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Common juniper Gold Cone (juniperus communis Gold Cone) is a perennial coniferous plant that forms a cone-shaped bush up to 2 m high. The plant is valued for the original color of its needles, frost resistance and ease of care. Thanks to its decorative appearance, the shrub looks good on alpine hills, in rockeries and coniferous gardens, as well as in single and mass plantings.
Description of juniper Gold Kone
Common juniper Gold Cone was bred in 1980 by German breeders. A slow-growing coniferous plant reaches a height of 2 m and forms a narrow conical crown with a diameter of 50 cm.
The shrub has straight, vertical shoots and a deep, slightly branched root system. The main advantage of the conifer is the color of the needles. In the spring it is golden yellow, during the summer it becomes rich green, and in the fall it turns bronze-brown.Thanks to its changing color, common juniper Gold Kone looks great among evergreen, deciduous and ornamental shrubs.
Fruiting of common juniper occurs at the end of summer. The bush produces ovoid green cone-shaped berries, which turn bluish-black when fully ripe. Ripe fruits are covered with a waxy film and can be eaten.
Common juniper Gold Kone is a slow-growing species, seasonal growth is 15 cm. The shrub takes a long time to adapt after transplantation, especially in adulthood. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase 2-3 year old plants grown in containers.
The coniferous shrub is frost-resistant, sun-loving, grows well on light, alkaline soil with deep groundwater. It is better to choose a sunny site for planting, since in partial shade the needles acquire an emerald color and lose their sunny color.
Juniper Gold Con in landscape design
Common juniper Gold Kone is a compact, evergreen, coniferous shrub that is suitable for planting in rock gardens, rockeries and next to other conifers. Looks great in single plantings, as well as surrounded by flowering perennials.
Common juniper Gold Kone is an ideal mini shrub that is suitable for growing in flower pots, for landscaping roofs, balconies, loggias, verandas and terraces. And thanks to the flexible shoots, the plant makes a beautiful Bonsai.
Planting and caring for common juniper Gold Kone
After transplanting to a permanent place, the common juniper Gold Kone requires regular care. It consists of watering, fertilizing and shelter from frost and spring sun.To improve the soil structure, the tree trunk circle is mulched with dry leaves or mowed grass. Coniferous shrubs tolerate pruning well. With annual spring pruning, the crown is formed and the skeletal branches are strengthened.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
It is better to buy common juniper seedlings Gold Kone from trusted suppliers or nurseries. A correctly selected seedling must meet certain requirements:
- The roots should be well developed and completely fill the container in which they are located. There should be no mechanical or other damage.
- The trunk must be perfect, without cracks or signs of disease.
- All young shoots should be flexible and not break at the slightest bending.
- There should be no white flakes near the growth point of the needles, as this is the first sign of a low-quality seedling.
- The crown should have uniformly colored needles.
Juniper juniperus communis Gold Cone is an unpretentious coniferous plant.
Common juniper is planted in spring and autumn. But to simplify maintenance, the planting hole is prepared in advance. For this:
- Dig a hole, the diameter of which should be several times larger than the root system.
- The bottom is buried with a 15 cm layer of drainage.
- Next, nutritious soil is prepared, and complex mineral fertilizers are added to the soil as additional nutrition.
- If the soil is acidic, it is diluted with dolomite flour.
- The soil is spilled abundantly.
- After 2 weeks, the earth will be ready to accept the juniper seedling.
- When planting several specimens, the interval between plants should be at least 1 m.
Landing rules
After the soil in the prepared hole has settled, planting can begin. The seedling is carefully removed from the container and placed in the hole so that the root collar is at soil level. The entire space around the plant is sprinkled with soil, compacting each layer so that there is no air space left. The top layer is compacted, spilled and mulched.
Watering and fertilizing
Young plants need irrigation for good growth and development. In rainy weather, watering is not carried out; in dry, arid summers, irrigation is carried out 2 times a month after planting, and then once a month.
Common juniper Gold Kone will not refuse watering using the sprinkling method - this refreshes the needles, removes dust and fills the air with a fresh, pleasant aroma. The procedure is carried out in the morning or evening so that drops of water under the influence of sunlight do not cause burns to the needles.
Common juniper is not demanding when it comes to fertilizing. The exception is plants growing in poor soil and in the first 2 years after planting. To do this, in early spring, seedlings are fed with liquid fertilizers intended for conifers, as they contain a full range of useful substances necessary for full development.
Mulching and loosening
After irrigation, the tree trunk circle is carefully loosened and mulched. Peat, rotted compost, straw, pine needles or dry leaves are used as mulch. Mulch will retain moisture and stop growth weed, will eliminate loosening and become an additional organic fertilizer.
Trimming and shaping
From the description it is clear that Gold Kone juniper is very responsive to pruning. It is carried out to form the crown and for prevention against diseases and pests. In spring, damaged shoots that have not overwintered are removed.
An unevenly developing crown looks untidy and loses its decorative effect. Pruning is carried out in early summer using sharp, sterile pruning shears. Young growths are pinched to ½ length. Powerful, incorrectly colored shoots are removed completely at the forks, which makes the cut invisible.
Preparing for winter
Common juniper Gold Kone is a frost-resistant species, so it does not need shelter. To prevent the shoots of a young seedling from breaking during heavy snowfall, experienced gardeners recommend tying them together.
But in early spring it is necessary to make a shelter. It will protect the needles from the spring rays of the sun. The covering material is removed after the daytime air temperature remains within + 8-10 °C.
Propagation of common juniper Gold Cone
Common juniper Gold Kone can be propagated by seeds and cuttings.
Seed method – seeds that have undergone stratification are treated in a growth stimulator and sown in nutrient soil to a depth of 2 cm. To create a favorable microclimate, a microgreenhouse is made. The optimal temperature for germination should be at least + 23 °C. After the seedlings emerge, the shelter is removed and the container is placed on a window facing the south or southeast side.Care consists of regular watering, fertilizing and picking. A young plant is planted in a permanent place at the age of 2-3 years.
Cuttings – in early June, cuttings 5-10 cm long are cut. The cut is treated with “Kornevin” and “Fundazol”. The prepared cuttings are planted in moist, nutritious soil to a depth of 2 cm. The container is covered with a jar to create optimal temperature and humidity conditions. In order for the cuttings to take root faster, spraying and ventilation are carried out. Rooting lasts all summer. After 2 years, the grown cuttings can be transplanted to a prepared area.
Diseases and pests
Adult common juniper Gold Kone is immune to diseases and pests. But newly planted seedlings often become infected with fungal diseases and are attacked by insects.
Insect pests:
- Pine moth – destroys needles and eats young shoots.
- Mealybug – destroys young growths and spreads sooty fungus.
To prevent pests, the plant is sprayed with insecticides twice with an interval of 2 weeks.
Fungal diseases:
- Fusarium – the disease can be identified by the redness of the needles on the upper shoots, which gradually fall off, exposing the young shoots.
- Rust – affects the shoots, forming multiple orange-colored pustules on them. Without treatment, the fungus quickly spreads to the trunk, causing the bark to thicken and burst.
When the first symptoms of infection appear, all affected branches are cut down to healthy tissue and burned. The crown is treated with fungicides, such as Fitosporin-M, Fundazol or Maxim.
Conclusion
Common juniper Gold Kone is an unpretentious, evergreen, slow-growing plant. But in order for coniferous shrubs to please the eye for a long time, it is necessary to follow simple rules of care. And then the coniferous plant will become an indispensable decoration for a rock garden, rocky or coniferous garden.
