Content
- 1 Description of juniper Prince of Wales
- 1.1 Description of the horizontal juniper Prince of Wales:
- 1.2 Juniper horizontal Prince of Wales in landscape design
- 1.3 Planting and caring for horizontal juniper Prince of Wales
- 1.4 Preparing seedlings and planting area
- 1.5 Landing rules
- 1.6 Watering and fertilizing
- 1.7 Mulching and loosening
- 1.8 Trimming and shaping
- 1.9 Preparing for winter
- 2 Reproduction of juniperus horizontalis Prince of Wales
- 3 Diseases and pests of horizontal juniper Prince of Wales
- 4 Conclusion
- 5 Reviews of juniper Prince of Wales
The historical homeland of the coniferous low-growing shrub, Prince of Wales juniper - Canada. The variety was created on the basis of a wild-growing crop for the design of plots and park areas. The perennial creeping plant is adapted to low temperatures and tolerates drought and waterlogging of the soil.
Description of juniper Prince of Wales
In terms of habit, a representative of the Cypress family, the horizontal juniper (Juniperus horizontalis Prince of Wales) is the shortest. The species does not have a central trunk; Prince of Wales juniper shoots grow immediately near the root system. Externally, each branch looks separate, not as part of the crown, but as an independent plant.
The ornamental bush grows very slowly, each year adding 1 cm in height and 6 cm in width.New shoots form vertically; when they reach 8 cm, they spread along the surface of the soil. The plant is not a covering type; the branches, being on the soil, do not produce a root system without additional cover from above with soil. After 10 years of growing season, the plant is considered mature, the maximum height of the ornamental shrub is 20 cm, the crown width is 2.5 cm. The size of the Prince of Wales juniper depends on the place of growth; in partial shade near a pond, the juniper will be larger than in an open sunny area.
Horizontal juniper Prince of Wales (Juniperus horizontalis Prince of Wales) is a frost-resistant plant that easily tolerates temperatures down to -300 C. Shelter is not required for an adult ornamental bush. If the juniper is young and the temperature is below -300 C, the crown is covered. The plant does not restore frozen shoots; they are cut off. Considering that the shrub grows very slowly, the formation period will be extended.
Description of the horizontal juniper Prince of Wales:
- Shoots up to 1.5 m long, low to the ground, creeping type. As the juniper grows, the upper branches fall on the lower ones, forming a continuous carpet.
- The crown of a young bush is light green, while that of an adult bush has a silvery tint.
- The needles are in the form of scales, tightly pressed to the shoots, in the fall they have a crimson, then dark purple color. Releases insecticides and contains essential oils.
- The fruits are spherical, medium size, silver with a blue tint, hard. The bush produces ovaries very rarely.
- The root system is superficial, well branched, the root circle is 30-50 cm.
Due to its chemical composition (essential oils, trace elements, vitamin complex), Prince of Wales juniper is used in cosmetology. Added to alcoholic drinks as a flavoring.
Juniper horizontal Prince of Wales in landscape design
The low-growing species of juniper is unpretentious in care and grows on almost all soils. Over time, growing, it forms a dense thick carpet of branches, which are not easy to disassemble. This feature of coniferous shrubs is widely used in the design of personal gardens, park areas, and flower beds near administrative buildings. The Prince of Wales juniper in the photo below is presented as a design solution in the design of the site. The solid green mass is visually perceived as an element of the lawn. The growth of juniper is insignificant, it does not change over the year and does not require constant pruning.
Due to its exotic, creeping crown and low stature, it is used in group and single plantings. Combines well with low conifers or flowering shrubs and acts as a foreground plant. Often used to create:
- imitation of a lawn in a rock garden near large stones;
- along the slope of a rock garden or as a central accent;
- on the shore of a small pond;
- in flower beds, junipers form a carpet under which they do not grow weeds, is a common background for flowering crops;
- curbs and slopes of rocky terrain.
Coniferous plants are grown in flowerpots to decorate loggias, balconies, cornices and the roof of a building.
Planting and caring for horizontal juniper Prince of Wales
The dwarf variety Prince of Wales is drought-resistant, light-loving, and grows well in partial shade near a pond. If the bush is located in a place open to the sun, care must be taken to maintain soil moisture. In the dense shade under the dense crown of trees, the Prince of Wales horizontal juniper loses its decorative effect. The needles are rarely formed, the needles are small, the crown looks loose, elongated upward, the color of the shoots is faded with yellow fragments.
Prince of Wales is undemanding in terms of soil composition. Can grow on poor or saline soils, but always light soils with satisfactory drainage. The acid balance is neutral or slightly alkaline. Acidic soils are neutralized with lime or dolomite flour 6 months before planting.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
Planting material for Prince of Wales juniper can be purchased at a nursery, propagated yourself, or an adult plant can be moved to another location. The main requirement for a seedling from a nursery is a well-formed root, branches without dry areas, and the presence of needles.
If, in order to reconstruct a site, juniper is moved from one place to another, it is necessary to correctly remove it from the ground:
- Raise the branches towards the center.
- Carefully wrap it in cloth and secure it with a rope.
- They dig in a circle, retreating from the central part by about 0.5 m.
- They deepen depending on the age of the plant, approximately 40 cm.
- The bush is removed along with the root ball.
The plant can be planted in autumn and spring; juniper takes root well in a new place.
Before planting, the area is dug up, lightened by adding peat, and sand is added to improve drainage. Dig a hole for the bush; it should be 20 cm wider than the root system. The depth is determined by the height of the root to the root collar, taking into account the drainage layer and soil mixture. On average, the planting hole measures 60 * 70 cm.
Landing rules
Before placing Prince of Wales juniper in a planting hole, prepare a fertile mixture consisting of equal parts of peat, turf soil, and sand. Ash is added to the mixture at the rate of ¼; it can be replaced with dolomite flour. The plant responds well to alkali-containing substances. Algorithm for planting a seedling:
- Drainage (15 cm) is poured onto the bottom of the planting hole. Expanded clay, coarse gravel, and crushed stone are used.
- The fertile mixture is divided into 2 parts.
- Pour onto the drainage in the hole.
- The seedling along with a lump of earth is placed in the center.
- Cover with the rest of the mixture and water.
A prerequisite is that the root collar should be 2 cm above the surface. Remove the tissue from an adult plant and carefully distribute the branches. The distance between the bushes is determined according to the design concept, but not less than 0.5 m from each other.
Watering and fertilizing
The decorative variety needs a sufficient amount of moisture to form a beautiful crown. After planting, the plant is watered every evening for 2 months. In hot summers, dry air has a negative effect on the needles, they lose their brightness and dry out. Top irrigation of the bush is recommended early in the morning or in the evening. Feeding for juniper is not required. During the first 2 years, the drug “Kemira Universal” is applied in early spring (April) - once every 12 months. After 2 years of growth, Prince of Wales juniper is not fertilized.
Mulching and loosening
Mulching is a mandatory procedure immediately after planting; the root circle is covered with dry leaves, straw, and ideally tree bark. The mulch is renewed every autumn. An adult plant does not need to loosen the soil; the presence of mulch retains moisture and prevents the appearance of crust on the top layer of soil. Weeds do not grow under the dense cover of branches. Seedlings are loosened at the end of May and in the fall before laying mulch.
Trimming and shaping
Pruning of Prince of Wales juniper is carried out in the spring; it is of a healing nature. Remove dry and frozen areas. If the plant has overwintered without disturbing the crown, pruning of the evergreen conifer is not required.
The bush is formed at will; the natural decorative value of the crop is quite high. If the design decision is not in favor of the entire area occupied by the crown, the tops of the branches are shortened to the required length. Juniper growth is slow; a formed bush will retain its shape for several years.
Preparing for winter
Preparatory measures for the winter period are necessary for young seedlings; the crop is frost-resistant; adult plants do not require shelter. Work is carried out in late autumn:
- Cover the root circle with a layer of straw, leaves, sawdust or tree bark - 10-15 cm.
- The branches are collected in a bundle so that they do not break under a layer of snow.
- The plant is covered with spruce branches on top or arches are installed and the film is stretched.
- Preliminary water-recharging irrigation is carried out.
Reproduction of juniperus horizontalis Prince of Wales
The most common method of propagating Prince of Wales juniper is by rooting cuttings.In the spring, the shoot is fixed to the soil, covered with soil on top, making sure that the amount of soil does not decrease, and, if necessary, topping it up. After a year, the plant will form a root system, the cuttings are separated from the bush and planted on the site.
You can propagate juniper by cuttings from shoots. The optimal age of branches for cuttings is 2 years. Planting material is prepared in spring or autumn, the cuttings are placed in fertile soil, and after rooting they are planted.
You can also get a plant by grafting. The method is labor-intensive and rarely used; Prince of Wales juniper does not take root well on a trunk of another species.
The crop can be propagated by seeds, but the planting material of the Prince of Wales hybrid does not retain its varietal characteristics. The result will be a dwarf bush that vaguely resembles the mother plant.
Diseases and pests of horizontal juniper Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales, like any juniper, produces insecticides - substances that are toxic to most garden pests. They parasitize juniper:
- aphid – in the fight against the pest, colonies of ants are destroyed and branches where the bulk of the parasite has accumulated are cut off;
- spider mite – eliminated with colloidal sulfur;
- scale insect – sprayed with special insecticides;
- juniper sawfly – larvae are collected and treated with Karbofos.
Fungal infections are treated with copper sulfate.
Conclusion
Juniper Prince of Wales is valued by designers for its decorative crown. The dwarf shrub does not shed its needles in the fall, but only changes color from bright green to purple-plum.The culture is frost-resistant and does not require constant pruning and crown formation. Used as a ground cover plant to decorate the landscape of squares, parks, and personal plots. Planted on several levels of a rock garden or alpine hill, it forms an airy, flowing cascade.
