Common Juniper: Location, Cutting & Effect

The common juniper is known for its blue berries, which are also used as a spice and medicinal product. We give tips on planting, care and use.

In addition to its pretty appearance, the common juniper (Juniperus communis) also as a fodder plant for birds. If it gets enough light, it will grow almost anywhere and can also be planted as a hedge. We show how the culture works.

Common juniper in the profile

The common juniper (Juniperus communis) is known to us because of its blue cone berries and the unmistakable growth habit. It is the most widespread representative of the conifers and occurs in the northern hemisphere from North America to Africa. It can grow as a shrub as well as a tree and reaches heights between 5 and 8 meters. But how fast does common juniper grow? With an increase of 10 to 15 centimeters per year, the

Juniper type to the slowly growing trees. The evergreen common juniper has piercing, gray-green needles that are always threesome in a whorl. On the top of the needle there is a white stripe called an ostomy band, which is made up of a series of stomata. The common juniper blooms from June and forms small, inconspicuous flowers in the leaf axes. Here, after fertilization, the cones that are typical of juniper and look like berries are formed. However, this can only be found on female plants. Since the juniper is dioecious, specimens of both sexes are required for the formation of fruits. The cones only reach maturity, which can be recognized by their dark blue color, after two or three years. Then the fruits can also be harvested and used.

By the way: The common juniper is the only species in the genus juniperwhose fruits can be eaten.

The most beautiful Juniperus communis varieties

In addition to the wild form, there are a few Juniperus communis- Varieties that stand out either by their growth habit or by their needle color.

• 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 flat-growing, ground-covering juniper variety. It is also known as creeping juniper or creeping juniper.

Planting common juniper: location and procedure

The pretty and easy-care juniper can be used in many ways in the garden, whether as a solitary plant, in the heather garden, as a bird food or useful plant.

The common juniper likes a location in the sun. The soil should be loose, well-drained and dry to moist, but by no means waterlogged. It is best to plant the juniper in spring. To loosen up compacted or loamy clay soils, a third of 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 soaking. Fill in the gaps with the sand-earth mixture and press everything down. Watering should be done 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 around 50 cm, but it also depends on the variety. A suitable variety for hedges is for example Juniperus communis ‘Golden Cone’, whereas ground cover varieties like 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 of the roots well and can therefore be kept as a miniature tree without any problems. The location requirements are the same as with the large representatives. Helpful tips on how to get one Planting and maintaining bonsai should see our article.

Care of the common juniper: cutting, fertilizing and Co.

The common juniper requires very little care. After planting, the young trees need a little more attention, but once they are well rooted, the juniper will grow on its own.

At a young age, the common juniper should be watered in long periods of drought. Especially in the time immediately after planting, it still needs regular watering. Well-grown specimens, on the other hand, do not need irrigation water and can withstand drought without problems. Fertilization is also not necessary and is only used if the juniper does not grow sufficiently. If the garden soil is particularly poor in nutrients, a starter fertilization when planting and annually in spring can support the growth of the juniper. For example, ours is suitable for this Plantura organic universal fertilizerwhich works over a long period of time and is primarily an organic fertilizer based on natural ingredients. 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.

Since the juniper grows very slowly, it should be pruned regularly, but only a little. A pruning once a year is sufficient. Choose a frost-free day in the growing season, preferably in the spring before budding. Radical prunings should be avoided at all costs, as the juniper no longer sprouts out of the old wood.

Uses and effects of common juniper

As soon as the cone berries have turned dark blue, the fruits of the common juniper can be harvested. 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 cloth spread out on the ground. Then the fruits are dried and made durable. The sweet-bitter tasting fruits refine schnapps, for example, and can be used as a spice or tea. Juniper tea is said to have a blood-purifying effect and help with digestive problems. However, one should not consume larger amounts, as the fruits also contain irritants. Juniper branches are also used, for example to flavor meat through the smoke. If you have kidney problems or are pregnant, you should refrain from consuming juniper berries in order to avoid unnecessary risks.

By the way: The cone berries of the common juniper are a source of food for many bird species, such as the song thrush and of course the fieldfare. The beautiful conifer attracts some feathered visitors to the garden.

Is Common Juniper Poisonous?

The cone berries of the common juniper should only be consumed in moderation, as excessive consumption can damage the kidneys. This is due to the essential oils that are also contained in the needles. The common juniper is considered poisonous in large quantities, even if only to a minor extent.

The cones of the common juniper are also used as food for birds. Like yours Make the garden more bird-friendly you can find out from us.