The juniper genus is very versatile and includes a wide variety of species in different shapes and colors. We present the most beautiful ones for the garden.
Whether ground cover or columnar juniper, many species can be planted in the garden as ornamental trees. Most of them have different types of juniper, so there is something for every taste. We have put together a small selection as an overview for you.
Juniper species: how many are there and where do they occur?
The plant genus juniper (Juniperus) comprises about 70 different species, almost all of which are found in the northern hemisphere. Only the East African juniper (Juniperus procera) also grows in the southern hemisphere. The species are in turn divided into three subgenera or sections. Some juniper species occur naturally in our latitudes, but others can also be planted in the garden. We present the most beautiful ones and also recommend some juniper varieties.
The most beautiful juniper species for the garden
Not all of the 70 juniper species are also suitable for the garden. However, many are used as ornamental trees. They differ mainly in growth habit, needle shape and color.
Juniperus chinensis
Chinese juniper occurs naturally in East Asia and is also found as an ornamental plant in gardens. It is versatile, can be kept in beds and in tubs and can be cut into shape. The leaves of this species are either scale-like or needle-like. Both leaf shapes can also be found on a plant. Along with the common juniper (Juniperus communis), the Chinese juniper is the most common juniper species used in the garden. There are also different varieties of this species.
- Juniperus chinensis 'Obelisk': This variety has dark green needles and grows in a columnar shape, which is why it is also called cone juniper. The growth height in old age is about 4 m.
- Juniperuschinensis 'Blaauw': The 'Blaauw' juniper variety has grey-blue needles and grows up to 2.5 m high. It grows like a funnel and looks like a fountain.
- Juniperus chinensis 'Variegata': As the name suggests, this variety has multicolored foliage with partly green and partly yellow needles . It also grows to about 15 feet tall.
Tip: Caring for a juniper as a bonsai is possible with many species. Best suited for this are Juniperus communis and Juniperus chinensis.
Juniperus horizontalis
This species is also known as creeping juniper or carpet juniper. Its names refer to its growth habit, because it grows flat and covers the ground. It is native to North America, but can also be planted here. Like the Chinese juniper, this species has two types of leaves, which can be scale-like or needle-like.
- Juniperus horizontalis 'Glauca': This variety stands out due to the blue-green colored needles and grows ground-covering, with a maximum height of 15 cm grows tall, but up to 2 m wide.
- Juniperus horizontalis ‘Blue Chip’: Equally creeping but with steel blue needles, this blue creeping juniper grows. The variety is also faster-growing than 'Glauca'. 'Blue Chip' grows to about 40 cm high and 2 m wide.
Juniperus scopulorum
The cypress juniper or Rocky Mountain juniper comes from western North America. Due to its upright and narrow habit, it is also known as columnar juniper. It usually grows with a single trunk and is therefore particularly suitable as a solitary tree. Both needle and scaly leaves are also found here.
- Juniperus scopulorum 'Blue Arrow': This variety has blue-green needles and reaches heights of up to 6 metres. It is also called blue rocket juniper 'Blue Arrow'.
- Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket': The rocket juniper 'Skyrocket' with green needles grows a little taller at 8 meters.
Juniperus sabina
The sallow tree has many names, including stink juniper, sevi tree or poison juniper. In addition to the common juniper, the sallow tree is the only species of the genus that is also inNative to Central Europe.
Distinguish between Sade tree and common juniper:
| Sadebaum | Junior | |
|---|---|---|
| Toxicity | Toxic | Non-Toxic |
| Foliage Shape | Female plants: scaly, close-lying Male plants: prickly | Three in whorls, piercing, with white stoma band on fluted top. |
| Foliage Size | Individual leaves under 1 cm | Individual leaves 1 - 2 cm |
| smell | Crushed leaves (of the female plants) smell bad | Crushed leaves smell nice |
Tip: The pear grate, which is dangerous for pears, uses the sallow tree as its main host. So if you have both plants in the garden, be careful and keep an eye out for the orange fruiting bodies.
- Juniperus sabina 'Variegata': This form of the Sade tree develops green as well as white-yellowish leaves and is therefore bicolored. Height of growth: 2 m.
- Juniperus sabina 'Rockery Gem': The variety is also called blue-green moss juniper and grows flat in width. Height: 50 cm.
Warning: All parts of the Sade tree are poisonous. Unfortunately, the berries of the two types can hardly be distinguished!
Juniperus squamata
This species is also called scaly juniper, although it only develops needle-shaped leaves. Its range extends across East and Central Asia. In nature it reaches heights of up to twelve meters, but is also available in dwarf form as an ornamental tree.
- Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star': The dwarf juniper 'Blue Star' grows very stocky and compact. The needle color is silver-blue, it is also called blue cedar juniper. Height of growth: 1 m.
- Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet': This creeping juniper is also called blue carpet juniper or blue creeping juniper. It grows ground covering and stands out with its steel blue needles. Height: 50 cm.
Juniperus virginiana
The Virginian juniper is also called Virginian red cedar because its leaves turn slightly reddish in autumn. The scaly and needle-shaped leaves of the cone-shaped tree are pleasantly fragrant.However, all plant parts of this North American species are poisonous. It is the largest of all juniper species and can reach heights of around ten meters.
- Juniperus virginiana 'Grey Owl': This variety grows in width rather than height and has grey-blue, scale-like needles. It grows about 3 m tall.
- Juniperus virginiana 'Canaertii': Due to the scaly leaves, this green juniper is also called dark green cypress juniper and reaches a height of proud 8 m.
Once you have decided on a species, you now need to know how to plant and care for juniper. We'll give you some useful tips.