The common juniper is known for its blue berries, which are also used as a spice and medicinal. We give tips on planting, care and use.
In addition to its pretty appearance, the common juniper (Juniperus communis) is also used as a forage plant for birds. If it gets enough light, it will grow almost anywhere and can also be planted as a hedge. We show how culture succeeds.
Junior in profile
The common juniper (Juniperus communis) is known to us for its blue cone berries and distinctive growth habit. It is the most widespread representative of the softwoods and occurs in the northern hemisphere from North America to Africa. It can grow both as a shrub and as a tree and reaches heights of between 5 and 8 meters. But how fast does common juniper grow? With an increase of 10 to 15 centimeters per year, the juniper species is one of the slow-growing trees. The evergreen common juniper has prickly, grey-green needles, which are always in threes in a whorl. On the top of the needle is a white stripe called a stoma band, which is formed from a series of stomata. From June, the common juniper has flowering time and forms small, inconspicuous flowers in the leaf axils. Here, after fertilization, the cone fruits typical of juniper are formed, which look like berries. However, these are only found on female plants. Since the juniper is dioecious, specimens of both sexes are required for the formation of fruit. The cones only reach maturity, which can be recognized by their dark blue colour, after two or three years. Then the fruits can also be harvested and used.
By the way: The common juniper is the only species of the genus juniper whose fruits are edible.
The most beautiful Juniperus communis varieties
In addition to the wild form, there are some Juniperus communis varieties that are distinguished either by their growth habit or bymake their needle color stand out.
- Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone': This juniper variety stands out with its golden yellow colored needles. It grows as a densely branched, columnar tree and reaches heights of about 3.5 meters.
- Juniperus communis 'Hibernica': The variety is also known as columnar juniper and grows accordingly as a compact column. This makes it particularly suitable as a solitary tree, but also as a bonsai.
- Juniperus communis 'Repanda': This is a low-growing, ground-covering juniper variety. It is also known as creeping juniper or creeping juniper.
Planting common juniper: location and procedure
The attractive and easy-care juniper can be used in a variety of ways in the garden, whether as a solitary plant, in the heath garden, as a bird feeder or useful plant.
The common juniper likes a spot in the sun. The soil should be loose, permeable and dry to moist, but never waterlogged. It is best to plant the juniper in spring. To loosen up compacted or loamy-clayey soil, a third of the sand can be mixed in when digging the planting hole. The root ball of the young juniper is soaked in water and placed in the planting hole after it has been soaked. Fill in the gaps with the sand-soil mixture and press firmly. It should be watered regularly over the next few days.
If you want to plant the common juniper as a hedge, you should plant several specimens close together. Since the common juniper needs a lot of light, the hedge should be cut in a trapezoidal shape. In this way, light also reaches the lower branches. The distance between the individual plants should be about 50 cm, but it also depends on the variety. For example, a suitable cultivar for hedges is Juniperus communis 'Golden Cone', whereas groundcover cultivars such as Juniperus communis 'Repanda' are unsuitable for this purpose.
It is also possible to cultivate the common juniper as a bonsai. The 'Hibernica' variety is particularly suitable for this. The common juniper tolerates pruning at the roots and can therefore be kept as a miniature tree without any problems. The location requirements are the same as for the big representatives. Helpful tips howhow to plant and care for a bonsai, see our article.
Care for the common juniper: pruning, fertilizing etc.
The maintenance requirement of the common juniper is very low. After planting, the young trees need a little more attention, but once they are well established, the juniper will grow on its own.
When young, the common juniper should be watered during long dry periods. Especially in the time immediately after planting, it still needs regular watering. Well-grown specimens, on the other hand, do not need watering and survive drought without any problems. Fertilization is also not necessary and is only used if the juniper is not growing sufficiently. If the garden soil is particularly poor in nutrients, initial fertilization when planting and annually in spring can support the growth of the juniper. For example, our Plantura organic universal fertilizer is suitable for this, which works over a long period of time and is primarily based on natural ingredients as an organic fertilizer. It is also completely unproblematic for pets and garden animals.
If the common juniper is cultivated as a bonsai, a special bonsai fertilizer should be administered during the growing season.
Because the juniper grows very slowly, it should be pruned back regularly, but only slightly. A pruning once a year is sufficient. Choose a frost-free day during the vegetation period, preferably in the spring before budding. Radical pruning should be avoided at all costs, as the juniper will no longer sprout from the old wood.
Uses and effects of common juniper
As soon as the cone berries have turned dark blue, you can harvest the fruits of the common juniper. It can take up to three years for the cones to ripen in autumn. You can collect the fruit with gloves or shake the branch so that the cones fall onto a spread cloth on the ground. The fruits are then dried and preserved. The sweet-bitter-tasting fruits refine schnapps, for example, and can be used as a spice or tea. Among other things, juniper tea is said to have a blood-cleansing effect and help with digestive problems. However, one should not consume large amounts, since the fruits also contain irritants. Sprigs of juniper are also used, for example to flavor meat through the smoke. If you have kidney problems orDuring pregnancy, the consumption of juniper berries should be avoided in order not to take any unnecessary risks.
By the way: For many bird species, such as the song thrush and of course the fieldfare, the berries of the common juniper are a source of food. The beautiful conifer also attracts some feathered visitors to the garden.
Is juniper poisonous?
The berries of the common juniper should only be consumed in moderation, as excessive consumption can be harmful to the kidneys. This is due to the essential oils that are also contained in the needles. In large quantities, the common juniper is considered poisonous, albeit in small amounts.
The cones of the common juniper also serve as food for birds. You can find out how you can make your garden more bird-friendly with us.