Juniper horizontal Blue Chip. Juniper - types and varieties Juniper horizontal blue chip

Juniper - common ornamental plant, often found in landscape design. Its sprawling "paws", creeping along the ground, or neat trees in the shape of candles, can ennoble any garden or park. Man has long noticed the beauty of a plant - in the poet's verses Ancient Greece Virgil there are lines mentioning this shrub.

Any description of the juniper contains information that it belongs to the genus of coniferous evergreen shrubs, and its tree-like varieties belong to the Cypress family. During its long history, it has acquired several more names: Veres and Archa. It is found almost everywhere in the countries lying in the Northern Hemisphere. Some species grow in the eastern regions of Africa.

Juniper - "ambulance" from many ailments

This coniferous shrub is characterized not only by the beauty and grace of the shoots, the beneficial properties of juniper have made it a culture widely used in medicine. Its ability to purify the air from microorganisms that cause various diseases has long been a well-known truth.

One hectare of land planted with juniper is able to “disinfect” the air of one large city. This happens due to active substances - phytoncides, which in the course of evolution have become real fighters with microscopic fungi and bacteria that cause serious health problems.

Juniper berries and medicine

One of the most useful parts of the plant is its berries, which look like microscopic bumps. It is for this similarity that they are also called cones. The extensive use of juniper berries for the treatment of many ailments indicates the high healing properties of these shrubs and trees. They can cure ailments associated with disorders of the bladder and kidneys. Skin diseases such as eczema and dermatitis can be overcome with the help of cones-berries.

Juniper berries and cooking

except medical use the fruit is often used as a condiment for culinary purposes. After grinding, they are added to meat dishes, especially game. Many other recipes also cannot do without this ingredient: sauces, soups, terrines, marinades for meat. Drinks such as: jelly, kvass, beer, gin are also made with the addition of an exotic seasoning that gives light coniferous aroma and gives the dishes a tart-sweet taste.

On berries, the use of juniper does not end there. Other parts of the plant are also used in human life. For example, no less fragrant oil is made from its odorous branches, which has a lot of useful properties. It is valued for being an effective way against radiculitis, polyarthritis and rheumatism. It can also be used to cure some of the annoying problems associated with nervous system such as neuralgia.

It is easy to get rid of allergies by preparing a decoction from the branches, and a decoction from the rhizomes treats diseases of the respiratory system, such as bronchitis and tuberculosis. In addition, root decoction is quite effective in solving some skin problems.

The wood obtained from the plant is widely used to make various items such as pencils and wooden utensils. By the way, in ancient Russia, milk was poured into a juniper bowl for long-term storage: it did not sour for a long time in an antibacterial container.

Blue Chip - American-Canadian variety

Many varieties of this plant have been bred to date, but the Blue Chip juniper, which appeared thanks to the joint work of American and Canadian breeders, is the most popular and widespread. Received many names: flat, ground cover, prostrate. Refers to low shrubs growing in a horizontal direction.

Origin of the name Bluechip

The origin of its name is interesting. Blue Chip translated from in English means "first-class security". The fact is that in America a financial company with this name has been considered reliable and reputable, worthy of trust for many years. The literal translation is “blue chip”, but for Americans Blue Chip has become synonymous with the words “prestigious, top quality”.

Description and characteristics of the variety

The first thing to start with the description of the Blue Chip juniper is its beautiful appearance, thanks to which he received in 2004 in Poland the highest award from connoisseurs of ornamental garden plants around the world.

The common juniper Blue Chip belongs to perennial, evergreen, low-growing, coniferous shrubs compact dimensions. In breadth, it will grow no more than 1-1.2 m in diameter. And its height is generally small - about 30-40 cm.

This variety is valued for the beauty of shaggy branches. In summer, they are painted in a greenish-blue color with a slight gray tint, and closer to autumn they change their color to burgundy-lilac tones. Its stems are strongly fluffy, dense, collected in a horizontal, lush bush, raised above the ground, growing along the soil. The branches are completely covered with densely arranged green needles with a bluish tint.

Juniper horizontal Blue Chip rarely produces fruits on shoots: they are small, spherical and match the needles in color.

Features of plant care

As a rule, Blue Chip horizontal juniper prefers areas well lit by the sun. But it can grow in a small shade. Needs moderate watering, but does not like waterlogged soil. The best soil for this variety - nutritious, slightly acidic, drained. Sandy soils are perfect for the plant. In care, it is unpretentious, quite resistant to cold.

Blue Chip is a great choice for landscaping

Of course, the unusually beautiful Blue Chip variety will ennoble any garden. Most often, Blue Chip juniper is used in landscape design to create a variety of decorative ensembles. Used for planting around small garden ponds, often part of mixborders made up of coniferous representatives. In addition, it fits perfectly into almost any rock garden. In flower beds, it can become a wonderful background, not only shading the beauty of flowers, but also giving sophistication and nobility. By planting such evergreen shrub, you can not only effectively decorate the garden, but also cleanse it of many harmful bacteria.

Landing - basic rules

After buying a plant, the Blue Chip juniper is planted and cared for, which include a few simple rules. Most bushes are sold in pots or containers.
They must be carefully removed from the container and scrupulously water the roots with water. Then a suitable place for planting is selected (it is better if it is a sunny area or partial shade) and pits are prepared for planting. Their dimensions should be 1.5-2 times the size of the root.

You can improve the survival of the bush and give it more beauty by adding nutrient soil to the planting holes. Quality fit juniper Blue Chip into soil rich in all necessary substances will give strength to the plant not only to survive the stress in the form of a transplant, but will further nourish root system, which cannot but affect the decorativeness of the plant. The soil mixture is prepared on the basis of three components: turf, sand, peat, taken in equal proportions. Mineral fertilizers for conifers can be mixed with such soil, which can significantly help the plant take root faster. If the soil is compacted, not loose and poorly drained, then a layer of gravel of 20 cm should be covered in order to organize air access to the roots.

The technology by which the Blue Chip horizontal juniper is planted is simple. Prepared pits are well moistened, then bushes are planted in them. You can not plant a plant, deepening the neck of the root below the ground, this part of the shrub should be on the same level with it.

Features of breeding culture

Evergreen shrubs are easy to propagate using several methods: cuttings, cuttings, seeds.

The most common of them is cuttings, but it is not suitable for creeping varieties. Such species reproduce using layering.

Before propagating Blue Chip juniper, it is necessary to select the most healthy, young and beautiful shoots. Then the soil is prepared for the future site where the layers will take root: it is carefully dug up, after which peat and coarse sand are introduced. Everything is gently mixed and loosened.

After that, the selected stem is tilted to the ground and pinned with a bracket made of ordinary wire. In the place where the "hairpin" was fixed, the soil must be regularly watered and loosened.

Layering takes root for a rather long period of time: six months - a year. A well-rooted seedling is transplanted to " permanent place residence”, using the technology mentioned above. Lots of useful information in this article:

Coniferous plants older than 2-3 years transplant only with a clod of earth(or from containers), so as not to damage the root system of the plant along with the mycorrhiza that has developed on the roots - a fungus, vital for conifers. That is why pines and spruces often dug out in the forest do not take root in a new place. Preserving the integrity of the earth coma is the key to the success of the transplant!

Pit for landing.

If the soil on your site is heavy, clayey, then when landing on the bottom of the pit, you need to put a layer of broken brick or rubble (20 cm), and pour sand on top, since many types of conifers do not tolerate stagnant water in the soil. If you have sandy and sandy soils, drainage is not required.

The landing pit is prepared 1.5 times larger than the coma and deep:

100cm - if you have clay or black earth, the drainage depth is 20 cm
80cm - if sand or sandy loam.

It makes no sense to dig holes deeper than 80 cm, since all conifers have a superficial root system and fertile soil deeper than 80 cm will hardly be used by the plant.

The finished planting pit is filled with the prepared mixture (read below about the preparation of the earthen mixture).

How to plant.

Lower the root ball into the pit without removing the mesh and burlap (in 2-3 years they will decompose themselves). When planting container plants, the container must be removed.

Turn the spruce with the most beautiful side to the most prominent place. Align the trunk vertically with respect to the horizon. Hold until the end of landing in this position.

Fill the pit with an earthen mixture in parts (20-30 cm each), spilling or tamping evenly on all sides. Make sure that there are no voids under the lump and on the sides.

You fall asleep to the level - the upper level of the coma. The root collar is not deepened when planting (when deepened, the bark on the trunk dies off and food stops being supplied to the plant - the spruce dies).

Watering during transplantation.

Do not forget that the older the transplanted plant with a lump, the more difficult it is for it to adapt. Its root system is small and requires more frequent watering in the first year. 1 time per week in spring and autumn, 2 times a week in summer.

For one plant:

up to 1m. - 10 l. Water
up to 1.5 m. - 15-20l. Water.
up to 2.5 m. - 20-30l. Water.
up to 5m. - 30-40l. Water.

Care after landing.

During the first 7 days, water with a root stimulator. Additionally, spraying needles and branches with solutions of "epin" (1 ampoule per 5 l of water) or "zircon" (1 ml per 10 l of water) gives good results. Spray generously so that it flows down the needles.

Also, spraying with Epin partially protects the needles from UV radiation in early spring.

In the first year after planting, from February to April, cover the spruce with a shade net (or a fine-mesh construction green net) - just not tightly. Since in the first year there will be little food due to the truncated root system, the needles can dry out in the spring sun ( spring burns). In spruces and all conifers, evaporation from the needles occurs all year round, and when in spring the root system is still frozen (the ground is frozen), and the sun is very hot, the needles dry out. At this time, it is necessary to thaw the clod of earth under the plant so that it can consume moisture by the roots. Bottom line: start watering your conifers (growing in the sun) from March 15 - with warm water and shovel snow from the trunk so that the earth thaws faster.

In the spring, you need to start feeding "for conifers", only for conifers!!!

In no case should you fertilize with urea, humus, manure - deadly!

Among the ground cover varieties, Blue Chip juniper is considered the best. Its shaggy shoots, with a slightly raised core and ends, evenly and densely spread along the ground, forming a green carpet. The needles are short and dense, needle-shaped and prickly. The needles change color depending on the time of year: in summer the needles are a rich silver-blue hue, in spring young bright blue branches appear, in autumn it is filled with brown and lilac colors, and in winter its tone becomes almost purple.

Juniper horizontal Blue Chip is an excellent option for rocky compositions, rockeries and rock gardens, it harmoniously looks in combination with other coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs. Juniper is a natural healer, it effectively cleans and disinfects the surrounding air within a radius of 10 meters.

Description of juniper horizontal Blue Chip

The homeland of the juniper Blue Chip is Canada and America, in translation, its name means a blue chip. The plant grows in a horizontal direction, it is perfectly adapted throughout Russia, from the southern borders to the northern latitudes. Its growth is small - the height of an adult shrub is from 20 to 30 cm, and the crown in diameter can reach 1.5 meters. This beautiful dwarf representative with interesting needles and a slow growth rate is able to decorate any.

Description of Juniper Blue Chip:

Appearance. Refers to dwarf creeping evergreen varieties juniper, is distinguished by its small size and compact shape, raised middle and high decorative characteristics, has small needle needles. Seeds are cone berries of spherical shape and black color with bloom, reaching 5-6 mm in diameter.
Requirements. It loves light and good soil moisture, is resistant to frost and drought, tolerates urban gas pollution and air pollution, does not tolerate excess moisture and excessive salinity of the soil.
Where is used. Often planted as a support for rocky slopes and walls, to strengthen slopes and curbs. Ideal Solution for landscape design of rock gardens and heather gardens, looks good in a container with the need for decorative crown molding.

Beautiful, dense and fragrant Blue Chip horizontal juniper, with long creeping shoots and bright unusual coloration, is used by gardeners to create living coniferous carpets.

Juniper Blue Chip - landing

Young seedlings are planted in planting holes 50-70 cm deep with a sufficient drainage layer in sunny or slightly shaded areas. the shrub prefers nutritious moderately dry soil, mainly with an alkaline or acidic environment. The culture does not withstand stagnant moisture and soil salinity; regular shallow loosening is required to achieve the best decorative results.
The optimal distance between adjacent plants is 1-2 meters. For the winter, the conifer is sprinkled with peat up to 10 cm thick; during heavy snowfalls, temporary protection is built around it.

The agrotechnical features of the Blue Chip juniper are abundant watering after planting, mandatory mulching to preserve moisture, and regular sanitary haircuts.

Juniper Blue Chip - reproduction and care

The Blue Chip blue shrub is propagated by layering. The gardener chooses healthy and high-quality shoots, prepares the ground for rooting - digs, loosens with peat and sand, fertilizes and moisturizes. With the help of a bracket, the selected branch is fixed on the ground, the layers take root within six months to a year.

Planting and caring for Blue Chip juniper include the following activities:

Top dressing after planting is carried out three times a season: in spring, in summer with phosphorus-containing compounds and in autumn with mixtures for conifers with potassium. The plant gratefully responds to the application around the trunk.
Water regularly, but not excessively. For better moisture retention near trunk circles generously poured mulch from wood chips or sawdust.
Cutting is done in spring period- dry and broken shoots are removed, old and frozen branches are cut off.
Weeding and loosening are carried out as needed, an excess of weeds harms the decorative characteristics of the plant.
Diseases and pests. Coniferous culture can suffer from basal fungus and rot, it is often infected with mites and scale insects. For preventive purposes, juniper thickets, in the spring and once a month during the warm season, are treated with fungicides and insecticides.

Juniper Blue Chip is picturesque at any time of the year, with its help colorful corners are created near stones and near water bodies, flower beds and flower beds are effectively decorated with it. An additional advantage is that the plant creates around itself a microclimate that is useful for people.

Photo juniper Blue Chip in landscape design

Luxurious emerald, blue, dark green or golden yellow junipers, of various shapes and sizes, unpretentious and frost-resistant - the favorite ornamental coniferous plants. It is impossible to imagine a modern backyard without these lush evergreen trees or shrubs exuding the smell of forest freshness, beautiful at any time of the year and in any environment.

If you have not chosen which type coniferous trees and plant shrubs in the garden, use the article "", which will help you decide.

The best types and varieties

The diversity of species, amazing plasticity, the ability to tolerate heavy pruning, the versatility of use in landscaping, stability and ease of cultivation have become the reasons for the unprecedented popularity of junipers and inspired breeders to develop wonderful varieties and hybrid forms.

Common juniper (Juniperus communis)

Spreading shrub or large tree, reaching a height of 10 m, pyramidal, sprawling or creeping form with narrow prickly needles and reddish-brown bark. According to the type of development and appearance, quite a lot of forms and variations are distinguished, in particular, the following are popular:

suecica - the crown is formed in the form of a wide column, the ends of the shoots hang down;
compressa - up to 1 m high, the crown is narrow, columnar;
pendula - sprawling with a weeping crown;
hibernica - slender, columnar, branches directed upwards.

The species is resistant to dust and air pollution, it is successfully grown in urban conditions. It grows well on poor sandy and rocky soils. More than a hundred varieties have been bred, attractive and wild varieties.

Green Carpet

Creeping undersized variety obtained from a shrub found on the Norwegian coast at the end of the last century. Shoots and twigs are directed horizontally, the crown is dense, in general it looks rounded. An adult plant reaches 15–30 cm in height, growing in diameter up to 1.5–2.0 m.

Emerald, bright needles eventually acquire a thick green color. The development is slow, the variety works well as a ground cover plant, sparse penumbra is acceptable when placed.

Gold Cone

German spectacular variety with a crown in the form of a narrow column or pyramid. It grows up to 2–3 m high and up to 60 cm wide, develops rapidly, gives growths up to 15–20 cm per year. The branches are directed obliquely upwards, the ends of the shoots are bristling, which makes the plant look slightly disheveled, which gives it charm.

In spring and early summer, the ends of the shoots turn yellowish, later the needles turn green, in winter period becomes creamy brown. The variety gives plantings a sunny accent, is successfully used to create groups on the lawn, design rockeries and paths.

Sentinel or Pencil Point (Sentinel, Pencil Point)

A stunning variety of Canadian selection with a narrow columnar or pyramidal crown resembles a thin pencil, the pointed tip enhances the resemblance. A ten-year-old tree reaches a height of 1.5 m, about 30 cm in diameter. Due to the branches pressed against the trunk and directed upwards, the crown looks cast, even.

Small needle needles of rich green color or with a slight bluish tinge are not inclined to turn brown in winter. Sentinel looks great as a tapeworm near rocky hills, near lush conifers, or when planted in groups of three plants.

The robust species is considered the most resistant to adverse conditions, drought and air pollution, and develops well when planted along city avenues with busy traffic or in a factory area.

It is a creeping spreading shrub that grows up to 1.5 m in height, reaches a huge size in diameter - 6–8 meters or more. The crown is spreading, the branches rise at the ends. The needles are dark green, of two varieties - needle-shaped in young plants and scaly in adults. When planting, it should be borne in mind that the needles and fruits are toxic.

Blue Donau

A remarkably spectacular plant whose name translates as "Blue Danube". Shrub of medium size, with spreading shoots, by the age of ten grows no more than 1 m in height and about 1.5 m in diameter. In the future, it can grow in breadth up to 3 m, which is important to consider when planning a landing. Shoots are directed horizontally or obliquely upwards.

The development is fast, shoots give growths of about 20 cm per year. The needles of a beautiful bluish tone, with a strong odor, acquire a green or bluish, sometimes lilac tone in winter. Recommended as a textural and color component of rocky gardens, it looks wonderful in single plantings, when planted along alleys or near columnar dark conifers.

Tamariscifolia or Tamaris (Tamariscifolia)

The most popular Cossack juniper in adulthood takes a domed shape. The crown reaches a height of 1 m and a diameter of up to 2 m. The shoots are located horizontally or obliquely upwards, partially overlapping each other like tiles, forming a dense, dense cover.

The needles are plentiful, needle-shaped, light green in color with a bluish bloom. Tamaris develops well on any soil, suitable for planting on inconvenient areas, landscaping rocky areas and slopes.

Juniper horizontalis (Juniperus horizontalis)

It is a low shrub pressed to the ground with creeping flexible shoots and many small side branches. The needles are bluish-green or pure green, scaly and needle-shaped, in winter it acquires a burgundy hue. The wild variety is common on the sandy slopes of rivers and hills of the North American continent. More than 60 varieties have been obtained, standard forms are spectacular.

Golden Carpet

The yellow-colored Golden Carpet is a sport of the well-known undersized Wiltonii variety with blue needles. Bright decorative creeping juniper with a flat crown formed from decumbent branches, side shoots shortened, pointed upwards. The development is slow, the height of an adult plant is up to 30 cm, with a diameter of about 1.5 m. The needles are small, sharp, often needle-like, yellowish-green in color, on growths current year- golden yellow, turns green with the onset of cold weather.

Lying on loose soil, thin shoots take root over time, strengthening and nourishing the plant, forming an attractive golden carpet that suppresses weeds. Sport is used as a ground cover plant, to fix loose slopes, grafted onto a trunk, planted in tall perennials.

Ice Blue (Icee Blue)

Magnificent blue horizontal juniper, grows as a creeping shrub with decumbent flexible shoots pressed to the ground. Forms a dense carpet that flows around obstacles and falls in waves from hills, causing genuine admiration. Height is about 10-15 cm, the crown grows up to 2 m in diameter. Small branches grow in abundance, directed obliquely upwards.

The needles are soft, scaly, greenish with a bright blue tint, takes on a lilac tone in winter. The shrub is grown as a ground cover, looks great on the slopes of large rocky hills, near columnar conifers, weeping dwarf birches and mountain ash.

Juniperus medium or Fitzer (Juniperus x pfitzeriana)

It is a hybrid obtained by crossing the Cossack and Chinese species, is a male clone. A strong shrub grows up to 3 m tall and over 5 m across. Shoots ascend obliquely upwards, hanging down at the ends. The needles are predominantly needle-shaped, scaly on young growths. In culture, low creeping or sprawling forms are common.

Mint Julep (Mint Julep)

The most popular variety was bred in the USA, the name translates as "Mint Cocktail". A low shrub develops rapidly, reaching 1 m in height and 2.5–3 m in diameter. Long branches, directed to the sides or at an oblique angle upwards, form a flattened wide crown. The needles are scaly type, bright green.

Lateral branches and ascending shoots bulge and give the plant a tousled appearance that looks natural and adds texture to the landscape. Mint Julep is good when planted in groups, in mixborders, to form hedges.

King of Spring (King of Spring)

Compact shrub, the crown is formed by branches directed horizontally and then obliquely upwards. By the age of ten, it grows to 30–50 cm in height and 1.2 m in diameter. The needles are yellowish-green, needle-shaped and scaly. The growths of the current year are delicate, refined, painted in bright yellow, stand out on the surface of the crown and give it an attractive fluffy look.

With its brightness and spectacular contrast of the green middle of the bush and the outer golden shoots, this little “king of spring” is able to outshine not only other conifers, but also flowering perennials.

Scaly juniper (Juniperus squamata)

Wonderful view comes from a mountainous area East Asia, is a tree up to 3 m high or an open (creeping) shrub. The needles are sharp, lanceolate, curved, dark green in color, silvery on top.

Dream Joy

It develops at an average pace, by the age of ten it reaches 60 cm in height and more than 1.2 m in width. Shoots grow by 10-15 cm per year. The crown is dense, regular pillow-shaped. The branches are multidirectional, arcuately curved, drooping at the ends. Sharp needles of needle type, dark, bluish-green. Young growths of a fresh yellowish-green hue effectively contrast with the general background.

Blue Star (Blue Star)

A rounded shrub up to 1 m high and up to 1.5 m wide. It develops slowly, growing 3–5 cm per year. The main advantage is a compact, tightly knit blue crown of irregular cushion shape. The main branches are numerous, directed upwards. Lateral branches are short, densely covered with needle-shaped blue needles. The gains of the current year are silver-blue, light. This is a terrific variety for rocky slides and mixborders.

Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis)

It grows in nature tall tree with a crown in the form of a pyramid or column, in natural conditions grows above 10 m, distributed in China and Japan. The needles are scaly or needle-shaped, saturated green. It develops best on nutritious, sufficiently moist soils. More than 60 varieties have been bred, attractive as variations with a smooth, dense crown, as well as ruffled, with multidirectional branches. Very good hybrid bicolor Chinese junipers.

Stricta (Stricta)

A beautiful slender variety of Dutch selection obtained in 1945. Young plants are characterized by a narrow columnar or pyramidal crown, the top is pointed. The development is slow - up to 5-8 cm increments per year. Over time, the crown expands, becomes more voluminous, mature plant reaches 2–3 m in height and 1.5 m in diameter.

Lateral branches are numerous, dense, directed obliquely upwards. The needles are needle-shaped, attractive bluish-green in color, silvery in the lower part of the needles. In winter it acquires a brownish tint.

Plumosa (Plumosa)

An unusual hybrid of Chinese and middle junipers, with spreading, lateral-directed branches arranged in an inverted arch, due to which the crown takes the form of a crown or funnel. Plants are low - up to 1.5 m, with an inclined shortened main stem and obliquely ascending branches. Lateral branches prostrate, drooping. Needles of scaly type, dense green tone.

In England, a beautiful hybrid form of Plumosa Aurea was obtained, growing no higher than 1 m. Needles of a catchy golden yellow hue, which is especially attractive in early spring. This slow growing plant is suitable for cultivation.

Juniperus virginiana (Juniperus virginiana)

In nature, the species is distributed in the highlands of North America. Powerful plants reach 20 m and form a pyramidal crown, which becomes more spreading over the years. The needles are dark, green, needle-shaped and scaly.

Gray Owl

The Dutch variety, translated as "Grey Owl", was obtained by breeders in 1938. This is a wonderful lush shrub with an original flattened crown. irregular shape. Skeletal branches are directed horizontally and raised, lateral thin branches are lowered down. By the age of ten, it grows no higher than 1.5 m, reaching 3 m in diameter.

The needles are mostly scaly, beautiful bluish- blue color, at the ends of young shoots - silvery, in winter it acquires a brownish tint. In general, the shrub gives the impression of lightness, with its thin arcuate branches and graceful light needles.

Canaertii (Canaertii)

The variety was obtained in Belgium at the end of the 19th century; it is a tall tree of a narrow pyramidal shape. It develops rapidly, adult plants in favorable conditions grow up to 5 m and above. Initially dense, dense crown loosens over time. The branches are directed upwards, the scaly needles of a juicy green color turn yellowish-brown in winter.

Young plants are decorated with refined light shoots, obliquely extending from the crown and hanging at the ends. Round cones of blue color with a white bloom, appearing in abundance on the branches of adult shrubs, make them even more attractive.

Rock Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum)

A large tree up to 10–15 m high or an open dense shrub, grows naturally on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The crown is narrow-pyramidal, the branches are vertically directed, growing low from the ground itself, densely covering the trunk. The needles are needle-shaped and scaly, bluish-green. It is unpretentious to soils, but it can freeze slightly in winter, the branches are fragile, break off during heavy snowfalls, in spring tender growths can get burned.

Moonglow

Bright blue cultivar with an attractive rounded crown that becomes pyramidal with age. It develops quickly, gives growths up to 20 cm, growing up to 6 m in height and up to 2.5 m in width. The needles are grayish-blue, bright, with silvery young shoots.

Great for growing hedges, looks impressive in a group planting. The variegated variation of Moonglow Variegate is decorated with cream twigs that tend to freeze in winter.

Skyrocket

A slender tree with a columnar crown and a pointed top grows up to 3.0 m in height and about 0.7 m in diameter by the age of ten. The skeletal branches and numerous lateral branches fit snugly, directed vertically.

The needles are scaly, bluish-blue in color, small. This resistant variety was discovered in natural conditions in 1949 and quickly became extremely popular due to the dense crown of the correct form and unpretentiousness.

A small shrub distributed in the Far East, China and Western Siberia. Skeletal branches are directed horizontally, flattened and raised at the ends. The needles are green, needle-shaped, with whitish-gray stripes, on young growths scaly, soft, dull. In winter it is prone to browning.

Cones are dark blue, with a bluish bloom. The plant is stable, showy, obtained decorative varieties, which are sometimes mistaken for varieties of a close species - Chinese juniper.

A tall tree in natural conditions is common in China, Japan, Korea, the Far East, is a rare species. It grows up to 8–10 m in height. The crown is pyramidal, dense, loose in female specimens, formed by ascending spreading skeletal branches with hanging side branches.

Needles of emerald color, mostly needle-shaped, hard, prickly. The species is suitable for solitary plantings, looks spectacular with a weeping crown shape, has long been used for growing bonsai.

The species is distributed in the northern regions of Eurasia, in the tundra and mountainous areas, outwardly similar to the common juniper. A low-growing plant 0.5–1 m high, the branches are creeping, sometimes raised. The needles are pointed, curved, up to 0.8 cm long, juicy green with a white stripe.

The branches are decorated with fleshy purple cones, covered with a bluish bloom. Suitable for group plantings, design of rock gardens. Unpretentious, stable in frosty winters.

Originally from Japan, creeping dense shrub with a dense crown grows up to 30 cm in height. Forms dense, extensive carpets of green color up to 3–4 m in diameter. Lateral branches grow in abundance, directed upwards.

The needles are needle-shaped, green, at the base with white spots. In culture, it is more common in Japan, used as a groundcover, grafted onto a trunk, and also grown as a bonsai.

Juniper groups by appearance and growth rate

Numerous types of junipers differ in appearance and in the rate of growth of the crown. Often, within the same species, both creeping and tall plants can be found, which depends on the growing conditions, belonging to a subspecies or hybrid form.

Thanks to the efforts of breeders, typically tall species can be represented by medium-sized varieties or even dwarf ones. Some common types and varieties of junipers are grouped below, depending on the height of the plants, the direction of growth of the branches, the rate of development and the color of the needles.

Horizontal:

M. horizontal,
M. daursky,
M. Cossack,
M. medium,
M. Sargent,
M. ordinary (Depressa, Greenmantl, Vase).

Vertical:

M. virginsky,
M. Chinese,
M. rocky,
M. hard,
M. prickly,
M. high,
M. ordinary (Gold Cone, Arnold, Sentinel).

High (height of species plants):

M. virginsky (up to 20 m),
M. rocky (up to 10–12 m),
M. hard (up to 8–10 m),
M. prickly (up to 5–10 m),
M. Chinese (up to 10–15 m),
M. ordinary (up to 8–12 m),
M. high (up to 10–15 m).

Creeping:

M. horizontal,
M. recumbent,
M. crowded or coastal,
M. scaly,
M. Sargent,
M. ordinary (Green Carpet, Repanda).

Dwarf:

M. virginsky (Globosa, Golden Spring),
M. Chinese (Expansa and its forms),
M. recumbent (Nana),
M. ordinary (Compressa, Constans Franklin),
M. medium (King of Spring),
M. horizontal (Andorra Variegata, Andorra Compact),
M. scaly (Blue Star, Dream Joy),
M. Siberian.

Columnar:

M. virginsky (Glauca),
M. Chinese (Obelisk, Keteleeri),
M. ordinary (Constans Franklin, Columnaris, Sentinel),
M. rocky (Sky Rocket, Blue Arrow).

Fast growing:

M. virgin (Glauca, Canaertii, Hetz),
M. average (Mint Julep),
M. Cossack (Rockery Gem, Hicksii, Blaue Donau),
M. Chinese (Obelisk, Spartan),
M. horizontal (Bar Harbor),
M. ordinary (Gold Cone),
M. rocky (Moonglow, Skyrocket).

Blue:

M. scaly (Blue Star, Blue Carpet),
M. crowded (Blue Pacific),
M. rocky (Blue Heaven, Moonglow, Blue Arrow),
M. ordinary (Sterling Silver),
M. horizontal (Blue Chip, Blue Forest, Icee Blue),
M. Chinese (Blue Alps),
M. medium (Hetzii),
M. Cossack (Blue Donau).

Video about the variety of species and varieties of juniper

Universal junipers in all their variety of shapes, sizes and colors are widely used in landscaping. Tall plants adorn parks, alleys and gardens. There are no equal columnar junipers, looking up, as vertical elements of the landscape, expanding the space.

Medium-sized and undersized varieties are surprisingly decorative in design. personal plot‒ by a rocky hill and lawn, in a solitary planting and in groups, as living multi-colored carpets and textured accents in a mixborder.

Juniper is a common ornamental plant often found in landscape design. Its sprawling "paws", creeping along the ground, or neat trees in the shape of candles, can ennoble any garden or park. A person has long noticed the beauty of a plant - in the verses of the poet of ancient Greece Virgil there are lines that mention this shrub.

Botanical information about juniper

The plant can take the form of a large shrub, tree and small creeping bushes. Most of the genus likes to grow in well-lit areas, are easy to care for, do not impose special requirements on the soil, and tolerate prolonged drought well. As for resistance to cold, it all depends on the species: some of them come from the northern regions, so they easily tolerate significant temperature drops. But there are also species - inhabitants of the subtropics, hypothermia is contraindicated for them. See the article about the horizontal juniper Andorra Variegata.

Juniper - "ambulance" from many ailments

Juniper berries and medicine

Juniper berries and cooking

In addition to medicinal uses, the fruit is often used as a condiment for culinary purposes. After grinding, they are added to meat dishes, especially game. Many other recipes also cannot do without this ingredient: sauces, soups, terrines, marinades for meat. Drinks such as: jelly, kvass, beer, gin are also made with the addition of exotic seasonings, giving off a light coniferous aroma and giving the dishes a tart-sweet aftertaste.

On berries, the use of juniper does not end there. Other parts of the plant are also used in human life. For example, no less fragrant oil is made from its odorous branches, which has a lot of useful properties. It is valued for being an effective way against radiculitis, polyarthritis and rheumatism. With it, you can also cure some unpleasant problems associated with the nervous system, for example, neuralgia.

Blue Chip - American-Canadian variety

Origin of the name Bluechip

The origin of its name is interesting. Blue Chip in English means "first-class security". The fact is that in America a financial company with this name has been considered reliable and reputable, worthy of trust for many years. The literal translation is “blue chip”, but for Americans Blue Chip has become synonymous with the words “prestigious, top quality”.

Description and characteristics of the variety

The first thing to start with the description of the Blue Chip juniper is its beautiful appearance, thanks to which it received in 2004 in Poland the highest award from connoisseurs of ornamental garden plants around the world.

Common juniper Blue Chip belongs to perennial, evergreen, low-growing, coniferous shrubs of compact dimensions. In breadth, it will grow no more than 1-1.2 m in diameter. And its height is generally small - about 30-40 cm.

Juniper horizontal Blue Chip rarely produces fruits on shoots: they are small, spherical and match the needles in color.

Features of plant care

As a rule, Blue Chip horizontal juniper prefers areas well lit by the sun. But it can grow in a small shade. Needs moderate watering, but does not like waterlogged soil. The best soil for this variety is nutritious, slightly acidic, drained. Sandy soils are perfect for the plant. In care, it is unpretentious, quite resistant to cold.

Blue Chip is a great choice for landscaping

Of course, the unusually beautiful Blue Chip variety will ennoble any garden. Most often, Blue Chip juniper is used in landscape design to create a variety of decorative ensembles. It is used for planting around small garden ponds, often part of mixborders made up of coniferous representatives. In addition, it fits perfectly into almost any rock garden. In flower beds, it can become a wonderful background, not only shading the beauty of flowers, but also giving sophistication and nobility. By planting such an evergreen shrub, you can not only effectively decorate the garden, but also cleanse it of many harmful bacteria.

Landing - basic rules

You can improve the survival of the bush and give it more beauty by adding nutrient soil to the planting holes. High-quality planting of Blue Chip juniper in soil rich in all necessary substances will give strength to the plant not only to survive stress in the form of a transplant, but will also further nourish the root system, which cannot but affect the decorativeness of the plant. The soil mixture is prepared on the basis of three components: turf, sand, peat, taken in equal proportions. Mineral fertilizers for conifers can be mixed with such soil, which can significantly help the plant take root faster. If the soil is compacted, not loose and poorly drained, then a layer of gravel of 20 cm should be covered in order to organize air access to the roots.

Features of breeding culture

Evergreen shrubs are easy to propagate using several methods: cuttings, cuttings, seeds.

The most common of them is cuttings, but it is not suitable for creeping varieties. Such species reproduce using layering.

Before you propagate Blue Chip juniper, you need to choose the most healthy, young and beautiful shoots. Then the soil is prepared for the future site where the layers will take root: it is carefully dug up, after which peat and coarse sand are introduced. Everything is gently mixed and loosened.

After that, the selected stem is tilted to the ground and pinned with a bracket made of ordinary wire. In the place where the "hairpin" was fixed, the soil must be regularly watered and loosened.

Layering takes root for a rather long period of time: six months - a year. A well-rooted seedling is transplanted to a "permanent place of residence" using the technology indicated above. A lot of useful information in the article: How to grow rosemary from seeds and cuttings at home?

Among the ground cover varieties, Blue Chip juniper is considered the best. Its shaggy shoots, with a slightly raised core and ends, evenly and densely spread along the ground, forming a green carpet. The needles are short and dense, needle-shaped and prickly. The needles change color depending on the time of year: in summer the needles are a rich silver-blue hue, in spring young bright blue twigs appear, in autumn it is filled with brown and lilac colors, and in winter its tone becomes almost purple.

Description of juniper horizontal Blue Chip

The homeland of the juniper Blue Chip is Canada and America, in translation, its name means a blue chip. The plant grows in a horizontal direction, it is perfectly adapted throughout Russia, from the southern borders to the northern latitudes. Its growth is small - the height of an adult shrub is from 20 to 30 cm, and the crown in diameter can reach 1.5 meters. This beautiful dwarf with interesting needles and a slow growth rate is able to decorate any landscape design.

Description of Juniper Blue Chip:

Appearance. It belongs to dwarf creeping evergreen varieties of juniper, it is distinguished by its small size and compact shape, raised middle and high decorative characteristics, it has small needle needles. Seeds are cone berries of spherical shape and black color with bloom, reaching 5-6 mm in diameter.
Requirements. It loves light and good soil moisture, is resistant to frost and drought, tolerates urban gas pollution and air pollution, does not tolerate excess moisture and excessive salinity of the soil.
Where is used. Often planted as a support for rocky slopes and walls, to strengthen slopes and curbs. An ideal solution for landscaping rock gardens and heather gardens, looks good in a container with the need for decorative crown molding.

Beautiful, dense and fragrant Blue Chip horizontal juniper, with long creeping shoots and bright unusual coloration, is used by gardeners to create living coniferous carpets.

Juniper Blue Chip - landing

The agrotechnical features of the Blue Chip juniper are abundant watering after planting, mandatory mulching to preserve moisture, and regular sanitary haircuts.

Juniper Blue Chip - reproduction and care

Planting and caring for Blue Chip juniper include the following activities:

Top dressing after planting is carried out three times a season: in spring with nitrogen fertilizers, in summer with phosphorus-containing compounds and in autumn with mixtures for conifers with potassium. The plant gratefully responds to the introduction of organic fertilizers around the trunk.
Water regularly, but not excessively. For the best moisture retention near the trunk circles, mulch from wood chips or sawdust is generously poured.
Pruning is carried out in the spring - dry and broken shoots are removed, old and frozen branches are cut off.
Weeding and loosening are carried out as needed, an excess of weeds harms the decorative characteristics of the plant.
Diseases and pests. Coniferous culture can suffer from basal fungus and rot, it is often infected with mites and scale insects. For preventive purposes, juniper thickets, in the spring and once a month during the warm season, are treated with fungicides and insecticides.

Photo juniper Blue Chip in landscape design

Acquaintance with juniper Blue Chip - video

Juniper horizontalis is one of the favorite plants for those gardeners who are engaged in the design of their site. Conifers will perfectly decorate the landscape and bring a touch of wildlife.

All horizontal junipers are evergreen creeping dwarf bushes from ten to seventy centimeters high, the crown width varies from a meter to three.

general description

Junipers grow slowly . The main shoots are extended to the sides, usually covered with younger branches. The needles of junipers are either needle-shaped or scaly, the length is about three millimeters. The color of the needles varies from green to yellow and silver. In winter, the needles of all varieties acquire a brownish or purple color.

Description of fruits. The fruits of junipers are spherical cones of blue color covered with blue bloom. Junipers tolerate drought, frost and drafts well. Natural habitat - Canada and North America. This shrub has more than a hundred varieties, and one of the most popular is Blue Chip.

Plant has an attractive appearance, and was even awarded the highest award at the 2004 exhibition in Poland.

Blue Chip belongs to perennial dwarf shrubs, it is about one and a half meters wide and thirty centimeters high. The color of the needles summer period- green with a blue tint, in winter - burgundy. The stems are thick and fluffy, grow along the ground, the branches are densely covered with needles. Fruit this variety gives quite rarely, they small size, the color is the same as the needles.

Conditions and reproduction

Like all junipers, Blue Chip horizontal grows well in any soil, however, you should know that he does not like too much moisture and salty soils. When planting, it will be good to mulch in order to maintain the correct soil moisture regime. As the juniper grows, it will independently protect the roots.

This shrub variety propagates by layering. A healthy shoot is selected, and the ground is prepared under it. It should be dug up, add fertilizer and sand, dig everything again. Next, the shoot must be bent to the ground and pinned with a wire clip. In place of the bracket, it is necessary to water and loosen the earth. The layering takes root for about a year. After rooting, the young plant can be planted in a permanent place.

Juniper on the plot

To begin with, a landing site is determined. It is good for optimal growth to choose a bright place, or in partial shade. Next, landing pits are prepared, dug about eighty centimeters deep. At the bottom, you can put compost or ready-made nutrient soil.

For the speedy rooting of the plant, it is necessary to add to the soil mineral fertilizer. If the soil is too compacted, it is necessary to fill up a drainage layer (for example, fine gravel).

After preparing the holes, they should be moistened and the plant should be carefully placed there together with the earth located on the root coma, then sprinkled and tamped the soil.

Landing and further care behind this variety practically does not differ from any other conifers.

Make the first watering in the amount of no more than two watering cans. The distance between the bushes should not be less than one meter. For the winter period, juniper is sprinkled with sawdust.

Within a week after planting, the bush should be watered with a stimulant for the roots, and the branches should be treated with Epin. Processing is necessary plentiful, the drug should, as it were, even drain from the branches.

In the period from February to early May of the first year of growth, it is worth covering the plant loosely with a soft fine-mesh net (you can buy it at a hardware store). This is done in order to avoid burns from the ultraviolet rays of the spring sun. Horizontal junipers from needles have year-round evaporation, and in spring the roots have not yet thawed, the sun is hot, as a result, the needles dry out. Therefore, in the spring it is necessary to thaw the soil near the bush then it will be better able to absorb moisture. Thus, it is advisable to start watering the juniper in mid-March, at the same time you need to remove snow from the soil near the bush.

Shrub care is quite simple, you just need to follow some general rules:

In general, junipers are quite disease resistant., but you still need to know the dangers that threaten the bush.

In addition to the fact that Blue Chip looks beautiful on the site, the plant also has useful properties. The most useful part of a shrub is its fruits. In folk medicine, they are famous as a remedy for diseases of the kidneys and bladder, as well as skin diseases (for example, eczema). From the branches, a decoction is prepared to help relieve an allergy attack, and a decoction from the roots treats bronchitis and other diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract.

Juniper fruits have also been used in cooking. They are added as a seasoning to fish and meat dishes, and in ground form - in sauces and marinades.

From juniper wood make pencils and even utensils. In containers made of juniper, products do not deteriorate for a long time, since the wood has an antimicrobial effect.

The property of conifers is also known to “cleanse” the air from fungi and other pathogens. The immunity of a person who has juniper in his area is quite high.

Landscape

Juniper Blue Chip is beautiful both in winter and in summer, with its help you can create various landscape compositions. It looks great in rock gardens, near artificial ponds and when decorating a flower bed, on which it will emphasize the beauty of the planted flowers. It can be used as a living carpet on any segment of the site or near a stone slide.

Conclusion

An unusual and very beautiful horizontal juniper of the Blue Chip variety will decorate and ennoble garden plot, country yard and city flower garden. Additional plus - juniper, like all conifers, perfectly cleans the air from gas contamination and microorganisms that are harmful to health. Its care is simple. That is why it is worth making a choice in favor of such a spectacular and useful plant.

juniper blue chip

Juniper Blue Chip is a dwarf conifer. It grows in southern and northern latitudes, adapts well to harsh climates. In landscape design, it is used to decorate rock gardens, rockeries, decorating deciduous plantings.

plant description

Blue chip - this is how the name of the plant is translated from the Canadian language. It's evergreen perennial with creeping stem. The needles are dense gray-gray in color. The color of the needles changes with the seasons of the year. In spring, young shoots are gray-green, gray-gray in summer, and acquire purple hues in winter.