes dome-shaped.
The needles are predominantly needle-shaped, slightly curved, pale green or bluish-green, with a white stripe running along the upper plane. One whorl contains three needles. The “Tamariscifolia” form is drought- and frost-resistant, tolerates the climate of central and northern Russia well, is resistant to smoke and air pollution, and is not demanding on soils: it grows well in both acidic and alkaline areas.
The only disadvantage of the Tamaris variety is its high susceptibility to fungal diseases, especially during periods of prolonged rains. This cultivar can be planted in rock gardens, rockeries or as a single plant on the lawn. Tamariscifolia is widely used for landscaping ravines and as a container crop. It grows well on loose sandy and rocky slopes and wide curbs along roads.
Remember that the needles and fruits of the Tamariscifolia form are poisonous, so it is not recommended to plant plants of this variety near children's playgrounds.
Cossack juniper “Variegata” (Juniperus Sabina Variegata) is a creeping form, reaching a height of no more than 50 cm. The dense, semi-spreading crown lies low to the ground and extends to 1.5 m. The “Variegata” variety, a photo of which you can see in the photo gallery below on this page, sometimes called "variegated juniper" due to its frequent flecks of creamy color.
Description
Chinese juniper Variegata (Juniperus chinensis Variegata). The crown is irregularly shaped, conical, dense. A slow growing form, at the age of 10 years it reaches 2 m in height. The shoots are tough and short. The needles are prickly, blue-green; a characteristic feature is twigs with a white-variegated color. The requirements for soil and moisture are low. Recommended for home gardens and heather gardens. The variety is quite unpretentious and frost-resistant. Prefers sunny places; in the shade the needles may lose the richness of their color. Undemanding to soil and moisture, frost-resistant. An excellent choice for rocky gardens, rock gardens, heather landscapes and compositions in containers, coniferous and mixed groups.
| Crown shape: | Crown of irregular shape, conical, dense |
| Growth pattern: | Height 2-3 m, crown diameter 1.2-1.6 m in late age. |
| Needles: | Bluish-green with creamy inclusions |
| Fruit: | Spherical, purple-brown buds |
| Relation to light: | Sun, partial shade |
| Relation to soil: | Chinese juniper Stricta Variegata tolerates dry, calcareous and sandy soils, well-drained equally well. |
| Peculiarities: | Frost-resistant, grows slowly, annual growth is 10-15 cm in height, 5 cm in width |
| Application: | For home gardens and heather gardens |
It is better to plant juniper in sunny places, slight shading is allowed. The distance between planted plants is from 0.5 to 2 m, depending on the size. The planting hole should be 2-3 times larger than the earthen ball and up to 70 cm deep for adult plants. At the bottom of the hole, make a drainage layer of sand or broken brick about 20 cm thick. When planting, it is important that the root collar is not buried.
Junipers prefer soil with a slightly acidic to neutral reaction (see). The soil mixture is made in a 2:1:1 ratio from peat, sand and turf soil, respectively. After planting, the plant needs to be watered abundantly for a week.
In dry summers it needs to be watered. Junipers do not tolerate dry air well, so it is advisable to sprinkle regularly. Fertilizers are applied once a year in the spring at the end of April or in May (nitroammofoska, Kemira-universal, etc.). Young plants need shallow loosening.
For the winter, the plants are sprinkled with peat with a layer thickness of 10 cm, and the young plants are covered with spruce branches. Columnar varieties may suffer from heavy snowfalls, so in the fall the branches are pressed to the trunk with tape or rope (see,).
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