Content
The homeland of the evergreen representative of the Cypress family is America, Virginia. The culture is widespread at the foot of rocky mountains on the edges of forests, less often along river banks and in wetlands. Juniper Hetz is the result of crossing the Chinese and Virginia junipers. The American conifer became the ancestor of many varieties of crops with a varied shape and color of the crown.
Description of Juniper Virginian Hetz
The evergreen juniper Hetz, depending on pruning, can take the form of a horizontal spreading shrub or an upright tree with a symmetrical cone shape. The ability to give the desired shape gives a well-defined high stem. Hetz is one of the representatives of the medium-sized Virginia juniper, which produces significant growth for the species. The size of an adult juniper virginiana Hetz without growth correction reaches 2.5 m in height, the diameter of the crown is 2.5-3 cm. Over the course of a year, the plant adds 23 cm in height, and approximately also increases in diameter.In 9 years it grows to 1.8 m, then the growth decreases to 10 cm, at the age of 15 years the plant is considered an adult.
Frost-resistant juniper Hetz is suitable for cultivation in the Central Black Earth regions and the European part of Russia. Due to its drought resistance, Hetz juniper is cultivated in the North Caucasus and Southern regions. The plant is light-loving, tolerates planting well in open areas, and can grow in partial shade. Waterlogging of the soil is not shown. Does not lose its decorative effect in dry weather. Does not tolerate drafts well.
The perennial Hetz retains its habit for up to 40 years, then the lower branches begin to dry out, the needles turn yellow and crumble, and the juniper loses its decorative effect. Due to good annual growth, the bush is constantly pruned to form a crown.
Description of the Virginian juniper Hetz, shown in the photo:
- The crown is spreading and loose, the branches are horizontal, the upper part is slightly raised. The branches are of medium volume, gray with a brown tint, the bark is uneven.
- At the initial stage of the growing season, it forms thick scaly needles; as it grows, it becomes needle-shaped, triangular, soft, with pointed, non-thorny ends. The needles are dark blue, closer to steel color. By autumn, the needles turn dark burgundy.
- The variety is monoecious, produces only female flowers, and bears fruit abundantly every year, which is considered a rarity for the Cypress family.
- The cone berries at the beginning of growth are light gray in color, when ripe they are bluish-white, numerous, and small.
Juniper Hetz in landscape design
The culture is frost-resistant and tolerates low humidity well.Shows a high degree of rooting in a new place. Due to its varietal characteristics, it is used for landscape design almost throughout Russia. Hetz juniper is planted as a tapeworm or en masse in one line. Used for landscaping garden plots, public gardens, recreation areas, city parks.
Juniperus virginiana Hetz (pictured) is used as the foreground in a flower bed in a composition with dwarf conifers and flowering plants. Use of Hetz juniper in design:
- to create an alley. Planting on both sides of the garden path is visually perceived as an alley;
- for decorating the banks of a reservoir;
- to form a hedge around the perimeter of the site;
- to indicate the background of the ridges;
- to divide garden areas;
- to create an accent in rock gardens and rock gardens.
Hetz juniper planted around the gazebo will add color to the recreation area and create the feeling of a coniferous forest.
Planting and caring for Hetz juniper
Juniperus virginiana Hetz variegata prefers light, soils with good drainage. The composition is neutral or slightly alkaline. The crop does not grow on salty and acidic soil. The best option for planting is sandy loam.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
Requirements for planting material of juniper juniperus virginiana Hetz:
- the seedling for propagation must be at least two years old;
- the root system is well formed, without mechanical damage and dry areas;
- the bark is smooth, olive-colored, without scratches or cracks;
- The branches must have needles.
Before placing the Hetz variety in a designated area, the root is disinfected in a manganese solution and placed in a growth stimulator.If the root system is closed, plant it without treatment.
The site is prepared a week before planting, the site is dug up, and the composition is neutralized. A nutrient mixture is prepared for the seedling: peat, soil from the planting site, sand, leaf humus. All components are mixed in equal parts. Dig a planting hole 15 cm wider than the root ball, depth - 60 cm. Place drainage made of broken bricks or coarse pebbles at the bottom. 1 day before planting, fill the hole to the top with water.
Landing rules
Sequencing:
- ½ part of the mixture is poured into the bottom of the hole.
- They make a hill.
- A seedling is placed on a hill in the center.
- Pour in the rest of the mixture so that there is approximately 10 cm left to the edge.
- They fill the void with wet sawdust.
- The soil is compacted and watered.
If there is a mass planting, a space of 1.2 m is left between the junipers.
Watering and fertilizing
After planting, Hetz juniper is watered every evening for three months with a small amount of water. If the root system was not previously immersed in a growth stimulator, the drug is added to the irrigation water. Sprinkling is carried out every morning. The nutrient mixture contains enough microelements to last the plant for 2 years. Then the root system will deepen, so there will be no need for fertilizing.
Mulching and loosening
The tree trunk soil is mulched immediately after planting with dry leaves, peat or small tree bark. In the fall the layer is increased, in the spring the composition is updated. Loosening and weeding of young juniper seedlings is carried out as they grow weed. An adult plant does not need this method of agricultural technology; weeds do not grow under the thick crown, and mulch prevents compaction of the top layer of soil.
Trimming and shaping
Until two years of growth, Hetz juniper undergoes only sanitary cleaning. In spring, dry and damaged areas are removed. The formation of the bush begins after 3–4 years. The plant is given shape and maintained every spring by pruning before sap flow begins.
Preparing for winter
Frost-resistant juniper Hetz can withstand temperatures down to -28 0C. For an adult plant in the fall, increase the mulch layer by 15 cm and carry out moisture-recharging irrigation; this will be enough. The shelter that a young juniper needs:
- The seedlings are being spudded.
- Place mulch and a layer of straw on top.
- The branches are tied and bent to the ground so that they do not break under the weight of snow.
- The top is covered with spruce branches, or polyethylene stretched over arcs.
- In winter, the juniper is covered with a layer of snow.
Reproduction
Virginia juniper Hetz (juniperus virginiana Hetz) is propagated using the following methods:
- by cuttings, the material is taken from last year’s annual shoots, the length of the cutting is 12 cm;
- by layering, in the spring they fix the shoot of the lower branch to the ground, sprinkle it with soil, and plant it after 2 years;
- seeds.
The grafting method is rarely used; juniper is a tall-growing plant; it can be formed into a standard tree without grafting.
Diseases and pests
Juniper medium Hetzi Hetzii is resistant to fungal infection. The only growing condition is that the crop should not be placed near apple trees. Fruit trees cause rust on the crown of the conifer.
They parasitize on conifers:
- aphid;
- juniper sawfly;
- scale insect.
To prevent the appearance and spread of pests, the bush is treated with copper sulfate in spring and autumn.
Conclusion
Juniper Hetz is a perennial evergreen plant that is used for landscaping urban recreation areas and garden plots. The tall shrub is used to decorate flower beds and is used in mass plantings to form hedges. The culture is frost-resistant, tolerates drought well, and is unpretentious in care.
