The tallest part of the bush/tree is about 7. Skyrocket juniper (zones 4-9): A tall, skinny evergreen with blue-green foliage that's low-maintenance and tolerant of hot and cold climates; My best guess without seeing them in person is that it could be salvaged by pruning as you suggested. Sarah, It tolerates alkaline soil and is quite drought-tolerant but root regeneration is slow after Spartan juniper trees (Juniperus chinensis Spartan) may be the next best alternative. Spartan juniper trees require very little water, doing well with just natural rainfall for their irrigation needs. They are evergreen with needle-like and/or scale-like leaves. Why is this? Propagation is easy with spartan juniper. 2) They are long-lived plants. Mean little Bastards! Would you recommend that I should move the juniper to prevent any potential damage to the retaining wall? In fact, spartan junipers are so spiky and hardy that they were used as weapons during the Middle Ages to help defend against enemy armies. Birds devour the fruit and 'plant' it along farm fences and in old abandoned fields. Im tempted to ask the seller if I can plant junipers so that when the new owner gets in, they are in and ready to start growing my new privacy wall without a fight! Im considering buying Juniper Trees for the first time, and I have a quick question. Joe. Root rot may occur, particularly in wet, poorly drained soils. I think the answer is moderation- we would never design a landscape today using only Juniper, but they are great plants when used in the right situation. Junipers scream midwestern landscape. This pruning then exposes all of the dead old growth inside the base of the plant- ugly! I have been researching for months for foundation landscaping for the front of our brick ranch in zone 5 facing west. It tolerates alkaline soil and is quite drought-tolerant but root regeneration is slow after transplanting from a field nursery. I live in Louisiana (Mandeville, zone 8b). Plant a tree with non-invasive roots to solve problems brought on by protruding roots. Juniperus scopulorum 'Wichita Blue' is an upright grower to about 15 feet, which is really a tall shrub rather than a tree. Id rather prune than remove or transplant. The rock wall wasn't done by anybody who knew what they were doing. It grows well in the sun, and is deer resistant and drought tolerant. Bare root plants are sold by height from the top of the root system to the top of the plant. Junipers are fairly hardy and trouble-free so those might be a good choice for you. 2) They were not planted with enough room to grow. Also, what City are you located in? If you plan on having spartan juniper as part of your landscape through winter, a very late fall or early winter pruning is appropriate for shaping spartans. Spartan juniper growth rate is almost two inches per year. The spartan juniper is a drought-tolerant plant variety that thrives in hot and dry environments. The spartan need to make sure to test out the soil in their area and see if they can find sphagnum peat moss. Too late, I just now sadly discovered your website and am disheartened by all this invaluable information. Spartan juniper is more drought-resistant than a skyrocket, but spartans also need less water to thrive. Luckily, non-invasive root systems are less likely to interfere with sidewalks, sewers or your home. Select a size: 1-2 ft. You have to be an idiot to despise them. Some also provide, in their berries, a useful flavoring for cooking. the branches are shrivering up and turing brown. When used correctly, such as in this Denver Xeriscape, Junipers can be an attractive addition to the landscape. Plus, it boasts dark bluish-green foliage you'll love. Absolute Gardener is a reader-supported site. If spartan juniper isnt getting enough light, you should put it near a window or invest in artificial lighting like grow lights for plants. These can be signs of fungi infestation. There are hundreds of thousands of bushes who can withstand pesticides and do not provide a safe harbor for pests. 'Spartan', Chinese Juniper Juniperus chinensis. Do not shear in a formal manner. Aphids, bagworms, twig borers, webworms, scale, and spider mites are potential insect pests. Calgary Carpet savin juniper (Juniperus sabina 'Monna'): A very low, spreading plant, it only reaches about 10 inches high. We were also told by the landscaper that the trees would not harm our dry-stacked rock wall but the arborist said it was inevitable in about five years that we will start to see damage to the wall due to the tree roots. I would recommend Medora Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum Medora) or Woodward juniper (Juniperus scopulorum Woodward). I need the density there for privacy. Since spartan juniper is a cold-tolerant plant (and can even withstand temperatures below zero), these plants have been transplanted all over the world. Painting in most instances is not warranted, that is a bit of a old wives tale. The plant will need to be shielded from high winds and hot sun in order for it to grow. Juniper bushes are common in older landscapes. The Spartan Juniper is a special selection of this tree which is much narrower and shorter than most wild trees. thanks for your help. The house that has the malaloucas is for sale. Problem is that none of the landscaping sales geniuses today can tell me the variety which would match my basic 1970s blue juniper bushesand today there are so many varietiesmost of which are slow growing and meant for ground coverthe exact opposite of what I am looking for. What might be the cause? Its tough to say without seeing photos, and Im not well versed in the plants of the Southeastern US. Its also important to know how often you need to prune spartan juniper, and when. Fill it with soil up to halfway and then place the spruce sprig in its new home. Type: Tree. The Most Popular Juniper Why Spartan Junipers? If you do try to transplant them, be sure to take as much of the root ball as possible, and water well once youve got it placed in the new location. I was wondering if you could help me with a few questions? Matt, I live at almost 7,000 feet (New Mexico) in a juniper-pinyon pine grassland, but really wish for fire safety purposes I had something other than junipers on my south-facing foundation planting bed. due to the shrubs planted behind it they can only grow up and out. In California wildfire risk areas we have been told to get rid of the junipers as they burn hot, as do all conifers and gum trees. I also have other evergreens in the mix, such as mugo pines and the junipers fit in really well, if you plan well. Dead juniper on the other hand catches fire quite easily. What about cutting them to the ground and planting something else avoiding the roots if thats possible? I have four, what I think are common Junipers, or Burkii Junipers in my front landscaping. If it does have room to grow, they may have simply over-pruned it. The Oregon Cattlemen's Association has called juniper "one of our most noxious invasive species." Taylor juniper: The root system of Rocky Mountain junipers is a shallow, lateral root system. Junipers are often categorized as spartan juniper or skyrocket juniper. An attractive upright conifer, Junipers chinensis 'Spartan' is a low maintenance plant that makes an excellent screen for narrow spaces. Im not sure how many I would need or the spacing. Have two juniper bushes on either side of steps in front of condo. The fruit is a blue berry on female trees and is ornamental when produced in quantity. I can still feel the major OUCHIES when I was a child falling down and into a juniper shrub and the rash that proceeded the contact from the egregious shrub. Tessa. Those interested in growing Spartan juniper will want to start with climate. Senibina, Juniperus chinensis 'Spartan' (Chinese Juniper) adalah sempit, pyramidal untuk pokok kolar hijau, malar hijau membentuk titik seru tampan dalam landskap. Hi, there are a few junipers along my front walk that have clearly overgrown their space. Prune spreading and creeping junipers by selectively cutting back to vigorous, lateral side branches. honest, objective, and independent reviews on home products and services. Generally, spartans should be pruned every year in late winter or early spring, before new growth starts. Consider yourself lucky. Trees should make a good candidate for planting near power lines. The tough yet attractive, upright-growing Spartan Juniper is a fast-growing, highly durable evergreen. Its dense foliage is dark green and can be clipped into different shapes. Spartan Juniper adapts well to being grown in a pot, where it will max out at much shorter than its usual 15-20 feet height. Their surface may be dimpled like a golf ball. Heavy fruit/cone/berry producer, and has very aromatic foliage when rubbed or crushed. Im also in western North Dakota and it gets all the morning sun where its at. Reaching a height of 15 to 20 feet, the size of this juniper fits the scale of . Gently remove the plant from its pot. It seems that almost every house in my neighbohood has these planted by the front steps. You can find more information at this link: http://erie.cce.cornell.edu/gardening Although these trees can develop drought resistance, they take quite a while to establish their root system after transplant. Melodie Putnam, 2010. Move to Canada. A Grass lawn is on the uphill side of the Junipers and the other side is the the soil is almost flush at the top of a 3ft tall retaining wall above my drive driveway. Black walnuts produce a chemical called juglone, which occurs naturally in all parts of the tree, especially in the buds, nut hulls, and roots. Often you wont know theyre there until they swarm you. If youve got junipers get rid of them now!!! The front is very sunny all day. I have a duplex with juniper bushes in the front. You may want to consider a Deodar Cedar or Juniper Tree over a Spruce but we have hybrid Spruce that keeps a rich Blue color . Not only do they evoke a dreary midwestern look, but are terribly invasive and home to lots and lots of vermin. Should I learn to love it ? Providing adequate irrigation is an essential part of how to grow a Spartan juniper. Informational table showing disease name, symptoms, pathogen/cause, and management of Juniper diseases. I have about 4-5 junipers on each side of my driveway that seem to be well over 10 years of age, and have just been left to grow since probably the very beginning. Juvenile 'Spartan' plants can grow over an inch a month. Humidity can also be achieved with spartan juniper by placing them in a cool, dry area that has plenty of sunlight and wind circulating through it. It is narrow, pyramidal to rounded in form and grows 30-40 feet tall. Are yews a decent replacement by the street? One thing I've learned from this forum is to plant the smaller trees rather than big trees whenever possible. Spartans are less prone to disease than skyrockets but spartans do have their own weaknesses that will need attention over time. This plant, like other junipers is deer, drought . I also live on a lake front property, I dont know if that matters in terms of wind. For example, spartans are vulnerable to juniper scale, which is a sap-sucking brown insect that can feed on spindly spartan branches and cause them to lose their foliage. This juniper has another famous name, Blue Arrow Eastern Red Cedar. I understand yews have noninvasive roots but I do not care for the poisonous aspects. I know this to be true, because 75% of the time that I talk with a homeowner or property owner about renovating their landscape, they say something like those Junipershave GOT to go!. Can they go deep into the ground or are they more like ground level root system? Care Easily grown in a wide range of soils, including clay, alkaline, and compacted soils; avoid overly wet conditions. Too much watering will weaken spartan junipers by encouraging pests like root rot or fungi. The first (Blue Arrow) was selected from many seedlings in a nursery in Pennsylvania in the late 1940s. If everyone in the neighborhood had to remove all trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers out of their yards because someone in the neighborhood was allergic, I guess just about everyones yards would have nothing but dirt left in them. The tree occurs naturally in the north-central mountains of Michigan and Minnesota and is an evergreen shrub that prefers full sunlight. Im highly allergic to juniper pollen which makes me miserable for 2-3 months every year. Spartan junipers are a small evergreen, with a maximum height of 15 feet. You can help the tree develop its roots by loosening up the roots when you remove the plant from its container. Junipers generally like a lot of sun, but most of them should be fine in light shade. Outdoor Design Group Celebrates 10 Years in Business! It features foliage that is softer and denser than other varieties. Junipers have come to the forefront since I found their roots are noninvasive to the basement foundation. Stay away from the Skyrocket Juniper if you are concerned about possible snow damage. Maybe blue point and some Wichita blue. They grew great in Michigan where I grew up, here in Colorado they dont grow well at all unless they are given a perfect micro-climate. Spartan juniper trees are a narrow cultivar of Chinese juniper, Juniper chinensis. Juniperus chinensis, commonly called Chinese juniper, is a dioecious evergreen conifer that is native to China, Japan, Mongolia and the Himalayas. This cultivar grows to some 15 feet (5 m.) tall but remains slender, between 3 to 5 feet (1-1.5 m.) wide. 2023 Gardening Know How, Future US LLC, Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036. He also said the drip system wasn't positioned correctly as the water is spraying directly on the trunks of the trees and due to them being planted in basins, the water is pooling all around the trunks (he said Junipers don't tend to get crown rot but the situation we have them in, it's almost inevitable). Sounds like you have a good plan. Common Juniper has reddish-brown bark and gray-green foliage. Collect seeds in the fall, clean them well, and place them in a paper bag. The best way to do this is by placing spartans in an area that receives at least six to eight hours of sunlight every day. You could try to surround it with complimentary colors such as purple and red flowering perennials. Your savvy landscaper knows this and should have delayed planting until plants are hardened off for the winter. This means that it should not have standing water on top of it for too long, or else this tree will become unhappy very quickly. It also stinks and rats love to use it as a hide out. Drought, strong sun, and winter wind tolerances are also important factors in the plant selections. * Images shown are of mature plants. To attain the best results, choose a container that is roughly twice the size of the root ball. (Im thinking thats not the best idea) Now the junipers are huge round balls about 8 10 ft high and only green around the edges. I purchased my home in 2006 and they had not been trimmedever. The younger and smaller the shrub, the better the chance you can relocate it without causing too much stress to the plant. I have a bunch of Juniper bushes by my bedroom window. 15 reviews. The most commonly distributed juniper in the Eastern United States is the eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana. 3) Given an appropriate amount of space, they require almost no maintenance. Hired a landscaper who said we got to them just in time and rather than leave them in their natural upward growth pattern he made them round. Juniper trees, like the Blue Point, grow about 1 foot per year. Growing best in full sun, more open in partial shade, Torulosa Juniper needs well-drained soil or it will decline from root rot. The trees naturally have a columnar, pyramidal shape with a wider base and a tapered top. Spartan juniper trees thrive in Zones 4-9almost everywhere except the very coldest and very hottest parts of the country. They prefer slightly acidic, sandy soil but tolerate many different soil types that other trees cant, including heavy clay soils. Buy Austree Hybrid Willow trees here! If I cut the dead top out do I need to paint the cut with anything, or can I just leave the cut exposed. The spartan juniper is characterized by its sprigs of colour that range from green to yellow-green. Spartans will need more maintenance than skyrockets but they tend to fare better in areas with heavy traffic or where the soil has been disturbed. Should I ask: You did save your receipt? If they cant find sphagnum, then the spartans should just go ahead and use commercial potting soil that is designed to be well-draining. A spartan juniper should not be consumed or eaten in any way. I wanted to see if I could get some feedback on our situation as I think we may be been dealt a bad hand. $0.00. They look really awful now and my husband is a bit unhappy with me. Id love to keep these trees alive and have pruned a little, noticing 2 healthy shoots coming from the ground about 4 feet each. The 'North Pole' cultivar of columnar apple can grow up to a height of 8-12 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide, and is perfect for USDA hardiness zones 4-8. Also, universities in your area might provide master gardener services or horticultural extension education services (https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/) for your area, and they sometimes are available for Q&A sessions. We had a very savvy landscaper sell us on planting 20 spartan junipers (8-9' tall) the beginning of this month (July) and it's been a disaster of an experience. Thanks in advance for answering my question. Pruning is not an essential part of Spartan juniper care. The spruce sprigs should be placed in a circle with about 16 inches of space between each one. . Spartan Juniper Southern Living Plants Juniper trees come from China. Can they be relocated to another spot in my yard (I have plenty of space for planting elsewhere) or will they likely not make it if relocated? . We also have them that line up our (very long) drive way and also line along our front yard (but there provide a great break between us and the road). It has made for some cool looking flower/plant bed areas too. The site is in full sun for most I of the day and I dont need the Juniper as a wind break or privacy screen. I think junipers are beautiful trees and am about to put some in our yard this coming Saturday. 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